Transform your leadership impact
Insights
We find insight and knowledge constantly during our work. It is what allows us to create change and guide leaders. We use knowledge to inspire innovation and build success.
Here, we share our insights and knowledge.
Modelling leadership in a crisis
A new year is supposed to be a time of renewal, optimism, and hope. Yet whoever wrote the script for 2021 clearly didn’t get the memo. In early January this year, many countries around the world were enduring the restrictions of toughest lockdowns of the pandemic so far. The promise of a new normal from
Leading out of the pandemic
In a very crowded, noisy world of opinions on how to think, feel and behave during a pandemic, we offer our observations to you humbly, in the almost certain expectation that it’ll all be different next week, month, year…
Agile, nimble thinking and decision-making has always been the foundation stone of innovation. In 2020 and beyond, these will be the defining hallmarks of future success.
Women leaders, be bold!
When I was growing up in Ireland, I’d sometimes be told not to be bold. In fact, I’d hear it quite often. Being told not to be bold in my Irish childhood was a reprimand for kicking my brother’s shins or wolfing biscuits without asking. Chided for being bold is a semi playful, gentle term
Are leaders equipped with 2020 vision?
Eight challenges leaders will need to address in the coming decade The pace of change in modern business is dizzying, and leaders who aren’t prepared for the challenges on the horizon may find themselves leading their organisations into the history books. In 1958, the average lifespan of a company listed on the S&P 500
Leadership Is An Inside Job – Overcoming Our Natural Biases
The human brain is a wonderful thing. The most powerful supercomputer on earth, and every one of us has the latest model sitting right between our ears. It’s what enables us to do uniquely human things. Things like planning for the future, inventing and innovating, and imagining the world from other people’s points of view.
The Connected Leader
In many years of working with leaders, I’ve often observed that even the most senior people see their working world in fragments and not as an interconnected whole. They compartmentalise the different constituent elements of their roles – their team members, their peers, their bosses, and the imperative to deliver results – but they don’t
The secret of innovation? Look to the edges
Businesses and organisations in every sector are under constant – indeed increasing – pressure to innovate. Innovation is the key to securing competitive advantage. To staying ahead of the pack. And in some cases simply to surviving. The responsibility for innovation and for fostering a culture of innovation falls on leaders. Leaders of teams.Leaders
Gender equality in leadership: the key to intelligent working
Half of all university graduates are women, who go on to take up to 60% of junior management positions. But this promising start in education and early-career jobs doesn’t last long. Women are still seriously under-represented in senior positions, despite the numerous studies showing that gender-balanced boards produce better financial results than male-dominated boards. The
The Complacency Trap
When a goal is achieved in your team or organisation, what happens next? It’s natural to want to recognise and celebrate achievements. Acknowledging a job well done is a vital part of the process of development. But there’s a risk: complacency. If we focus too much on what’s done, we often forget
Stop Being Busy, Start Being Focussed
If I were to ask you how you are, what would you say? I suspect there is a strong possibility your answer would include the word ‘busy’. Most of us feel busy and we see being busy as a positive thing. If you’re busy, that must mean you’re productive, useful and high-achieving. If you’re
Forget Resolutions. Embrace Possibilities and Create Your Vision
After the sparkle and busyness of the Christmas holidays, early January is a time of awkward transition for many of us. Commuters travel to work past brightly-lit Christmas trees. Indulgences are still being felt, and with them come resolutions. Promises of change and something better. The celebrations are ending, replaced with determination. Dwelling in
The Feedback Loop
The Feedback Loop When we see a job has been well done, it’s natural to offer feedback to the person responsible. But a simple expression of appreciation has limited value on its own. Feedback is often given and received with thanks, and while it will brighten someone’s day, it is won’t have really significant
Is this the number one thing that gets in the way of making progress?
Should your organisation get rid of cynicism? “How do you get rid of cynicism in an organisation?” This question was put to me recently by David, MD of an international sales organisation during a coaching session. Why did he ask? Because “it’s the number one thing that gets in the way of making progress”
Two Little Words: The power of thank you
When did you last say thank you? The chances are, it wasn’t long ago. Most of us say those two words many times a day: buying a coffee, arriving at a meeting, eating dinner. We say it often, but what does thank you actually mean? It’s easy to say two words, but a real thank you
5 Reasons to Invest in Yourself as a Leader
Great leaders are visionaries. They can inspire, innovate and nurture both people and ideas. These qualities don’t appear in a person by accident. To have a vision for others, you must also have a vision for yourself, and that takes investment. What is your leadership vision? If that’s a difficult question to answer,
Shoulders to stand on: why leaders need mentors
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” Isaac Newton
A good mentor provides the shoulders that their mentoree needs to stand on to see, and go, further
Counting on the World Clock
What can we learn about innovation from an old, old clock?
Olsen, a poet, an astronomer, a weaver, a locksmith and a clockmaker overcame obstacle after obstacle to dream up, design and create one of Denmark’s most famous icons.
Change management – time for a change?
Calling time on change management
How can we move from change management and viewing change as a one off event to viewing change as an ongoing process?
Are You Too Busy To Lead?
“Leadership is not something you do in addition to your job. It is your job.”
How do you break the cycle of being very busy, maxed out even, yet not achieving your goals in a way that’s more compatible with how you’d like to lead your life?
Are you taking away other people’s opportunities to grow and develop?
Are you doing everything?
When you hold on to everything and insist on doing it yourself, you take away the opportunity for those around you to grow and develop.
Who would be a leader?
Are we expecting too much of the modern-day leader?
Who can we depend upon to lead our organisations and connect the purpose and meaning of work to everyday activity so that people can become more engaged at an emotional level?
Teamwork, Innovation and Formula 1™
What can we learn about innovation from Formula 1?
“Pulling off the perfect pit stop requires remarkable teamwork and communication, as split second decisions can make or break a race.”
The Art of Innovation
Learn how you can use innovation every day
Can you imagine an organisation without innovation? The ability to innovate is something that we must all have, and nurture, if we are to be successful as individuals and as teams.
Step back to get ahead
Every team goes through times when it experiences levels of stress and pressure.
The thought of stepping back to reflect can feel impossible to achieve when you just need to “get things done”. Here are 5 ways you can step back to get ahead.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
So what’s it like to be yourself? Only you know the answer to that!
If you want to make some changes, here’s 5 things to consider to ‘Be Yourself’ more often.
Leadership Magnification Effect ©
Your behaviours are always on display
As a leader, everything you do is seen by others and has an impact on them. You have influence, even when are not deliberately influencing.
Are you too busy for Christmas?
Taking a break, it seems, is not always relaxing.
What can we do to make sure that Christmas doesn’t become just another time-consuming to-do list?
Lead yourself to lead others
How can you help or motivate others if you’re not helping or motivated yourself?
Are you feeling a certain amount of overwhelm in your life? Are you working long hours? Saying yes to everything, yet wishing you could say no at times?
Fit for purpose or past its sell by date?
Do you have a product or service that is starting to move towards the end of its shelf life?
What steps can you take to inject new life, to reinvigorate it and make it more relevant?How can it become more useful and valuable?
Behind the scenes
Culture is everything
In any organisation, there’s a ‘behind the scenes’ going on. People and processes making things happen.
