We’ve all seen it in meetings – the charming fluent communicator with a gift to flatter and amuse, yet whose factual substance and breadth of perspective seem lacking. Or the concerned crusader, demanding to be heard on a relatively narrow operational issue in the overall scheme of things. Meanwhile, silent peers check out by checking…
When promotion tests identity, not competence First posted on LinkedIn Jan 2026 Moving into senior leadership demands new skills and new mindsets. As The Leadership Pipeline (Charan, Drotter and Noel) illustrates, horizons widen, stakeholders multiply, and the questions become more complex. Stepping up from a functional lead is especially significant: it often brings you into…
First posted on LinkedIn in Nov 2025 I’ve chosen the metaphor of a lacey life for a reason. Through my clients’ and my own bittersweet experience, I’ve learned that that when we live life as a dense mat – diaries crammed with meetings, projects, and, well stuff, however important – that often it does not…
First published in Jun 2010 Over the years a strong theme has emerged for many of the leaders I’ve been coaching. It’s about the difference between what’s got them to where they are now, and what can help them step up to the next level of leadership, and achieve a whole new order of success. …
First published in the ICAEW Business and Management Feb 2010 Feeling burnt out? Or just overwhelmed by the pressure of work? It may not be the workload that is to blame. Certain behaviours, under our own control, can make the difference between enduring and going under. You are not alone The statistics are not pretty….