Fear is a vital factor in human survival…it protects us in the face of the ‘grizzly bears’ we encounter in life. The challenge though is to know when a fear-based response, running away, burying our heads etc. is the right response and when courage is what’s required. Our systems are crumbling. Uncertainty is rife. Physical...
As soon as we open the subject of masculine and feminine in any context, the temptation is to rush to gender and separation. In inviting us to reflect on the feminine within leadership it’s important to be clear that this isn’t about labelling men and women, male and female leaders even though we can and...
According to Fast Company, reporting on the positioning of the latest range of Apple watches, Apple ‘used to sell wonder, now it sells fear.’ This new range is supposedly about helping us survive the challenges of a difficult and uncertain world. Sure we are living in tough times yet the more we buy into this...
In the past few days we have seen an immense ending as HM Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years of extraordinary service came to an end. The baton and responsibility have passed to her son and heir, taking us into a new era. So far we have witnessed much continuity with activation of centuries old processes...
I sometimes find myself referring to the story of the ‘Boiled Frog’ when reflecting on how easy it is for us to adapt to worsening circumstances. It’s a pretty grim allegory in reality and yet the evidence of its meaning is ever present in our world. On the one hand, it’s great that we are...
How often do you find yourself reflecting on the path not taken? Maybe it’s with curiosity, regret or perhaps relief. On a personal level we are of course faced with many choices and decisions and in each moment, we hopefully do our best to consider all the consequences and impacts – on us and others....
I was musing with a friend in the past few days over the state of the world and how we might fix/save it. Dramatic as that may sound it’s a question that already concerns many and should concern us all. Central to our musing was what cataclysmic event would galvanise us into the action needed,...
There are, as we know, a plethora of leadership models, frameworks, qualities and quotes that define leadership, and we can be forgiven for being somewhat confused about what the definitive description of leadership really is. To come to new answers or insights on this question it is important to elevate the thinking beyond the conditioning...
If like me you are a fan of period dramas you will have a visceral sense of the hierarchy associated with the notion of service – a system where the so called lesser are in service of the so called greater. Even though in many ways (though for sure not all) our society in the...
When times are tough (could they be any tougher than now?) accentuating the positive might seem like a fool’s errand. As a leader being relentlessly positive and encouraging the same in others may feel out of touch, lacking empathy, ‘Pollyanna-ish’. An optimistic mind-set doesn’t preclude empathy rather it brings a different focus to our challenges,...