communication

  • Leadership does not come naturally.

    Leadership does not come naturally.

    When I stepped into my first leadership role, as the leader of an adventure travel company, I thought I was doing pretty well for a little while.  Of course, it didn’t take long for me to realise I didn’t know what I was doing. I lasted six months in that role. Later, when I did…

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  • Where is your third space?

    Where is your third space?

    I think you would agree that there is more to life than work. A lot more. Then why can so many of us be found… …sending emails at 10pm  …checking our inbox on a Sunday afternoon …opening our laptops at 7am and closing them late into the night? That doesn’t seem very sustainable. Nor very…

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  • What should we do?

    What should we do?

    I was listening to an interview with Kate Jenkins when she was talking about the independent review into parliamentary workplaces. Of course, the findings of the review, which she chaired, are shocking and illuminating.  But one thing she said during the interview stuck with me.  Jenkins explained that often parliamentarians get elected and are suddenly…

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  • but we agreed you’d be doing this…

    but we agreed you’d be doing this…

    I was talking to a leader recently, and she stopped me with an epiphany:  I’m just basically doing their job for them.  I keep asking them how they are doing, but the reality is I need to ask them to bring things back to me when they are done.  You see, she was doing all…

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  • As a leader, how often do you get honest with your team?

    As a leader, how often do you get honest with your team?

    How often do you tell them.. •             That you don’t have the answer to a question or problem •             That you need help with something •             That you’re not sure what the next best step is and you’ll need their input figuring it out. I’m going to guess it’s not all that often. And there’s…

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  • Structured vs Flexible Team Leadership Skills

    Structured vs Flexible Team Leadership Skills

    I think it’s fair to say that the last year or so has turned our idea of how we work on its head. Things many of us thought were impossible are now the norm. But structured and flexible work approaches will continue to exist because they’re both necessary; what we know is that each type suits…

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  • Keeping your team feeling valued.

    Keeping your team feeling valued.

    Stay connectedIt may seem like overkill to say that to manage performance well you need to stay well connected, accessible and check in with your staff often about how they’re tracking. But it’s quite the opposite. It’s essential to supporting an engaged team that feels valued and performs well. Schedule regular check-insAs well as being…

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  • Do you need to see your team at their desks to trust they’re doing the work?

    Do you need to see your team at their desks to trust they’re doing the work?

    Be honest, are you a tiny bit uncomfortable with your staff working from home, out of sight, where you can’t see them? You wouldn’t be the only one. Let’s face it, many of us come from an environment where our time behind the desk equals our value as an employee, how productive we are, etc. …

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