Everybody’s invoking the word ‘accountability’ now that, following the global financial crisis, the lack of it has become so apparent. It’s a loaded word and a political football in sectors, such as health care and education, crying out for reform. Who should get what...
There is a point, when human beings come together, that a group of individuals becomes an organism in its own right. Many leaders miss this essential insight. We are so conditioned in Western society to focus on the individual – his or her rights, duties, character,...
Ask anyone at a social gathering, “so, what do you do?” Most people reply with a job role or title. If pressed, they will list the things they are responsible for or the activities they carry out in their role. What you never hear is a short, complete list of the...
This post is very slightly adapted from an article by the wonderful Neil Crofts. It’s about leadership and teamwork in all situations. Neil uses a very simple definition of leadership: 'Leaders are those that others choose to follow.' However, I hope we aspire to more...
Though not a fan of war, I was shown this speech recently and was struck by the underlying courage, dignity and respect for humanity shown by the speaker, Lt. Col. Tim Collins, commander of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish, as he summed up the task for the British...
Following on from our post last week on authentic leadership, here's a great guest blog by Brian Bacon from Brian Bacon on Leadership: Anne Frank chronicled in her diary in 1943, "The good news is that you really don't know how great you can be, how much you can love,...
“I’m really tired of all these articles and books telling us what to do to be great leaders. I already know and agree with what they’re saying. I should empower my people, take risks, have a vision, deliver results, be accountable, be service-driven, not ego-driven,...
How often do you hear: "that's just" or (more likely!) "that's not the way we do things round here"? Here's a question for you: how did you come up with the 'way you do things round here' - your business 'culture'? Chance? Habit? Nurture? Nature? Whatever your answer,...
How familiar are these situations? Your organisation adopts a new strategy. While paying lip-service to the change, key staff still resist the new direction, complaining and hoping that things will go back to the way they were. A team regards itself as a group of...
What do you understand by 'team development'? Here are some of the answers we get when we're talking to the business managers and directors who are our prospective clients. They say:"Oh we do a lot of team development. We go out for a big meal together every month. In...
Learn how you and your team can collaborate to raise your game, improving your results and your experience of working together.
Learn how you and your team can collaborate to raise your game, improving your results and your experience of working together.