After couple of weeks with a sub-optimally functioning brain, I’ve been thinking about what my brain needs each working week. Here’s my thoughts in a quick diagram. There’s two big features of most people’s weeks missing, though…

This week I’ve been thinking about what makes a star senior leader. Here’s my thoughts in a handy graphic… what do you think?

A lot of us (myself included) can sometimes think that people are looking at our every move, judging us on everything we do. But no one is noticing you as much as you think they are. Most people won't notice you skipped your weekly post [/insert own commitment here] because they have their own lives too; most people don’t care whether or not you did a thing today.

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.

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.

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.

It can be tricky when your workmate gets promoted and is now your boss. Here’s some tips for making a graceful transition from peer to direct report.

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?

It’s not easy in an era of constant noise: meetings, messages and notifications, but if you can do it, you'll be better off. Here’s 4 tips for making time for strategic thinking.

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…

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… 

You’ve no doubt seen the important/urgent matrix. But, how does your to-do list look?

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?

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.

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.

This week, I’m taking a pause.

I’m fine – just practicing what I preach.

If you feel overwhelmed, consider that that might be because things are overwhelming. Don’t make yourself wrong for feeling how you do. We are finite humans and our capacities can be overwhelmed. It’s ok. But what does help?

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?

Most of us waste a lot more time each week than we think. Here’s 10 top time-wasters for you to cut from your day.