Author name: Katie Best

I had an interesting conversation with someone who received some constructive feedback during their appraisal. They were told they’re a ‘very speedy decision maker’ – and it wasn’t exactly a compliment. They recognised that they sometimes made quick decisions just to get things off their plate, but it left them wondering whether there’s a right […]

I recently had a conversation with a senior lawyer who was offered a great opportunity to go on secondment to one of their firm’s clients for six months. The firm saw this as a way to help build stronger relationships, maximise understanding of the client’s business, and embed their legal services more deeply. While opportunities

A common problem I see again and again in my work is that of managers or leaders who hang on to the most interesting work for themselves, leaving their team members bored and with fewer opportunities for learning and progression. Surely anyone who says, ‘give me more work please, boss!’ should be celebrated. But it’s

I speak to a lot of leaders who move across the globe with work – either on secondment or for something totally new. Moving to a new country and setting up a new life for yourself is tricky enough in itself, and I think a common issue for anyone in this position is how to

I speak to a lot of leaders that have, for various reasons, found themselves managing competitive and distrusting teams. As well as being bad for general team morale, this kind of mindset makes it difficult to manage a team. So what’s the best way to completely re-establish trust, and rebuild your team’s foundations? It’s by

I recently spoke with a teacher who’d just received a well-deserved promotion to lead the teaching team they had been a part of for years. Their first leadership position! The promotion was a great achievement, but they now faced a challenge that many new managers face – the tricky balance of maintaining friendships with former

An issue that no one wants to deal with at work is bullying. Unfortunately, bullying still happens. If you, or someone you know, is having to deal with a bully in the workplace, here’s my advice on how to handle it: ASCERTAIN THAT THEIR BEHAVIOUR IS BULLYING  When a colleague or boss’s behaviour has crossed

A very common situation that many of us will experience in our working careers is the frustration that comes with not receiving a promised salary increase, especially if you have been promised it by your boss. Here are some strategies to navigate this challenging situation: WAIT TO ACT First, it’s essential to acknowledge the disappointment

I spoke to someone recently who was dealing with a frustrating dilemma, having just started at a new company and leading a new team. They quickly noticed that while their team excelled at their core tasks, they struggled to support others and participate in broader company projects. The problems were made worse by a lack

Recently, I received an inquiry from someone looking to reshape the culture around departures within their team. They expressed a desire to maintain meaningful connections with colleagues who were leaving. So what are the strategies for keeping good relationships with ex-team members? It’s a great thing to want to keep lasting connections with team members