My (mostly) weekly thoughts on leadership, high performance, wellbeing and more.

Have a read through, or you can see a complete index here

Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

But I didn't want any lemonade

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade - or so the saying goes.

But if life gives you lemons, and your eyes are really stinging from lemon juice, it’s ok to say it hurts. Real life is not all sunshine and platitudes can hold us back. 

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Retiring in the next 50 years? I'd love to hear from you.

Many people retire with a financial plan, a vague idea about a holiday, and not much else.

I’m interested in understanding how people from different lines of work, and of different ages and genders, are feeling about their retirement, and would love you to take 5 minutes to complete this survey.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Saying yes and no to the right things

Effective boundary setting is so important for both wellbeing and productivity, but it’s something we frequently find so difficult.

When you say “yes” to something, what are you actually saying “no” to?

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

A riot is the language of the unheard

Saying nothing about what’s happening in the world right now feels like saying it doesn’t matter. And it does. A riot is the language of the unheard. And right now, we need to listen to each other.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Awful, purposeless retirement

Back in the olden days (mid-March), I wrote this post about how important it is to think beyond only finances when approaching retirement.  I didn’t publish it as the time, as events overtook us. Now, it applies equally powerfully for all of us facing big questions about who we are and what we do.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

On being seen

In all of our relationships, being truly seen is a deeply validating and enriching experience. To connect with someone, you must first see them.

As Brene Brown says, “never underestimate the power of being seen”.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

On planning

As we find ourselves in unprecedented times, it’s tricky to make plans for ourselves and our businesses. This week I’m sharing three tips for managing this change process, and staying alert to the indicators that will allow you to broaden your planning radar.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Smashing it: the joy of the coronavirus pinata

Ever felt that you just need to let it all out? This week I share an article that addresses the seriousness of this pandemic, and makes a fun suggestion on how we just might deal with some of that built up ‘stuff’.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

On boredom and creativity

Creativity is often born out of boredom and there are many people currently struggling with the restrictions on our work and social activity. In this week’s blog, I talk about navigating this new terrain and allowing your boredom to run it’s course.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Two quick resources for you

I’m sharing a couple of quick resources I found helpful this week. It’s important that we allow ourselves to feel all the things but not dwell. Try and get into the habit of swapping the negative state of mind for a positive one.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Frozen like a deer in the headlights

Now is the time for us to be particularly kind to ourselves. Do away with the pressure to be and do all the things, and find the pace and path that’s going to work for you right now.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Three practical things - Here's what you said

Recently I asked you to share three practical things that have been helpful for you during this strange and challenging time. Some very clear themes came through - and I’m sharing them with you today.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

On clarity

Feeling stuck? I’m sharing three ideas that might help you find some calm in the storm. Making important decisions can be even harder during challenging times (think: brain fog). These just might help…

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Building the plane while we're flying it

This COVID-19 pandemic places us in very challenging times, doesn’t it? Rather than sharing my upbeat little missive today, I’d like instead to hear from you. Let’s collaborate - and I’ll share our collective thoughts in another post.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

When to walk away

Being true to your own values and identity and living and working alongside people with different values and identities is important and actually helps organisations deliver better outcomes. However sometimes you find yourself in a position where refusing to adapt, and walking away, is the right call. This week I explore that further…

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

A good leaving

When someone leaves a system – a role, an organisation, a social group – the impact on both them and the system they leave behind can be profound. When not handled well, it can lead to serious dysfunction in the organisation as system attempts to restore balance. Here are my tips for handling retirement from professional services firms.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Be willing to adapt.

In this week’s blog, I share my thoughts on an article published in the Harvard Business Review regarding how it pays to be yourself. Catering to others is less effective than ‘showing up’ as your authentic self and being willing to adapt to the situation at hand. Read more…

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

My "revolting dogs" and what they mean for your leadership.

Dispositional attribution vs situational attribution.

If someone else does something wrong in their role as a leader, we tend to attribute it to their disposition. But if we do, we attribute it to the situation. I explore the difference in this week’s blog…

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