My (mostly) weekly thoughts on leadership, high performance, wellbeing and more.
Have a read through, or you can see a complete index here
8 Habit Traps to Avoid
Building a new habit is much easier when you avoid the common pitfalls that can derail your efforts.
Avoid these 8 mistakes when trying to develop new habits.
The best time to take a break
When you feel like you can’t stop working, you’re in fight-or-flight mode. Here’s what to do…
Delegating: top tips
Delegation is an important component of most leadership roles. The trouble is leaders often have a difficult time letting go of responsibilities. Here’s some tips on when and how to delegate.
Lowering the bar
This week I'm sharing a blog from before-times (February 2020), on the topic of lowering the bar. It's an oldie, but still very relevant.
Busywork will take over if you let it
Lately there has been a real theme among my clients: how to find time to get important work done in the face of the relentless onslaught of to-dos.
Here’s the hard reality…
Origin of leadership
What style of leader have you been lately?
The origin of the word “leader” holds a surprising clue.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
If you are feeling unhappy with what you’re doing in your career, but also very disconnected from what lights you up, here’s a few ideas to get you moving.
The million dollar question
If I were to pay you $1,000,000 a year on the condition that you had an occupation, what would you do?
It’s surprising how many people have a detailed answer right on the tip of their tongue. Here’s how to use that information to help you get unstuck in your career.
Fear in a new role
No matter how capable you are, when you’re new in a role there is a time lag before you find your feet. That can be disorienting. Here’s something that can help.
Get curious before you…
Going into a feedback conversation all fired up, ready to make someone feel bad and small for that terrible thing they did may make you feel better in the very short term but won’t produce great results. Instead, try this…
Time to get out?
Lately I’ve had a few conversations with clients and friends who are deliberating over whether to leave a job in which they are unhappy. Here’s 3 different possible answers…
How do you explain the events of your daily life to yourself? And why does it matter?
How do you explain the events of your daily life to yourself? And does it matter?
Whenever anything happens in our day, we ascribe a reason to it We do this fast, automatically and mostly subconsciously. Interestingly, the kinds of causes we attribute to things could have a huge impact on our mental health.
How to use job crafting to make your life more fulfilling
Do you wish your work was more enjoyable and meaningful?
Job crafting could help you transform your experience without having to change careers or even search for a new position.
6 simple tips to help you bring some clarity to your day
In 1999, when email was nascent and accessing the internet meant a visit to the specially connected computer in the library, clearing clutter meant keeping on top of the movement of physical paper and files. These days it’s digital clutter that can cloud the mind and get in the way of clear thinking.
Here are 6 simple tips to help you bring some clarity to your day.
How to feel super good
Today I had two separate clients tell me they are feeling “super good” about their life in general at the moment. It’s not always how a coaching conversation starts!
It got me thinking about how much of our wellbeing is within our control… and how much of it isn’t.
The Magic of Going on Holiday: 3 holiday tips that apply at work too
Being away from your normal routine can be so refreshing, not just because it allows you to relax, but also because it allows you to spend time doing new things and focusing on what’s important to you. Consider how these holiday tips might be useful for you at work as well. And no, that doesn’t include wearing your swimmers all day long.
3 steps to solving the hustle v happiness problem
Many of my clients come to me because they find themselves at a career crossroads. They can see the brightly lit road to (more) success at work ahead of them. They know what would be required to get there. And they find themselves, often to their surprise and bewilderment, unwilling to follow it. Here’s how I tackle that one…
What my brain needs each working week
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…
What makes a star senior leader?
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?
Don't Sweat It: Why You're Allowed to Skip a Weekly Blog Post
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.