It’s a fundamental requirement that employees know exactly what is required of them at all times. Without that clarity they will be unable to perform at their best. Too many leaders and managers assume their people ‘already know’ exactly what is required of them in this moment and the next. I have discovered that some […]
Most businesses that have been operating for any length of time have ‘sacred cows’ – those people, attitudes, equipment, issues or systems that never get fairly challenged, critiqued or corrected. Often they are protected due to misguided loyalties, fear, habits or just plain not knowing how to deal with them without risk. There is often […]
The new CEO of the privately held engineering business was faced with a challenge – how to restructure to cope with the declining resource sector. The previous CEO had built the business as the resource sector boomed and had retired in time to avoid the inevitable adjustments now faced by his successor. The new CEO, […]
I’ve seen various lists of things that most CEOs supposedly worry about more than anything else. At face value, these lists are always convincing because everything they include looks important. Here are some typical examples: Talent retention Operating in a global market Compliance Cost efficiencies Performance Productivity Usually, one item is missing, although it’s really […]
As a leadership coach specialising in improving leadership of high risk/high performance entities, I’m constantly helping leaders to keep themselves and their people from being stuck in a stressed state. Stress is caused not by the situation, but by the reaction to the situation. Essentially it occurs in the mind of the person and is […]
Have you ever been in the presence of a leader who is ranting, angry or overwhelmed? How did you feel at that moment? You can be assured that in that moment that leader wasn’t capable of either thinking or behaving effectively. If the leader is in that emotionally unstable state, then trust and respect in […]
Trust is the most valuable currency of leadership. So much depends upon having a trustworthy leader. The very sustainability of the organisation is at stake when that value is eroded or not present. Effective leaders earn and keep trust by following a powerful and simple path: Being consistent in their competence and care. See my […]
How come we call people skills ‘soft skills’ when they appear to be the most challenging, difficult and needed skills in commerce and government, requiring courage, authenticity and practice? I wonder if they were named by a boss who was scared to be seen as both caring and competent and wanted to be seen as […]
Fluctuating economies, fears of deflation, terrorism, global unemployment increasing, climate change. Uncertainty, volatility, ambiguity, chaos and disruptive change seem to characterise our world. We’re finding it difficult to trust our governments, politicians and business leaders. They don’t inspire us with authentic values and vision, beyond appealing to our self-interests around survival, security and surety needs. […]
I plead with you for your answers to these five questions: Why, when we know the value of leadership and the massive return on investment in having effective leaders, do we not invest sufficient and realistic time and energy in developing effective leaders? Why, when we know that shared values drive sustainable desired outcomes for […]
