July 28, 2015 Authority vs Leadership
Understanding the distinction between ‘authority’ and ‘leadership’ can deliver real results to the bottom line of any organisation. In my work, I treat leadership as both a critical business practice and a research discipline. This has led me to the following observation. The distinction between ‘management’ and ‘leadership’, which was popularised by John Kotter and […]
Read MoreJuly 14, 2015 Does ROI = Show Me the Money? – The ROI of Executive Coaching and Leadership Development: Practical Lessons
Measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) of executive coaching and other leadership development initiatives can be a contentious issue and a challenging task. Nonetheless, this not always the case and it is possible to do it. The easiest way is by asking and researching. Executive coaching I have recently completed a 12 month coaching assignment […]
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Leadership that makes a real difference can only show up when things get tough! To exercise this kind leadership, we need to move beyond resilience and to achieve this, we need to build the adaptive capacity required to thrive in our increasingly demanding global economy, where hyper-complexity and adaptive challenges have become the new […]
Read MoreMay 6, 2015 The Monkey Within!
Yes, a monkey! Our ancestors, from some 4.4 million years ago. Remember? But this isn’t the monkey that I’m talking about today. The monkey I’m referring to is your inner ‘irrational self’, the aspect of human nature which we (supposedly) tame as we grow up to let our ‘rational self’ develop and take charge. […]
Read MoreApril 26, 2015 When Telling The Truth Is Bad News
Some years ago, a prospective client approached me and said that she needed emotional intelligence (EI) coaching. “I have been told that I need to develop more ‘self-regulation’ or ‘emotional control’ “, she said. Self-regulation or emotional control refer to the ability to respond to the daily demands of life with a range of […]
Read MoreApril 25, 2015 When Success Is Bad News
Yes, it sounds paradoxical – a seemingly contradictory statement which, when investigated, turns out to be true! It’s also a very revealing statement about human nature. The first time I read this quote from Einstein it really made me think. As a young professional, possibly like you, I was taught that success was the […]
Read MoreJanuary 10, 2015 Collective Leadership in Paris
The strange mix of shock, pain, sadness, courage, solidarity, fearlessness and coordinated action resulting from the horrific events in Paris against Charlie Hebdo epitomise the ultimate expressions of collective leadership. The fluid spontaneity, passion and engagement of the national call for accountability and collective action we have witnessed has been both moving and inspirational. It […]
Read MoreDecember 31, 2014 How To Create the Future
The primary, and often forgotten, task of leaders is to create and shape the future. They do so by generating possibilities. Possibilities provide both opportunity and hope. They are not limited by the past and they shape the future. They create what’s possible by making the future vivid and tangible. Generating possibilities challenges what we […]
Read MoreOctober 27, 2014 Busyness: Epidemic, Leader Killer or Just a Trap for New Players?
I have recently returned from running two one-week residential leadership development programs – one in Dubai and one in the Netherlands. During these weeks, I had the opportunity to work with leaders from twelve countries, representing very contrasting cultures: Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, UK, France, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Japan and Australia. As you […]
Read MoreOctober 17, 2014 Why and How to Measure Your Personal Leadership Brand
Your personal leadership brand (PLB) reflects your uniqueness as leader –it’s your trademark embodying and communicating your leadership essence, identity, values and style. Your PLB is driven by your purpose and intentions, and shaped and reinforced by your actions over time. Ultimately, it defines your reputation –the product of your stakeholders’perceptions of your leadership style […]
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