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

How to cope with anxiety after making a mistake at work

So… You’ve had an incident at work you feel embarrassed about. You may be feeling anxious about the consequences of this mistake, and worried that your performance or reputation will suffer as a result. Here are some tips on how to ease anxiety when you've made a mistake at work.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

The transition from functional expert to executive leader

The transition from functional expert to executive leader is often thought of as a quantum leap from the security of subject matter knowledge to something completely new. Really, it’s just about learning new skills – just like you’ve always done. Here’s a framework to help make sense of the shifts from graduate to senior executive leader.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

The Quick Wins Worksheet

Need some more bandwidth? Grab a (free) copy of my Quick Wins Worksheet. It steps you through a very easy, focused process for identifying one (or 2 or 3) simple, achievable changes to create that extra space.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Helpful and unhelpful thinking

Last week I wrote about ways to find more time for strategic thinking. But even when you’re not specifically out to think strategically, you’re thinking…

So how much of that thinking is productive?

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Use the Pareto Principle to give yourself time

It makes sense to focus your attention on the most critical tasks at work and at home. Identifying what inputs have the most impact and prioritising those can save you spending fruitless time and energy on the rest. Here’s how…

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Commercial acumen for lawyers

As lawyers, we hear about the importance of being “commercial” – but what does it mean?

If your legal team is known as the department for the prevention of sales, it’s probably not a good sign… 

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Not getting buy-in at work? Try this

As you become more senior, success at work becomes less about completing tasks and more about influencing other people.

That can feel difficult for people such as lawyers whose technical expertise have propelled them thus far. So what to do?

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

How to Keep Your Values Strong Amid Uncertainty

A strong connection to your values helps you navigate uncertainty, but how do you keep your values strong when it feels like everything is up for grabs? Here’s some ideas for how to keep clear on what matters.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

7 Advantages of Taking Breaks

Many people believe – consciously or unconsciously – that a break is a reward for hard work – or worse, that needing a break is a sign of weakness. But your effectiveness and efficiency will improve if you take regular breaks. Here’s 7 benefits you can expect to enjoy when you build more breaks into your day.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

I'm fine

This week, I’m taking a pause.

I’m fine – just practicing what I preach.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

The right and wrong reasons to get people back to the office

On Saturday night I went to my first proper party since the Before Times. It was fabulous. There were so many people there I hadn’t seen in ages – some for nearly 30 years (how did I get to be so old?) - and some delightful new people to meet as well. It got me thinking about the right and wrong reasons to get people back in the office. Is it for community? Or is it for surveillance and control?

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

The Influence Continuum

For many ethical and compassionate leaders I’ve worked with, seeking to increase their influence can feel difficult, because on some level they think of it as a choice between good and bad

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

I need your help fixing my team

From time to time I will have a meeting with a potential client about working with them or their team.

Want to know a big red flag?

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Who else wants to try a social media detox?

Maybe you’re one of many people trying to change your relationship with Facebook and other online platforms. Start with these suggestions that will help you to clarify your priorities and reclaim your time.

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Madeleine Shaw Madeleine Shaw

Embracing Imposter Syndrome in Your New Leadership Role

You might know of the children's game "follow the leader". The front child marches confidently where they will, and the followers tread purposefully behind them. That’s easy, because the stakes are low. As a grown up leader who isn't sure of your footing in a world where your decisions have real consequences, how can you possibly presume to take on the mantle of leader, set a direction and expect others to follow?

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