Small acts to connect with the bigger picture In the past few days I’ve been struck by the story of the stranger who noticed a man sitting on a bench outside a coffee shop in some distress – vomiting and sweating. As others passed by – perhaps avoiding someone they may have assumed had drunkRead more
An end to isolation Deconstructing the capabilities, behaviours, responsibilities and mind-sets of great leadership reveals a long list of attributes that could feel daunting, not to say impossible, for even the most competent and confident among us. And, in trying to live up to this blueprint we may be neglecting the practices that can helpRead more
The addiction of ease Addictions – rather like unconscious biases, we all have them. Anything from binge watching a favourite TV series, drink and drugs, gambling that leads to a spiral of debt – all can be damaging and have deeper consequences. In and amongst there’s one that many of us are prone to yetRead more
Holding course under the weight of world events What do we hold onto in the choppy and extremely fast-flowing waters sweeping through our lives at this time? With only daily exercise or a weekly shop for variety, life confined to home can feel like stagnation on an epic scale. We’re also looking through a windowRead more
Time to be our own heroes Though I don’t imagine President Biden fetched the items from storage himself it was interesting to note the leaders he reintroduced to the Oval Office on day one – busts of Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Robert F Kennedy, all prime movers in Civil Rights. The portraitsRead more
Delivering on now and the future When the dust settles on the challenge to American democracy will the outgoing President reflect on his actions and his legacy? Evidence suggests probably not. But there’s a powerful reminder for all leaders, at whatever level, in whatever institution, in this situation. If we’re privileged enough to be leaders,Read more
Being certain when we can be Of the many disruptive waves emanating from the pandemic through our daily lives the latest curved ball ‘cancelling Christmas’ feels like the worst. Maybe that sounds dramatic. This isn’t, of course, the worst of it, but for many, as it combines the straw and the camel’s back, it willRead more
‘The power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment: you create a good future by creating a good present’ Eckhart Tolle Too often we spend our lives caught up in what comes next. Our plans for making things better, for the brighter future, await our attention tomorrow or some other time.Read more
Improvisation is the order of each day Working with groups of leaders we’ll often ask them to spend time reflecting on the qualities and capabilities of good leadership. The blueprint that emerges is many-faceted, almost to the point that it feels overwhelming. How can an individual exemplify all these qualities day in, day out inRead more
I couldn’t have done it without you In these stay home, WFH, isolationist days it’s easy to feel like an island, separated, needing to make our way and do what’s needed alone. Yet, if we think things through we can see that everything we do has been enabled by someone taking action elsewhere. As weRead more