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We talk a lot about exit strategies. In business, we plan them meticulously: Joint ventures, investments, products, even roles. In our personal lives, we think about exits from financial commitments

In a recent Q&A session, someone asked how to reduce stress. When asked, they explained that stress for them was all about overthinking. Overthinking created self-doubt and worry. When asked

What do your hit play and hit pause habits reveal about you? This morning, as I did my daily online workout, the fitness instructor said something simple that immediately clicked

“A crisis is a productive situation – you only have to take away the flavour of catastrophe.” Max Frisch I’ve always loved this quote, mainly because it’s a statement of

Yesterday driving across a bridge in Delhi, I saw the walls painted with the poses of the Surya Namaskar – the Sun Salutation. It was shortly after I’d come out

What a vivid way of evoking the image of the hard working, focused bees – and how their efforts can so easily be disrupted. Dale Carnegie’s words seem blatantly obvious:

When I walked into Lord’s Cricket Ground recently – not for a match, but for a wedding – I didn’t expect to come away thinking about leadership. The first painting

At an exhibition pairing the works of Anselm Kiefer and Vincent Van Gogh, I was reminded of the power of mentoring. Kiefer, inspired from an early age by the works

Climbing a hill with a friend recently offered one of those troubling moments of doubt that grows into a bigger reflection. We are both from the North West of England,

Hanging out recently with a few friends, we were choosing top tunes to play. There was additional kudos for an unexpectedly super song. One that fit that bill was Kenny

“I know, I know… many of you dread me. I land in your calendar like a tax bill, and I’m usually accompanied by a folder of forms that none of

This morning I found myself watching a snail as I completed a few rounds in the park. I appreciated how it moved deliberately across the ground with a confident steadiness.

You no doubt know the S-curve as the chart that shows progress – often of a business, technology adoption or innovation. Something starts slowly and uncertainly. Then there’s a burst

The other day, I hit a mental block over something as light as The Economist’s daily quiz. Each day of the week there’s a question, and the real challenge is

I’m wondering if Shakespeare was an (un)conscious observer of effective leadership behaviours. Why? Because key scenes in his plays occur typically between 2 to 4 actors – 5 at the

If you’ve driven on Indian roads, you’ll have seen these words painted on the backs of trucks: ‘Horn Please’. It’s a standing invitation to honk if you want to pass.

We are all familiar with the black box. The mysterious container that holds the story of what went wrong – or what saved the day. But in leadership, the black

Before I first visited Japan, I learnt about the expensive Yubari King melons. Still, I was a little incredulous at the sight of them: Nestled in their own wooden box,

Brain fusion: When you consciously bring your two brain hemispheres into alignment. That’s what I was thinking earlier this week when discussing the delights of the brain with a leadership

Emotions are like London buses. You can’t see any on the horizon, then several show up all at once. And that can be overwhelming. Where To Start? But even if

In sport, as in life, there are moments when everything seems certain – until it isn’t. The 1995 Rugby World Cup final was one such moment. I watched this final

As people entered a weekend webinar, the subject of cricket came up – naturally. I assumed India were ahead in their Test with England, only to learn it was tied.

A leader I worked with generated at least ten new ideas a day — and quickly delegated them to her team. Unsurprisingly, her team felt overwhelmed. But on closer inspection,

I was reading about a Chairperson and former CEO, who kept using the new CEO’s office and personal bathroom. As a CEO, the Chairperson had been an outstanding leader. But

Yesterday I was afraid to go to the dentist. I’d broken a tooth but was dreading the work that would need to be done. I knew it was irrational to

How do you feel about processes? The perceived wisdom is that processes enable excellence. If that weren’t the case, why would Singapore Airlines have over 30,000 of them? Yet there’s

I’m sure, like me, somewhere in your leadership journey, you’ve experienced a leader who seemed wrapped up in validating their own sense of self-worth rather than creating the conditions for

Years ago I was working on a long-term learning engagement when a colleague shared a deck of ‘experience’ cards. They were cards from the Centre for Creative Leadership, stating experiences

We often hear about the importance of finding our purpose. And a sense of purpose does support us in making meaningful choices. But if you haven’t yet considered your purpose,

Late last year, I realized that a trusty pair of boots were nearing their end of life. I don’t often become attached to footwear, but these boots had served me

And if it is, what’s the mood you’re spreading? I have a clear memory of a people leader who shared that when she knew she was in a bad mood,

What happens if you focus only on the output, without creating the inputs that fuel consistent, sustainable success? I was reading about some product failures recently that highlighted the dangers

In leadership, there’s a powerful metaphor coined by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky in their work on adaptive leadership: the balcony and the dance. Imagine being at a lively gathering.

Wrapping up a coaching session recently, the leader shared how they had gained awareness into some of their well-intentioned but ineffective behaviours. She had been irritated by her team’s lack

Speaking a few weeks ago with a colleague from Korea, he shared how a key partner was creating a challenge for him. He was frustrated with the partner’s inability to

In the world of Formula One racing, few rivalries are as iconic as that of James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Their story, immortalized in the film Rush, isn’t just about

Anyone with even a cursory interest in tech knows of the Gartner Hype Cycle. How a new technology emerges and the expectations (and at times investments) soar sky high –

Self-sabotage is well recognized. But in many organizations, there’s a quieter, more insidious pattern: team sabotage. It’s often committed not by malicious actors, but by well-regarded leaders who believe they’re

Over the past few months, several successful leaders have shared a growing sense of feeling stuck. These leaders are in demand. Their phones keep ringing: another opportunity, another offer, another

This is the metaphor from a leader I was coaching. I loved the image, because it underlines how connection, not just competence, determines your altitude in life and leadership. Just

Yesterday I went to see the remastered version of Pink Floyd: Live in Pompeii – a 1972 film of Pink Floyd playing in an empty amphitheatre in Pompeii. The group

‘’I know what I need to change – but I need to move ‘from need to norm’.’’ So spoke a client I was working with. If you know what you

I grew up in a football-loving family. That’s why I know something of Brian Clough – the greatest Manager England never had. But I didn’t know anything about his partner

I’ve been away for a week in a pretty intense learning programme. I was wondering if anyone missed me. Discussing this with a colleague, she triumphantly exclaimed that in her

Many organizations run mentoring programmes and many run ‘Leader as Coach’ programmes – but what’s the difference? The simple answer: A fundamental principle of coaching is to ask, not to

Wrapping up a programme with a group of women leaders in a major health organization, the leaders decided to share their action plans. These were plans for making changes in

7 Signs You’re Over-Extending Your Energies One of the assessment tools I use helps leaders understand their brain preferences – and brain preferences, unless consciously considered, can translate into behaviours.

I’m heading to a week of learning next week. I’m not sure what to expect. Because whilst it’s a learning experience, I’m driving the learning. I’ve known about this week