Here’s another leadership lesson from driving in Italy. In Italy, everyone speeds. Whatever the speed limit is, they go faster. Well, most of the time. Sometimes they don’t. Which is deeply confusing as a visitor. In Australia, if you speed, you’ll almost certainly get caught…
I used to think positive affirmations were a bit silly. Quotes like “I am enough” and “abundance flows through me” feel vague, like the kind of thing you’d see printed on a cheap scented candle. But I’ve been doing daily positive affirmations for a few…
Last week, I had the good fortune of driving around northern Italy. And the misfortune of stalling the car in front of a queue of irate Italian drivers 😆. I was driving out of Como when I stalled the car at the lights. Multiple cars…
Leadership isn’t about choosing between people and performance. It’s about aligning them Sustainably high performance is only possible where the needs of both the organisation and its workers are consistently met over the long term. It’s not a zero sum game – the better an…
I remember sitting at my desk at 6 am, having worked all night. I was exhausted but proud, thinking: this is what success looks like 🤦♂️. Because, when I first started working after university, I worked very long hours. Always on weekdays, but usually on the weekends…
Dethatching is a gardening concept that every organisation should steal. Thatch is the layer of dead matter that builds up between the grass and the soil. It blocks water, air and nutrients from reaching the roots. So every now and then, you rake it out…
Legend has it that when The Ohio State University built its campus, there were no footpaths. Instead, they waited a year or so and let students carve dirt paths into the grass, showing where they naturally walked. Then they paved those paths. This is called…
A case study showing how Unilever’s complex, purpose-led strategy could be captured on a single page using the Team Alignment Canvas
See how NASA’s vast, multi-decade mission could be captured on a single page using the Team Alignment Canvas. A case study that shows how even the most complex organisations can bring strategic clarity to life
See how Patagonia’s strategy comes to life on a single page using the Team Alignment Canvas. A clear case study in purpose-led planning and strategic clarity
A common issue amongst managers is attribution bias. We all do it. This is where we judge others by their actions, and ourselves by our intentions. For example, if someone on our team fails to meet a deadline, we might default to thinking it’s because…
A huge issue in management is falling into the trap of black and white thinking. What is it? It’s called splitting in psychology – when we fail to see the shades of grey in issues (and in ourselves), and instead view people and situations as…
“Leadership is doing the right thing, even when it hurts”. This is a quote I picked up from Scott Galloway recently. And I think it’s a good point. We’re so often faced with a choice – in leadership, as in life – between what’s convenient…
When we enter management, we often feel we have to become what we can see. We tend to assume that leadership has to look a certain way. That it needs to be strong, unemotional, rigid and in control – because that’s how it’s so often…
No one is lazy. Just disengaged. And the problem with labelling someone as lazy? We shut the door on the possibility they could ever be more than that. I used to be freewheeling – like terrible – in labelling people as lazy. That guy who…
Sexism is a complicated topic, both in organisations and society more generally. As a man, I’m interested in how male leaders approach the topic of sexism. And – more importantly – how we can be advocates for addressing the issue. I know I’ll never fully…
“It’s all very ordinary once you get past the shiny suits and gruff exteriors”. I read that somewhere recently, though I can’t remember where. It was about celebrities (or maybe organised criminals 🤔😆). But the line stuck with me because it applies just as much…
Burnout is real. Burnout is tough. It’s the depressing feeling that descends on a Sunday night. The weariness that fills us when waking up before work. Most people have experienced episodes of this at points in their career. A few have experienced the pain of…
You can’t performance manage people anymore – you’ll just be accused of harassment. I’ve heard this so many times 🙄. And it’s just not true. So, why do people say this? I think some are genuinely misguided, but I think what many are really trying…
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