Blog
We’re building a cathedral! – The Power of Vision
It’s an old and slightly cheesy story, but one that still makes a crucial point. A tourist was walking by a construction site and saw three brick masons busy at work: The traveller stopped, watched the workers for a while and asked, “What are you doing?” The first mason immediately replied, “Laying bricks, what does…
Read MoreFour cornerstones of leadership: purpose, integrity, service, stewardship.
In today’s information economy, to prosper and even to survive, an organisation must tap into the creativity, imagination, and decision-making capabilities of every employee. This means that the people – along with the information, knowledge, and skills they possess – are the most important resource in any organisation. Consequently, the very nature of leadership has…
Read MoreLeaders and Communication: the Human Connection
Skillful communication is the essential human connection. Sound communication techniques enable leaders to meet this most basic human yearning of people. Using constructive communication and persuasion skills saves time and effort, encourages cooperation, and reduces stress and friction. These skills are invaluable in handling and preventing crisis situations, fostering self-esteem, generating mutual respect, increasing productivity,…
Read MoreUse Time Effectively to Boost Productivity
Because actions come from attitudes, increasing productivity may require reshaping some of the attitudes that now dictate how you use time. Consider these time use practices that affect productivity and see how attitudes are involved. Concentrate on high priority activities. The quickest and most effective route to increasing productivity is to spend time on tasks…
Read MoreYour world has gone VUCA!
In case you hadn’t noticed, your world has gone VUCA! For some time before Covid hit us, business writers and academics, myself included, were warning leaders about the imminent arrival of a VUCA world – where the art of leadership would involve navigating a path littered with Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. To some degree,…
Read More7 Guaranteed Ways to Motivate Your Team
Every leader and manager in every industry and every different type and size of organisation wants all of their people to come to work every day feeling highly motivated so that they perform to the very best of their ability AND feel great about doing so. The idea that there are 7 (or 9 or…
Read MoreMotivation – Please handle with care!
Back in the early 80’s, I worked in an advertising agency that employed around eighty people. The company’s steady record of growth over twenty-five years meant it was regularly included on the shortlist by clients looking to change agency and it was seen as a ‘safe place to work.’ In other words, in an industry…
Read MoreGuest blog: Old game. New rules.
Leadership Mentor Simon Lawder shares his reflections on the current challenge facing leaders: Some say there is nothing new to be said about leadership, a ‘naturally occurring human activity’ that dates back to the year Dot. After all this time, you would have thought that we would have cracked it. And yet, there appears to…
Read MoreLeading in a Crisis
Leaders need to keep calm in a crisis (at least outwardly) however much turmoil they are experiencing. If most of the time the leader is collaborative, mutually respective, then, in time of a crisis, if the leader has to issue an immediate request without the usual involvement of the team, people will likely do it,…
Read MoreA human perspective on productivity
For many organizations, getting every last drop of output possible from humans whilst they are at work, has long been seen as a worthy and necessary goal. Not doing this, is often seen as a failure of management as it puts the maximization of profitability at risk. Those same organisations will go to great lengths…
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