The hardest people to manage are those with attitude problems, not capability issues. So why do recruitment processes focus so much on technical fit, rather than cultural fit? I think there are two reasons: What’s the answer? Recruit people through the lens of the matrix… Hire for attitude. Train for skill.
In fact, it turns out that organisations deliver better financial returns when they focus on purpose over profit. You don’t have to take my word for it: recent survey by PwC showed that 79% of business leaders believe that an organisation’s purpose is central to business… You don’t need to trade-off purpose against performance
I make this error all the time (most of us do). You’ll probably recognise this scenario: you’re faced with a choice in (even slightly) unfamiliar territory. And getting it wrong feels like it will have some cost or pain (perhaps only minor). What do we… Chasing certainty instead of clarity is a classic mistake (and what to do instead)
Most leaders know they need a good strategic plan. But few know where to start. A Google search reveals lots of conflicting information on what a good strategic plan looks like. Most of it is complicated. And impractical. As a result, many teams end up… Download a free preview of our Strategic Planning Toolkit
Being influential is a key leadership quality. Making persuasive arguments is critical to leading your team forward. And to managing upwards. What drives influence? There are three things: The first lever takes time. But the better and more consistently we do 2 and 3, the… Three ways to be more persuasive
Are problems on repeat in your organisation? Is it like a game of whack-a-mole, where you fix one problem, only for another to pop up? This happens when organisations are stuck in a firefighting death loop. Gaps between organisational capabilities (in systems of work, people,… The firefighting death loop
It’s a common thing to say when arranging meetings at work, e.g.: “When works for you? I’m flexible.” But it equally applies to organising things with your friends and family. You probably say “I’m flexible” out of consideration for the other person, allowing them to… If you’re arranging a meeting with someone, don’t say “I’m flexible”
I once worked with a manager who was routinely hostile and aggressive to colleagues. I asked my boss about it, and he said “oh, that’s just the way they are” and shrugged it off. Being quite young, I didn’t think much of it. I took… Don’t tolerate “that’s just the way they are”
You are never too small to make a difference. Greta Thunberg, Activist You don’t have to be a CEO or executive to make a difference. You don’t even need a manager’s title. Leaders exist at all levels of organisations. And society. We don’t need anyone… You are never too small to make a difference
It’s been 15 years since I first managed people. And, when I look back at my past self, I cringe at the way I thought and went about some things. It’s uncomfortable. But I think that’s a good thing. Because it means I’m growing. If… If you don’t cringe at your past leadership approach, are you growing?
The difference between management and leadership is confusing. They’re distinct, but related disciplines, which overlap with one another. There are no hard fast rules, but here’s five differences to help you distinguish the two. 1. Leadership leans to vision and purpose. Management is more goals… 5 differences between management and leadership
What do you do when a team member does something ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’? Instinctively, we want to write them off and judge their character (this is called fundamental attribution bias). Sometimes our instincts are right. The misdeed was a wilful attempt to cause harm. But… Why would a reasonable, rational, decent person do this?
Maybe you can relate? Perhaps you’ve set a goal, worked hard to achieve it and felt that brief sugar hit of accomplishment. But then you have fallen into a motivation slump immediately after. Or maybe you set a goal that was a bit too lofty,… I’ve had a love/hate relationship with goal setting
Let’s dive into the world of objectives and key results (OKRs). Some say it’s just another goal-setting approach, but for me? OKRs have become one of the most valuable tools that I’ve adopted in both my personal and professional life. I’ve been using OKRs for… How I roll with objectives and key results (OKRs)
In my career I’ve had periods where I earnt good money, but the work didn’t engage me. I got bored, stopped giving it my best, and felt guilty about it. I’ve also worked on things I was really passionate about, but the pay was non-existent,… What matters more at work: the money, or the mission?
I used to really struggle with decision making. I was scared of making the wrong choice. Of things going wildly wrong and looking like an idiot. This often led to analysis paralysis. Which, at best, slowed progress and annoyed team members. At worst, it led… The worst decision is no decision
There are few things more certain than things going wrong. As a leader as it is in life. I’ve made plenty of mistakes. And I’ve regularly been confronted by my own limitations. And – no matter how much I meditate, reflect, talk it out (i.e.… Good leaders don’t make excuses
Here’s a controversial test of our leadership ability: we’re only as good as our worst performing team member. It feels horribly uncomfortable to consider. I hate the idea. But… I think it might be true. Here’s why… Because, if we have a chronically underperforming team… Is this the ultimate test of our leadership ability?
We all want to be leaders who deliver strong results while creating an engaging work environment for our team. But often we just don’t know where to start. Reading can help. Because – as author Ryan Holiday says – “Reading is the only way [we]… 5 books to level up your leadership
When I learn about better ways of managing, I often feel silly for not knowing earlier. And, instead of implementing immediately, I sometimes get shy and procrastinate on it. This makes no sense. If it’s a better way of doing things, I should just start… The second best time to improve your management approach is now