Power is a central theme in our lives yet it has something of a bad rap. With some regularity we see abuses of power – it being wielded in a self-serving and destructive way. Individually we can feel powerless in the face of external factors in the system whether that’s the State, the economy or...
Emotional intelligence is increasingly seen as a cornerstone of modern and successful leadership. Whilst some leaders excel instinctively in this area, most must embark on a conscious and lifelong journey to steadily increase their awareness, understanding and practise as they embrace not only emotional intelligence but convert that to emotional maturity. Any study or research...
Have you ever thought about why it’s easy to spot those who will one day become great leaders? When younger people enter our orbit in whatever way, we can very often see something in them that tells us they will have an impact. Not necessarily within the hierarchical, corporate and organisation structures. In fact, these...
When we are operating from our wise space, we of course know that whatever is happening in the world, our life, our work, our leadership, there’s always the need for perspective. The value of seeing things from a variety of viewpoints or standpoints enables us to keep a sense of proportion. One of the core...
Moving from one state to another is a critical part of transformation. We know that our world is facing many opportunities or provocations to transform on a profound level. Transforming the quality of our relationships locally, across communities and nations that we may truly base them in love, respect and goodwill. Transforming our attitudes to...
Integrity is a quality that’s taken as a positive, highly prized and often associated with good leadership. Dictionaries define it as the quality of being honest with adherence to strong moral principles (our understanding of right and wrong). Yet we can be in integrity if our behaviours are consistent with our own morals even if...
The script for organisational leaders says we should be focused on strategy, the big picture, the long term. And that’s true. Yet it ignores the chaotic, volatile world we inhabit, the one that sees headwinds and crosswinds colliding at every turn. Stable conditions are almost impossible to come by. So, if everything’s changing, seemingly in...
This brilliant question was posed by the wonderful Louise Hallam and it’s a question that has the potential to take us very deep if we let it. When we think about the various development programmes we attend as leaders we are often seeking new skills, new competencies, new ways of enhancing our leadership impact. What...
ragmatic or aspirational is a preoccupying paradox for leaders in these challenging times. Uncertainty brings an urge to control, to proceed with caution, to keep our heads down and focus on the task in hand. It’s a useful strategy, to an extent. Things still get done, the practical day-to-day stuff. Yet it can also be...
According to the New World Encyclopaedia, ‘The word community is derived from the Latin communitas (meaning the same), which is in turn derived from communis, which means “common, public, shared by all or many.”[1] Communis comes from a combination of the Latin prefix con- (which means “together”) and the word munis (which has to do...