Dropping Anchor: Building the Mindful Pause That Transforms Workplace Reactions
We all know that moment when emotions surge before we’ve had a chance to think. A difficult conversation, a piece of unexpected feedback, or a high-stakes meeting — and suddenly, we’ve reacted before realising it. In those moments, our amygdala — the brain’s emotional alarm system — has hijacked our ability to respond calmly and […]
Scaling Leadership from the Middle: A Guide for Managers
In my previous blog “Scaling Leadership : Building Capacity for a Complex World” I was focused as a high level upon what organisations should consider for example – redesign programs, shift culture, or invest in distributed leadership models. Now flipping the lens from “what organisations should do” to “what individual middle managers can do” makes […]
Scaling Leadership: Building Capacity for a Complex World
In many client organisations, whether they are publicly listed, privately owned, public service, SME’s, or MNC’s, high quality leadership is a scarce resource. Senior executives typically carry the weight of vision, strategy, and decision-making, while middle managers and frontline leaders are expected to simply “deliver” the strategy. Yet evidenced based research and my real-world experience, […]
The Science of Choosing the Right People: Why Personality and Ability Testing Matters
A few years ago, I was working with a multi-national client who had just hired a senior leader based on an impressive interview performance and glowing references. Within six months, the cracks began to show. The new hire struggled with decision-making under pressure, clashed with colleagues, and ultimately left the organisation. The cost to the […]
AI at Work: Opportunities and Challenges for Knowledge Workers
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s here, embedded in the daily lives of knowledge workers. Indeed I know of no one who I talk to – colleagues, family, friends and clients have not leant on ChatGPT regularly. Large language models (LLMs), just like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, are transforming how tasks are […]
Choosing the Right Executive Coach
Why It Matters Selecting an executive coach is a critical decision. The right coach brings not only skills and experience, but also the ability to challenge, support, and accelerate your leadership growth. These exploratory questions (adapted from Standards Association of Australia HB 332—2011) will help you make an informed choice. 1. Qualifications & Professional Background […]
When Strengths Become Strain: Coaching IT Leaders Beyond Derailers
In my work with IT professionals and technical leaders (and for that matter coaching clients regardless of profession), I always encounter a fascinating mix of performance strengths and risks. The kind of personality pattern that’s perfectly suited to deep problem-solving, but which can quietly erode influence, team cohesion, and upward mobility if left unexamined. For […]
From Capable to Commanding: Helping Leaders Step Into Executive Presence
High-performing middle to senior managers are often promoted into senior roles with increased responsibility and accountability. But the skills that earned them recognition in middle – senior management don’t always translate to success at the executive level. As they rise through the organisational ranks, the expectations shift dramatically. They’re called upon to be more visionary, […]
