Clear and effective communication is the foundation of relationship. It’s like the oil that keeps all the parts moving smoothly and sufficiently in the same direction. We are born with the capacity to communicate. Initially through primal, instinctive expression of our needs and eventually through a more conscious use of words, actions, emotions and sensitivities....
Command and control, authoritarian, hierarchical. We tend to think of these as relics of a bygone era… yet despite an overlay of something more inclusive and collaborative, the majority of corporate cultures still operate from these mindsets. The first question is whether that matters. After all someone must make the decision and hierarchy provides clarity....
Looking in, acting out When issues arise asking ourselves if we’re the problem can be useful. After giving it due thought we might be shocked with the answer – discovering we’re the blockage. Not by design, of course. But whether inadvertent or not a blockage is a blockage and something we must clear. How did...
Having watched King Charles’ address the US Congress earlier this week has led me to reflect on the nature of courage and its essentiality in leadership and life. A quality of the heart, it is a quiet sort of power supply that carries us into the most difficult situations – places we probably wouldn’t choose...
Stability has been on my mind in recent days given the apparent instability of the world around us. I imagine it’s much the same for you. For most of us stability is important. Part of our sense of security. When it is in seemingly short supply anxiety can take hold, distracting us from what needs...
Some people do of course…dance well in the unknown. Most of us have been conditioned to want a bit more certainty or control and so leading in the twist and turns of the reality we find today can be deeply unsettling. It can create almost a rigidity as we seek to hold on. We may...
We all know the value of hindsight. That moment when the lightbulb goes on and we can see the thread of the choices we made and the connections that emerged and how that brought us to where we are in the current moment. Sometimes we see the good threads and sometimes we can better understand...
In business goodwill is typically seen as an intangible asset, created over time, related to a good name/reputation. Something in the ‘bank’ of value and for use in the future. In day to day living it is something more active – the kindness, compassion, help, friendliness we extend to others. And therein lies its power....
Some recent conversations have reminded me again of how communication, the words we use, the energy behind them, and the context in which they’re set can easily undermine rather than achieve our intention. For me this is all about the framing. Time poor, results challenged leaders may feel they don’t have time to think carefully...
Along with thousands of other B Corps around the globe, we’re celebrating B Corp month and the commitment and action all are taking socially and environmentally to help build a better world. Of course, it isn’t about parties or holding this commitment top of mind for one month every year, rather dedication to be and...