There are a lot of expectations around the role of a leader these days. If you look at the business shelves in any bookshop, you’ll see what I mean. From the spines, there’s a general holler to be this kind of leader! Do this! Lead your team well! Lead your company well! Lead in a […]
What sort of leader do they expect me to be? (Part 1 of 2) Read More »
Most new year’s resolutions are self-obsessed; plenty involve abstinence from one substance or another; and they usually serve to make you more grumpy at work, not less. But how about setting yourself a new year’s resolution that is positive, focused on improving the lives of others, and which may even make it more bearable to
Make EQ your New Year’s resolution Read More »
No matter which leader you look at, or which type of business leadership approach you subscribe to, almost all of them have one key skill in common: influence. All the way back to the earliest business leadership theories in the 1950s, to those of today, a good leader is usually seen to be one who
How can nudge theory help us become better leaders? Read More »
As the leader of a workforce or team, in most contexts your team will be diverse. And, further to that, much more diverse than it would have been twenty years ago. As social, global and gender mobility have increased, the make-up of the workforce has changed, and is likely to continue to change. Our teams
Storytelling? At work? Reeeeeaally? Not in our setting. Wouldn’t work. But actually, what you’ll find if you look around, is that people are already telling stories everywhere you look. They’re telling stories to inspire, motivate, change behaviour, sell products, warn people, or to explain what the organisation’s culture, policies and practices are (see the diagram
The power of storytelling at work Read More »
In every firm I’ve worked with, there are always some juniors who are instinctively great at managing their managers. They raise difficult issues with no difficulty; they get their great ideas tabled at big meetings; and they are able to move their careers forward without appearing over-assertive. In fact, those workers who are good at
Why your firm needs good upward management Read More »
I’ve been involved in a big leadership development project recently for a firm who are looking to improve their leadership. They’re already very successful and have a very positive culture, but of course everyone can always aspire to better. Part of the process has been a 360˚ leadership survey in which a handful of people
Closing the perception gap Read More »
There is a bewildering array of leadership development programmes out there, for all firms’ budgets, sizes and industries. This means that it’s not always clear what’s the right fit for you. Below are five diagnostic questions that will help HR managers to work out what might be right for their firm, right now. 1. Do
What leadership development programme is right for our firm? Read More »
There’s a lot of talk at the moment about how important it is for even the most traditional firm to be innovative and creative: just look at the volume of articles in Harvard Business Review in the past year as an indication. Creativity is a key way in which the firm can make sure it
Encouraging creativity in corporate settings Read More »
