My (mostly) weekly thoughts on leadership, high performance, wellbeing and more.
Have a read through, or you can see a complete index here
Enough about me; what do you think of me?
I don’t love the term “personal brand” (I prefer reputation), but whatever you call it,
I want to share a process that can help you think it through in a structured way.
How to tell which tasks are high impact and which are just wasting your time
Spinning your wheels on low-impact tasks can leave you exhausted.
Here’s some thoughts on how to identify the work that will get you moving…
Under the pump? 5 ways to make more time for strategic thinking
How much of your week is spent on strategic thinking?
It can be hard to carve out the time and mental space, but it’s essential. Here’s 5 tips to help.
New team dramas? Some thoughts on settling the system
As a leader, you know that building a strong team is crucial for success.
Systems and constellations theories provide some good insights to help take your team through the tricky “storming” phase and into high performance.
Can't understand why things aren't working? Maybe it's you
We all have blind spots. But as a leader, lack of self-awareness can have significant negative impacts on your organisation.
5 ways to keep your cool when someone is angry at you
Sometimes pushing back can be particularly challenging when a stakeholder is angry and/or powerful. It requires a delicate balance between maintaining the relationship and respecting your own limits. Here are 5 strategies that you can use to push back effectively in these difficult situations.
Out of control? How to reframe your relationship with time when the day runs amok
Do you ever feel like the day has a mind of its own, slipping out of your grasp and leaving you feeling frazzled and unproductive? Because I never have.
Kidding, of course! Probably all of us have experienced the frustration of lost control over our day.
But what if we shifted our perspective and realised that it's not about how we tame the day, but rather about how we relate to it?
Tips for staying well while travelling for work
I went to Perth and it got me thinking about work travel.
Here are some strategies that can help you balance your work and personal life while on the road
New job? Get your legs out from under the desk
The phrase "get your legs under the desk" is often used to describe the process of settling into a new job, but sometimes the best way to do that is to actually get your legs out from under the desk – both literally and metaphorically. Here’s 4 ways to do that.
Boredom, ChatGPT and me
When we're bored, it could be a sign that we're not being challenged or stimulated enough in our work – either in a major, career-defining way, or just that day or hour.
I was bored and here’s what I did.
Tips for making difficult decisions as a senior leader
Making difficult decisions as a leader is one of the most challenging aspects of the job. Here’s 5 steps to follow that can help.
How to set boundaries when your stakeholders won’t listen
Recently I ran a workshop for in-house lawyers and was asked for tips on how to assert healthy boundaries and push back on work demands when your stakeholders refuse to hear it. Here’s my take…
Three counterintuitive tips for dealing with overwhelm as a senior leader
Let’s freshen it up. Here are three counterintuitive tips for dealing with overwhelm that may challenge your assumptions and help you approach the never-ending to-do list in a new way
How can I be authentic and adaptable at the same time?
Some people might argue that authenticity and adaptability are mutually exclusive.
I would argue that the opposite is true.
Quieting your inner critic – dealing with imposter syndrome
Most of us are familiar with that nagging voice in the back of our heads that tells us we're not good enough, we don't belong, or that we're going to be found out as frauds.
But the good news is, impostor syndrome can be eased. Here are a few tips that have helped me and might help you too.
Seven tips for a smoother transition back to reality after a break
As I write this it’s my first day back at work after a summer of sunshine, relaxation, and not being in a hurry. The shift back into work mode can be rough but don't worry, I've got you covered with seven tried and true tips for a smoother transition back to reality after a summer break. And let's be honest, I’m talking to myself here…
Don’t tell me: why some leaders see learning as a threat
There are a few perfectly understandable and very human reasons why leaders might view learning opportunities as threats, but you stand to gain enormously by overcoming that. Here’s why.
Why it’s not always good news when you get on easily with your team
It can be challenging to lead people who have very different personalities from your own, but it's not impossible. Easy rapport is great at a cocktail party but not necessarily at work.
How much time should your stakeholders get?
Do those in your working world who are loudest and most demanding get most of your time, energy and attention?
Use this grid to help you decide what will work better…
The Joy of Subtracting
Overwhelmed clients often ask me for tips and tricks to help them handle the demands on their time and energy.
Stop to think about it, though, and that’s bonkers. How is adding more going to help with overwhelm?