CEOs can cling to the myth, particularly in professional service firms, that they can continue to focus on their specialist work and a full client load. Someone needs to manage the place, so how do you make your organisation work when you've reached that critical...
Leadership
Social skills won’t plug lack of knowledge in management and leadership of second generation organisations
The vast majority of companies fall in the middle between a start-up and a fully mature organisation, and need different management and leadership from either of the other two. When I started my last ‘proper’ job in the early 1980s I quickly registered on all the...
Do you assume the organisation is ‘yours’ and running it is all down to you?
Do you feel that the organisation is ‘yours’ and running it is all down to you? Are you increasingly resenting the fact? Here's how to turn it around so you can relinquish control, successfully. This is a very common assumption among entrepreneurs who have started...
Creating effective partnerships in the workplace
We look at what makes workplace partnerships truly effective, and the mindset shifts you need to achieve them. Can you imagine what it would be like working in a team, or a department, or a whole organisation, where this definition of partnership formed one of the...
The 7 decision-making traps to make you falter
We probably all have set ways of approaching problems, finding solutions and ultimately making decisions. What you might not realise is that how you make decisions can be heavily influenced by a mindset derived from questionable reasoning and preconceived ideas. We...
Start owning your perceptions and your feedback will improve
In our last blog post we introduced the 'parrot on your shoulder' concept to describe your critical inner dialogue. You can use this device to produce well-formed pieces of feedback. Here's a brief recap on the steps in the process: Step 1: Identify the situation....
Get a grip on your inner dialogue to make more informed decisions
Are you aware of your inner dialogue, that 'parrot on your shoulder'? We give you the tools to assess your very own internal critic so you can think more clearly and make better, more informed decisions. “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they...
Think you’re a good listener? Learn how to ask the right questions
If you think that asking closed questions as a leader will provide you with the right answers, you should think again. Here we look at an alternative mode of questioning, which empowers people to find the answers themselves. “I don't pretend we have all the answers....
Cool and logical or a towering fury? How to be more effective when you assert yourself
If you fear a loss of control, you can often end up being aggressive in your behaviour towards others. Here's why staying cool and logical is the best way to assert yourself. “The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really...
Oops – anyone seen my moral compass? If you don’t get caught, do you believe that the end justifies the means?
Has anyone seen my moral compass? This article looks at why now, more than ever, we need to have integrity. It sometimes feels like someone’s torn up the rule book. With internet and social networking, it’s possible that everything we do can be recorded and broadcast....
Find fresh ideas and approaches to resolve your business issues, make a noticeable difference in your performance, and achieve long-term goals.
Find fresh ideas and approaches to resolve your business issues, make a noticeable difference in your performance, and achieve long-term goals.