Why don’t they just get on and do their job? People stuff can be exasperating. Life would be so much easier if people just do what they’re told, to the level as expected, in a time frame that fits expectations. How often does this happen? Not often enough for people leaders to feel at ease with their direct reports.
It’s sad case of PICNIC - Problem In Chair, Not In Colleague. Any people problem should start with a solid look at oneself first. Thankfully there is a fundamental that you can turn to every time: read the manual.
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Read MoreThere are many ways to learn leadership: read a book, trial and error, training programs, mentoring, coaching, videos. All of them include reflection. Yet we are not taught to reflect effectively. Here are some suggestions to help you grow as a person and as a leader, by asking useful questions.
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Read MoreThere is nothing more frustrating than not being heard. Especially when we know we have something valuable to contribute. And that we’re likely right. We see others who disagree as set in their ways, oblivious to alternative points of view. How then do we get attention and get heard?
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Read MoreWhen folks with authority lack people skills it spells trouble for everyone. Attitudes cascade with effect from the top and if the attitude stinks of ‘I don’t need management training’, or ‘I know all that stuff already’ while they go on and create upset teams, then the organisation is in for a rough ride. The solution does not start with the leaders, it starts with systems.
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Read MoreWhat happens when your staff are at each other’s throats and hate each other’s guts? Leadership is so much easier if people would just get along and do their job. But people come with personalities, baggage, and agendas. As leaders we need to help them sort it out before their grizzling turns to barking. Heads up: it’s going to take a lot of listening, nodding, understanding, and translating. This is a leader’s guide to navigating team tension.
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Read MoreWhat percentage of your life is currently your own? I ask this question of every new client. The answers range from 5% to 100%, the latter being a rare answer. The stories we tell ourselves about our world matter: they determine whether we feel good or bad, whether we feel powerful and in control, or helpless and stuck. In this article we go through some common narratives, and work on crafting a better personal story.
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Read MoreBias is big in the news, and for good reasons. We can make all sorts of ridiculous errors and assumptions based on default thinking: hire the wrong people, pass over the right people, not listen to an important perspective, jump to conclusions, make a bad decision, and the list goes on. As leaders, we need to be more aware of what and how we are thinking. We need to make the software of our mind more transparent, so we can update if necessary. But how do we do that? How do we challenge our point of view? The secret lies in the stories we seek.
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Read MoreHalf the year is gone! Now is the perfect time to reflect on how things have gone, and where things are going. Leadership too runs through seasons and we need to be sure we are making use of these natural rhythms to make the most of our leadership contribution.
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Read MoreHow do you challenge your default thinking? How do you uncover blindspots? How do you learn? Reading is one of my key development habits. I have an Amazon account that gets a good workout! Occasionally I get hard copy books. Here are some worthy reads if you want a new look at how you’re operating as a leader.
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Read MoreWhat happens when you take a handful of smart clever people and invite them to share their wisdom? Stuff gets done. Here are key insights from the speakers of the Getting Sh!t Done Club that rocked through Australia and New Zealand last week. New perspectives mean massive action.
Fundamentals for boosting energy
Technology projects that won’t fail or overwhelm
Be change positive and get your creative juices on
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Read MoreIt’s budget and strategic planning time. It’s when we put together our best guess at the future. And yet so many leaders miss critical pieces in their plan!
Why data is not enough to make decisions with
The 7 levels of leadership awareness
What questions to use to expand your strategic perspective
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Read MoreJames Clear is best-selling author of Atomic Habits, one of my favourite books, and is on track to sell a million and more copies worldwide. Last week he spoke at Thought Leaders Business School and I had the opportunity for a conversation with him over dinner. What follows is insight on how we react around greatness, and what we can learn from ordinary humans doing extraordinary things.
The secret to extraordinary results
How to handle being star-struck
James’s top insight on being better at anything
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Read MoreEmotions are a troublesome thing in difficult conversations. Rather than feeling boundless, we end up frozen, shut down, or worst - explosive. They lead us off track from the constructive progress we wanted to make in the first place.
Why catastrophising can be a useful approach
The wisdom of Petyr Baelish from Game of Thrones
3 steps to preparing for the worst
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Read MoreHave you got an issue to raise with the boss but are fearful of consequences? Have you seen others speak up and get punished for sharing their opinion? What is it costing you to stay silent?
How fear is a product of our assumptions
Why suspending judgements before speaking is a useful approach
Why openness is the best defence, and compassion the smartest weapon.
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Read MoreHave you ever had a difficult conversation go off the rails? Have you ever lost the plot and said things you regret? Has anyone ever shouted you down and treated you badly? Boundless Leaders know that when a storm hits, it’s best to let it pass, then clean it up.
How Suits characters model what not to do, and what can’t be done
When avoidance is the best strategy
Not everything is solvable
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Read MoreSpeaking up is an ordeal. There is plenty at risk: reputation, relationships, remuneration. Is it sometimes better NOT to speak up? Are there times when it’s better to keep to ourselves and let the cards fall as they may? How does this stack up if we are committed to being Boundless Leaders?
Risks of being a whistleblower
What to consider in speaking up
How to find your own commitment to action
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Read MoreHave you ever been so entrenched in an argument you just cannot budge? Maybe you’re absolutely convinced you’re right, and they’re wrong. Nothing they say will convince you otherwise. And frustratingly, they feel the same way. So you’ve had to pull in outside help to settle the argument. Is this the point of no return? Or is it possible to mend the divide?
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Read MoreDo you avoid tough conversations? Do you stress about the fallout after the fact? What makes conversations so challenging in the first place? In this article we unearth the cause of what makes a conversation tough, a circuit breaker to make it easier, and a tip to keep our imagination in check.
Why conversations feel tough
A circuit breaker for de-escalation
What to do before going into a tough conversation
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Read MoreLeadership is hard and lonely. It’s very easy to get caught up in trying to solve challenges all on our own. This is the fast-track to getting stuck! As leaders we need teams we can trust, who’ve got our back, with whom we can share the trials and tribulations of our calling. Here’s how to build bonds in your team beyond cocktails and canapes.
Leadership is not a solo activity.
Beware of culture by default.
5 principles for designing shared experiences.
Read MoreBanging your head against a brick wall? Does the breakthrough you crave seem elusive and out of reach? Desperate for a sign that things are working? When should you kill off your dream and let it be? No one likes to feel like they failed. Here are some guidelines to help navigate the challenges when things aren’t working.
The Valley of Disappointment happens before a breakthrough
Strategic quitting is not the same as killing off your dream
5 questions to ask before you throw in the towel
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