I find that many thoughtful leaders are introspective and often stuck in their own heads.  It goes with the territory of being thoughtful, I suppose! This can be problematic if we start to worry excessively about work.  So in this episodes, I’ve collected some tips that have helped me over the years and hopefully they can help you too. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Company values have been around for years, but they can certainly attract a lot of cynicism. If they are just a poster on the wall which nobody reads, they probably aren’t doing much good. However, I think they can be valuable when you’re trying to get lots of people working in the same direction! In this episode, I take a look at why many people don’t care about company values, and some ways that you might start to make them more useful for your team. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thou

We all have stories that we carry around in our heads like baggage.  Some of these stories are helpful, while others can actually work against us.  In this episode, I take a look at the concept of stories and think about how we might challenge them to put ourselves in a better place.  <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15802" src= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" srcset= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3-200x91.jpg 200w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3-300x137.jpg 300w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3-400x183.jpg 400w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3-600x274.jpg 600w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Question-Your-Stories-v3

Encouraging someone to change their behaviour or attitude is hard work, because there are a bunch of barriers that may get in the way.  To help you understand and navigate your way through the process you can use the simple model in this episode. It’s simple, generic and can be used in many situations! <img class="aligncenter wp-image-15773 size-full" src= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-model-e1685753723694.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcset= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-model-e1685753723694-200x81.jpg 200w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-model-e1685753723694-300x122.jpg 300w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-model-e1685753723694-400x163.jpg 400w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-model-e1685753723694-600x244.jpg 600w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AAA-

We often hear about controlling managers who micromanage people.  But what about controlling employees, who hoard information and wield influence? In this episode, I take a look at trying to lead a controlling employee, as well as what might be beneath the surface for them. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move you forward. There is no obligation</e

Leadership is not easy, and sometimes we need a boost of courage and motivation to keep us going.   <div data-slate-node="element" data-slate-fragment= "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

There are many stereotypes we hear about younger generations. They’re lazy…. uncommitted…. have no loyalty.  But are the younger generations actually just showing behaviours that can guide us towards better leadership? In this episode, I take a look at some lessons I think we can learn from younger generations which can make our workplaces better. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on App

Leaders don’t set out to seem like they don’t care.  They become that way because of stressful work environments and chaotic workplaces.  Even thoughtful leaders can seem uncaring if they aren’t careful. In this episode, I take a look at my top 5 innocent uncaring leadership actions, so you can look out for, and avoid them. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.</strong

Sometimes leaders can let their roles go to their heads, becoming wrapped-up in their own self-importance. This can be a trap which even thoughtful leaders can fall into! In this episode, I’ll take a look at some common warning signs that you might be taking yourself a little too seriously, so you can lighten up a bit. You never know, people might respect you more for it.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click her

Tuckman’s Team Development Model has been around for a while, but I find it to still be relevant and useful today. Some people think that you can whack people together and become high-performing straight away. This just ain’t true, and this model helps to understand what stages a team goes through to get to that high-performing point. In this episode, I’ll take a look at the stages and how you can navigate them. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2"

It is fairly common knowledge now that providing people with more autonomy can drive big improvements in motivation. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Sometimes providing your team with more autonomy is daunting and frustrating.  In this episode, I take a look at some of the common traps and what we can do to avoid them. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.</str

Goal setting is very common in most organisations, but that doesn’t mean it’s done very well.  If you get it right it can provide a big motivational boost, but when it goes wrong it can have the opposite effect.  In this episode, I take a look at some tips to help you set more effective goals for your team. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. >>> <a

It’s pretty common knowledge that recognising the contributions of your team can be a useful motivational tool. Praise is a cost-effective way to do this, but sometimes I notice it falls flat. In this episode, I take a look at some situations where praise becomes ineffective and how you might use it better.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. >>> <a

I think organisations could function more effectively if there were a few more direct conversations.  But, as thoughtful leaders, direct conversations can be daunting, and we don’t want to have them when they’re not really needed or appropriate.  In this episode, I look at some of the factors to help you decide whether a more direct conversation is the answer for your situation. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here

Many leaders grapple with challenges that come with leading or working with people who they consider to be friends. So that begs the question: should you be friends with your team members? Or should you try not to let that happen? In this episode, I take a look at some of the challenges that can come from being friends with team members, and what you could potentially try to do about them. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"

I receive a lot of emails asking for advice about difficult or disruptive team members.  While all of these situations have their intricacies and quirks, I reckon that underlying them all is a simple idea. And this simple idea is the basis for a very useful leadership question that I like to ask people when they have these sorts of issues. You can ask it too, so listen to this episode and let me know what you think. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt

Leaders often need to negotiate, even if they aren’t involved in closing high-powered deals all the time. We might negotiate a pay rise for ourselves or with our team members, negotiate for extra resources on a project or even when buying a used car.  Whatever the negotiation situation, these 3 simple concepts will help you prepare and hopefully get a better outcome for you and the other party. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="noop

Reading about leadership can be quite confusing.  There are lots of leadership styles, theories and models out there, which can make it hard to gain a basic understanding of what it all means.  So in this episode, I go back to basics with a simple 4-step process which covers what I believe are the core parts of leadership to concentrate on. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.</

Leadership used to be about command and control.  Over time, it has become much more inclusive and collaborative.  However, I feel that the quiet leaders among us still feel the pressure to be louder and more outgoing than they may naturally be.  In this episode, I look at the benefits of quiet leadership and offer some tips for those quiet leaders out there. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose 

Motivating team members is an ongoing challenge for leaders.  Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all motivation solution because everyone is different. In this episode, I cover three factors that you can use to try to motivate your people. Hopefully you can use these as a guide to develop more specific strategies to help your people feel more engaged with the work that they do. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, 

Saying “No” is a superpower in leadership (and in life), in my opinion. Many thoughtful leaders feel stressed at the prospect of pushing back or saying no, especially to someone like their own boss.  This episode is a little encouragement for you to start saying “No” a little more often, so you can create space for the most important work and set a positive example for the people around you. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="noopene

Staff turnover is a natural part of life, even for excellent leaders. Even so, it can have a big impact on the functioning of a team if we aren’t careful.  In this episode, I take a look at some ideas to help reduce the impact of turnover in your team, so that the wheels don’t fall off when someone says goodbye. Sample RACI Matrix <img class="wp-image-4460" src= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RACI-Matrix-Unclear-Roles-and-Responsibilities.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px" srcset= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RACI-Matrix-Unclear-Roles-and-Responsibilities-200x58.jpg 200w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RACI-Matrix-Unclear-Roles-and-Responsibilities-300x87.jpg 300w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RACI-Matrix-Unclear-Roles-and-Responsibil

In many respects, it’s good to be a nice leader.  But what happens if you’re one of those leaders who is perceived as “too nice”? In this episode, I take a look at some tips for nice leaders, to help to counter some of the common perceptions that can hold them back in the workplace.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. >>> <a href= "https://open.spot

Feeling confident in your leadership role always makes leading a whole lot easier.  So in this episode, I take a look at the four steps I believe are necessary to grow in confidence. I share a few personal examples from my own journey in confidence-building, and hopefully you can view some of your challenges in a different light, and use these four steps to build your own confidence.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Clic

Many people are looking for a quick fix for their time management challenges, in the form of tools and technologies.  While these can be helpful for working more efficiently, nothing beats having the skills and mindset to actually set clear boundaries and become more effective.  The only thing is… it’s much harder, takes effort… and might even involve a few challenging conversations.  In this episode, I take a look at the top 3 time management skills I think will *really* help you become more effective. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a h

Communication skills are a hot topic in leadership, and are often one of the most sought-after skills for leaders.  However, we don’t usually dig much into what good communication means. So in this episode, I thought I’d look into what it means (Thoughtful Leader style, that is) and how you bring it more often. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. >>>

We often talk about the actions that leaders should take to get the best out of their teams. But it’s worth thinking about the things we choose *not* to do which can make a real difference. In this episode, I take a look at why leaders sometimes struggle to restrain themselves from taking instinctive actions, and take a look at some ways you might be able to add a little restraint into your leadership. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="

Autonomy is a key factor when it comes to team member motivation at work.  But unfortunately, it can feel daunting to let go and provide your people with the autonomy they want.  In this episode, I take a look at some simple options for providing greater autonomy to your people, without necessarily saying “Go do whatever you want!” Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts.</stron

Trust is important in leadership. After all, it’s tiring and stressful when people are questioning our motives all the time.  But we can’t just ask people to trust us. We need to show up as being trustworthy. Otherwise, we’re just the person who says “trust me”, with nothing to back it up. And you don’t trust people like that, do you? Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Pod

I’ve noticed that leaders in many organisations like to send people on training without too much thought.  Unfortunately, usually this results in a lot of wasted time and money, even though it may seem like a good idea at the time. To help with this, in this episode I take a look at 3 simple questions to answer to improve the chances of the training being useful and worth the expense! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Clic

Managing by exception is a style of management that emphasises escalation of only significant issues to leaders in an organisation. It is often seen as a way to free up a leader’s capacity, because they are only involved when there is a challenge to be overcome or a significant decision to be made.  I’m naturally skeptical about “silver bullet” leadership approaches, so in this episode, I take a look at this style of leading, along with the benefits and potential pitfalls, so you can see how this might suit your situation. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 <st

Working for an insecure manager is no picnic.  Many people react to this situation by fighting. Trying to prove to their insecure boss that they are superior and capable and don’t need to be controlled.     Unfortunately, I’ve never seen this work. It usually results in a worse situation as the feeling of insecurity grows even further! I suggest you try the strategies in this episode instead. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="_blank" rel=

Empowering leadership is all about getting out of your team’s way, so they can do their thing.  However, this deceptively simple idea can be daunting for leaders who aren’t used to letting go of the reins so much.  In this episode, I take a look at empowering leadership, why it can be a great thing for your team, and give you some ideas of empowering actions you can take. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to lea

Being able to show empathy is a great skill for leaders to better understand and engage with their people.  One tool I’ve found really useful in helping to keep an open mind and show empathy is the iceberg model.  In this episode, I introduce this simple model and how you can use it to think differently about the various behaviours you might be seeing in your workplace.  <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15244" src= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Iceberg-model-components-to-build-empathy.jpg" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcset= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Iceberg-model-components-to-build-empathy-200x113.jpg 200w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Iceberg-model-components-to-build-empathy-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Iceberg-model-components-to-build-empathy-400x225.jpg 400w, https://www.thoughtfulleader

One of the common complaints levelled at leaders (especially in the middle-management layer) is that they are “useless” and “don’t do anything”.  And sometimes, when you’ve gone from being a valuable “doer” to a leader, it can certainly feel that way! In this episode, I take a look at some ways to help yourself (and your team) feel like you’re making a positive difference in your leadership role.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2" target="_blank" rel="n

In the book “Legacy” about the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team, the concept of “sweeping the sheds” is raised.  That is – even leaders should pitch in and do the small things, rather than considering them to be beneath their station.  So is sweeping the sheds good leadership? When should you do it, and when should you avoid it? I discuss these questions in this podcast episode.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> C

One way that we can help to set a good foundation for our leadership is to understand our core values.  Our core values help us to understand what drives us, what we stand for and what we won’t. They can also help us to identify the situations and environments where we are more likely to feel satisfied, content and motivated. In this episode, I take a look at why our values are so important, what we can use them for and how to figure out what yours are. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful

You might not feel confident all the time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask confident questions! In this episode, I take a look at some good questions that you can ask to help build trust and rapport with the people around you.  Many leaders don’t ask these questions, because they don’t want to hear the answers.  Don’t be like them – ask away! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Appl

Most leaders have parts of their leadership they’d like to improve.  One way to improve is to create good leadership habits, to help you show up consistently and reliably for your team.  In this episode, I take a look at 3 key ingredients I believe are important for making a change to your leadership habits.  Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move you forward.<

I sometimes work with leaders who pretty much need a complete confidence rebuild because of their experiences in crappy workplaces.  Damaged confidence can take years to recover (if it does at all), so we need to be able to guard against this problem. Over time, I’ve come to realise that self-acceptance is a big piece of the puzzle, and I think it plays a foundational role in our leadership.  In this episode, I take a look at why it matters, and some ways to help you find it.  Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.appl

It seems to be fairly common knowledge that delegation is a valuable leadership skill.  But in my experience coaching and talking to my training attendees, there is not enough of it happening in our workplaces.  Many leaders want to be able to delegate more, but there are things getting in the way that seem to prevent it.  So in this episode, I take a look at some of the common reasons why leaders fail to delegate, and some potential solutions to that problem! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/

Recent research shows that honesty is one of the most highly sought-after leadership characteristics.  However, there are many situations in which we sometimes feel like we can’t be as honest as we’d like to be.  So in this episode, I take a look at some of the ways you can bring honesty to the table more often, because it’s what people are looking for in their leaders! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave

Workplaces can often be busy and overwhelming places, convincing us that our situation is all doom and gloom. People like to focus on negativity and this can make the situation even worse! Instead, wouldn’t it be nice to feel more positive about your work situation? In this episode, I look at 3 factors that help leaders feel more positive at work, based on the trends that I notice speaking with my coaching clients.  You’ll still have challenges and tricky problems to solve, but hopefully you can approach them with greater enthusiasm and positive energy! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreci

It’s time to get started with 2023! In this episode, I take a look at my 5 key leadership focus areas which I think are important. These include being aware of global trends (and matching them in your team), watching out for poor time management, being a leadership scientist, cultivating a curious mindset and being able to restrain ourselves in the face of our tricky emotions! Listen to the episode to find out more about them! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id14

Most leaders don’t go straight into a leadership position. They start by doing the technical work, and then progress to leadership positions afterwards when they show the potential. This transition can be a huge challenge for many leaders, especially those who actually quite liked doing the technical work! In this episode, I take a look at some of the top challenges of moving from doer to leader, and some ways you can hopefully overcome these to be as good a leader as you were a team member. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podca

Stress is common in busy workplaces, and we might think that it usually occurs because the workload is too high.  However, there can be many sources of stress that don’t necessarily involve the amount of work on our plate.  In this episode, I take a look at some of the common signs of stress that you might see, and then look at the common causes that may be behind them.  If you can remain aware of the signs and causes, you might be able to stop them becoming an issue for you and your team! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://

When leaders do bad things in your workplace, do you assume they are bad, evil people? Or could it be that in a different environment, they’d lead in a better way? In this episode I take a look at some of the integrity risks that I find can have even good leaders doing bad leadership things. Watch out for them, to be able to lead better, more often. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on A

There are still some common misconceptions about leadership floating around in our organisations.  Leadership has changed. Gone are the days of command and control and the days of more inclusive leadership are upon us. However, many workplaces are still battling “old-school” leadership challenges.  In this episode, I take a look at some common leadership misconceptions that I feel still have a tendency to trip us up! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?m

The world is full of top 10 leadership characteristics lists which we should all aspire to. In this episode, I wanted to do something a little different, so here are four characteristics that I think are overrated in leadership.  I still see these attributes celebrated in many organisations even when the senior leaders say they don’t endorse them! Leave a comment with your favourite overrated leadership attribute! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-podcast/id1452121137?mt=2

Good time management won’t necessarily make you a great leader, but I consider it to be a key enabler in being able to lead effectively. A frazzled, disorganised leader will often appear unreliable, untrustworthy and will struggle to focus their attention on the people who need it most (their people).  In this episode, I take a look at four key areas to focus on for better time management. If you get these right, you’re on the way to being much more effective… and the results will follow! Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progr

Thoughtful leaders never set out to become the bottleneck or “single point of failure” in their teams.  Unfortunately, it still happens for a bunch of reasons.  In this episode, I take a look at why leaders might fall into the bottleneck trap and of course, how you can take steps to stop becoming a bottleneck in your team! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. <p

When I notice team members watching the clock waiting for the time when they can go home, I know it’s a problem. It’s not that I want people to be working longer and harder than they need to.  But ideally, we want people to enjoy what they do and feel motivated to achieve it, to the point that they feel accountable and take more ownership. This might mean working longer to finish something important one day, and leaving earlier the next. After all, it should be about outcomes, not hours. In this episode, I look at some of the common reasons for clock watching, and some ideas to help you solve it. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we

Reliable leaders have a tendency to build trust easily, because people know what to expect from them. It’s easy to say “just do what you say you’re going to do” to get someone to be more reliable, but it’s not always so easy to make it happen. In this episode, I’m going to look at some simple ways to show up more reliably at work, so you can hopefully put them into practice. As always, it’s not rocket science… it just needs a little focus! Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Co

Since I started coaching thoughtful leaders, I’ve noticed a few focus areas that we spend most of our time working on.  I’ve found that thoughtful leaders are often great people-people, but this can have it’s challenges too! In this episode, I take a look at the common areas of leadership improvement that I think many thoughtful leaders could benefit from. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a review on A

I work with lots of leaders who wish their team members would show a little more motivation and commitment.  And recently I’ve also seen a lot of articles about “quiet quitting”, where people are effectively doing the bare minimum at work, or simply tuning out.  In this episode, I take a look at some of the factors to check to see if you can build commitment in your team. You can’t *make* your people commit, but you can do your best to create an environment where people are more likely to feel committed. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to mo

Most leaders love high performers.  However, there is a bit of a misconception that leading high performers can be easier. While in some ways this might be true, there are a few things you need to keep an eye on to make sure you can keep getting the best out of them – and have them wanting to remain in your team! In this episode, I look at some of the challenging parts of leading high performers and some strategies to keep in mind to keep them motivated and satisfied. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/

If we follow our instincts all the time when leading people, we’re likely to run into trouble at some point. The problem is that we’re wired to protect ourselves, and we can be consumed with the “fight or flight” response that can cloud our judgement.  While this response has helped us survive and thrive over many thousands of years, in the modern workplace it can hold us back.  In this episode, I look at some leadership situations where doing the opposite of what your natural instincts tell you might be exactly what you need to do! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taki

Who wants to work in a chaotic work environment?  Most people would answer… “of course, nobody does!” However, working in a chaotic work environment can sometimes actually be easier! In this episode, I look at a few ways that a chaotic work environment is hurting your team and your leadership, and of course some ways that you can bring some structure to the situation. Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Click here to leave a

When leaders feel like they don’t have autonomy to make the decisions or take actions they need to, bad things can happen. That’s why it’s so important to have freedom when it comes to your leadership role.  However, it’s not easy – you often need to navigate many stakeholders to achieve what you need to. In this episode, I take a look at some ways to take back your leadership freedom! Like the Show? Please Leave a Review! ✅ If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review by clicking one of the links below. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 >>> Clic

Many people think that the boss is the most powerful person in a team. While the boss certainly does have power, they probably aren’t the only one! Sometimes power can come from different sources, not just your formal job title or position. In this episode, I take a look at several sources of power that can impact teams, and some actions you can take if you think a power imbalance is impacting team performance. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense o

It’s nice to be a helpful leader, rather than being an obstacle or causing your team to do more work “managing” you. However, all that helpfulness can go too far if we’re not careful. Many good people leaders are motivated by supporting their people, so it’s easy to fall into the helpfulness trap. In this episode, I take a look at three seemingly helpful actions that may actually be hurting your team. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of 

It’s common for leaders to be faced with tough situations such as ethical dilemmas or conflicts, where they need to decide whether it’s worth fighting… or perhaps not worth the trouble.  In this episode, I look at 6 good questions to ask yourself if you’re trying to work out whether it’s worth fighting that battle, or letting it go instead. There is never a perfect answer to this question, but hopefully this episode will help you to gain some clarity about what you should do when faced with your next tough situation. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audi

Even the best of us make mistakes, and our team members will too! In this episode, I answer a reader question about what to do when your team member messes up. It’s a common challenge, because we want to encourage our people to be proactive and build their confidence without feeling scared of failing… and at the same time, we don’t want the organisation to fall apart! Listen to this episode for some ideas on how to approach this situation. Join the Thoughtful Leader Membership As a Thoughtful Leader Member, you get access to: All my online courses, eBooks and Audiobooks Group Coaching calls to tackle your leadership challenges Additional members-only video content about leadership tools, tips and techniques; and Discounted 1 on 1 coaching sessions wit

Leading former colleagues can be tricky, because you used to be one of the gang and now you’re the boss! This can be awkward for some people and can put you in a difficult position. However, you shouldn’t refuse a good leadership opportunity just because of some potential discomfort. In this episode, I take a look at some tips for leading former colleagues, so you can feel more comfortable taking on the role… and so can the people you’re leading! Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Disco

The “Open Door Policy” came about from the days where we actually had offices and doors. However, it’s still a valuable concept today, to promote free-flowing communication between a leader and their people. It’s not all roses though, there are some pitfalls that can occur if we aren’t careful. In this episode, I take a look at some of the challenges that can occur with this approach and how you can overcome them. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sens

Like it or not, leaders are role-models in the workplace. What we say and do matters, so it’s important to try to set the right example. In this episode, I look at some common phrases that can really cause some damage in our teams and workplaces! If you’ve said some of them yourself, don’t worry (I have too!) It’s not about beating ourselves up… it’s about doing better next time! Show Links: The Thoughtful Leader Membership is now open! Click here to learn more and enrol. Article: 7 Things Leaders Should Stop Saying. Article: Too Busy at Work? Try These 5 Things. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast #22

Avoiding conflict often feels good in the short-term.  But over time, avoiding conflict can cause bigger issues, that may have been more easily tackled earlier on! In this episode, I take a deeper look at conflict avoidance, and what consequences it might be having that you may not have thought about.  There is also a handy conflict avoidance questionnaire to help you decide whether to engage, or let this one go! Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense

Ever had tasks on your list that continue to stare at you week after week, while you keep putting them off? Procrastination is a common problem, even for leaders. But the problem is, leaders are meant to be leading and moving forward, not standing still! In this episode, I take a look at some common causes of procrastination and what we can do about them. Show Links: Article: Overcoming Procrastination In Your Leadership. Book: “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield. Thoughtful Leader Membership – apply for the early-bird pricing today!

Ever found yourself stuck in an "all or nothing" mindset?  Where everything is black or white, always or never? We can get stuck in this type of thinking in tough environments and it can really hold us back. In this episode, I take a look at this way of thinking and how we might be able to put a stop to it. Show Links:  Learn more about the Thoughtful Leader Membership here. Article: All or Nothing Thinking: How Is It Impacting Your Leadership? Article: Build A Better Leadership Mindset In 6 Simple Ways. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast #113: Do You Have a Victim Leadership Mindset? Huberman Lab

Ever had to lead a team member who is lacking in confidence? It can be a daunting experience for some leaders, and for others it may seem like a burden or nuisance.  However, leading a nervous team member can be an excellent way to build trust and help them realise that even if they might have had a bad boss in the past, it doesn’t always need to be that way! In this episode I take a look at some simple tips for leading team members who may be lacking confidence, as well as some of the challenges you might face when doing so. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take

Leaders who inspire confidence in others have it easier.  People tend to listen to what they say and leave them to do their work. Want to be one of those leaders?  In this episode, I look at 3 simple ways to show people that you’ve got this leadership thing sorted. Thoughtful Leader Membership The Thoughtful Leader Membership will give you access to a bunch of resources and support that will help your leadership, for a reasonable price. Check out the details here: Thoughtful Leader Membership. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most impo

Being effective and productive are important for good leadership. We want to be focusing on the right things and doing them well, rather than rushing around stressed and constantly busy.  I’ve found that mindset is one of the most important factors in being productive and effective. In this episode, I take a look at some of the mindset shifts that can help you to remain focused and stop you from falling into the rut of just being busy. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Sess

Acknowledgement of the importance of mental health has grown steadily over the past few years.  In years past, we mainly used to focus on physical health and safety, with people often being expected to “toughen up” or “be more resilient” when placed under pressure and stress. In this episode, I take a look at why leaders need to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing, and some simple steps you can take to help safeguard your mental health.  I’m not a medical professional, so I’m sharing some simple ideas about what has worked for me in my career, If you are struggling with mental health issues, then be sure to seek professional assistance. Show Links Join the Thoughtful Leader Membership – it opens soon and you can claim your discount for being an early bird member! Click here to learn more and register for the discount.<

Leaders love to have engaged, enthusiastic employees working for them, but it’s not always easy to make it happen. In this episode, I recount a short story of a time when I had some success in helping a team member feel more engaged in the work they were doing. I break it down into three main steps that made the difference, with the hope that you may be able to replicate some of them for yourself. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity</st

With the rise of remote and flexible working, people are becoming more open to the idea of actually enjoying their work. Instead of just going through the daily grind, people actually want to like what they do! As leaders, we play an important role in helping our people feel more fulfilled.  It’s up to them to decide where they want to go, but we can help them get there! In this episode, I take a look at some ideas to help your people feel more motivated and fulfilled at work. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make p

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Altman, who is the founder of MindsetGo, a company that helps people become more confident and effective communicators.  Mark reached out to me a few months back and since then, we’ve been catching up to speak about leadership, training and all sorts of other topics and to bounce ideas off each other.  In our conversation we speak about the importance of mindset, the impact of showing appreciation to others and some tips on starting to break those bad leadership habits you might have got yourself into! Mark Altman Bio In 2015, Mark Altman, started MindsetGo to help people become more confident and effective communicators. Mark has over two decades of experience speaking and training on interpersonal disciplines including organizational development, leadership, sales enablement, communication, emotion

Development opportunities are one of the best ways to stop your team from stagnating, ensuring everyone keeps learning and staying motivated. However, it’s not always easy to provide development opportunities. In this episode, I look at some of the risks in providing development opportunities, and some steps to take to enable your people to safely step outside of their comfort zone. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Se

Blind spots are dangerous for leaders.  It might be that you think people are perceiving you in one way, but actually they think something else about you entirely. Or perhaps you aren’t aware of your shortcomings, when other people can see them as plain as day. Whatever the case, ideally we want to reduce our blind spots so we don’t run into unexpected trouble. In this episode, I look at a useful model of self-awareness as well as some ways to try to reduce your blind spots, so you can lead better. <img class= "wp-image-13970 size-medium perfmatters-lazy loaded" src= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Johari-Window-e1640996118592-300x274.jpeg" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" srcset= "https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Johari-Window-e1640996118592-200x183.jpeg 200w, https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Johari-Window-

It’s natural for team members to need your support, but when it happens too often, it can be a real drag on your time. However, it’s not useful to lay the blame at their feet. Leadership behaviour is a major factor in how people behave, so the question should be asked – are you setting up the right conditions for your people to be self-sufficient? In this episode, I look at some strategies to help your people fend for themselves rather than using you as a crutch to lean on. Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity,

Have you ever taken the time to actually write down what your team does, and how it does it?  It can be a really useful process to go through to help you understand your team better, highlight gaps and improvement areas and communicate to others what your team is all about. “Operating model” can comes across as a consulting buzzword, but when it comes down to it, it’s all about understanding what your team does, and how it does it… then writing it down. In this episode I look at the key parts of your team operating model and how it can help you. I’ve also got a handy checklist you can download below for free, to help you get started! Apply For Your Complimentary Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you b

Are you one of the many leaders who wish your people would take more accountability?  Do you yearn for the day when your people will take greater ownership of their work to produce better results? Well, you’re not alone.  In this episode, I take a look at some simple ways to improve accountability in your team, to hopefully help your people step up and take greater ownership. Book Your Complimentary Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complimentary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move you forward. Ther

Sometimes you’ll come to work feeling like you’re being tested by your people.  They’ll push boundaries, do their own thing and maybe give you some attitude.  It can be super frustrating, but it’s a natural part of leadership especially for leaders new to their role. Sometimes people just need some time to adjust.  In this episode I look at some of the ways that people will try to test your leadership, and some steps you can take to pass the test with flying colours. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complementary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose

Do you find your team reacting to problems rather than taking proactive action? You’re not alone – this can be a huge problem for team productivity and effectiveness. In this episode, I look at some of the reasons behind a lack of proactivity, and of course, some steps you can take to try to grow it in your team. It never feels good to be on the back foot all the time, so instead, let’s see if we can create an environment where proactivity is more likely to happen! Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complementary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose</

Ever wanted to feel better about your leadership, enjoy your role more and have more motivation to make change and lead the way? Well, you’re not alone. Leadership can be a hard slog, especially with the constant change and turmoil that we have been experiencing over the last few years. In this episode, I look at some good ways to start to shift your mindset to a more positive place, so you can show up as your best self more often. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complementary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical step

In this episode, I interview Robbie Swale who is a Coach and Author of the new book “How to Start When You’re Stuck”. In this interview we cover a lot of topics including how leaders commonly find themselves getting stuck, as well as a powerful question to ask yourself when you’re struggling to know what action to take. I’ve been working with Robbie over the last year myself, and as usual in this interview, he comes up with many insights and resources that you can find in the links at the bottom of this page. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode or the show in general, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking

Ever noticed how busyness is often a sign of capability, competence or importance in many workplaces? Well, it’s time we put a stop to this.  The problem with needing to be busy all the time is that thoughtful leadership suffers.  In this episode, I look at some ways to start to push back against this nonsensical phenomenon and actually start getting real value out of the time we spend at work and in our leadership. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complementary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to mo

Sometimes thoughtful leaders have a tendency to get in their own way.  It might be not asking for what they really want, putting everyone else’s needs above their own or making assumptions about what’s possible without really knowing. Whatever the case, this can hurt our leadership and career potential, so in this episode I look at some of the common ways that leaders hold themselves back and what we can start to do about it. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a complementary Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move y

Leadership can be daunting, and it can feel like we need to have years of leadership training and study under our belts to feel confident.  The truth is, sometimes leadership is made out to be more complex than it really is. What we often really need is to exercise some simple common sense.  In this episode, I look at some common sense leadership principles you can apply to your leadership, because sometimes it just ain’t that complicated. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to

It’s important to understand our team members to create an environment where they can perform at their best. But it’s no different for the leader.  In order to create an environment where you can perform at your best, you need to understand yourself. That includes your preferences, triggers and the situations that have you performing at your best and your worst. In this episode I cover why it’s so important to understand yourself better, and some good ways to go about it.  Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you

Many leaders go through tough times dealing with politics, bad bosses and many other problems.  Not all of these issues are within our control to solve – so what should we do? Sometimes, the best we can do is to keep taking small steps to improve and do our best to feel at peace with our leadership situation. Otherwise, we run the risk of feeling frustrated, helpless and burning out.  In this episode, I take a look at some ways to help you feel more at peace with your situation, so you can hang in there and keep leading thoughtfully. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful lea

It’s very common for leaders to feel low on confidence. After all, they’re often dealing with new situations and challenges which they’ve never had to tackle before.  When we feel unconfident, it can feel like we’re lacking confidence *everywhere* in our leadership. In reality, there are often a few specific factors or situations that contribute to this feeling, not everything.  In this episode, I take a look at tackling the cause of your leadership confidence issues, rather than focusing on the symptoms. And I leave you with some great questions to ask yourself if you’re low on confidence, so you can get to the bottom of it and start improving. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to

In this special episode of the Thoughtful Leader Podcast, I’m interviewed by Akua Asare, who is the founder of the Not-For-Profit Professional Women at Work. Akua is a Quality Manager and an inspirational improvement-focused individual who is doing great things! In this episode Akua interviews me about my background, how and why I got into coaching and some of the leadership challenges I commonly find through working with my clients.  Akua is also a former coaching client of mine, so she speaks a little about her experiences of coaching and what it was like working with me! You can find out more about Akua and Professional Women @ Work at the show links below. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to sc

Negative behaviour patterns are common in workplaces, and you’ve probably run into them yourself.  So how do we put a stop to behaviour that impacts team performance and wellbeing? In this episode, I take a look at this tricky problem and outline some steps you can take to try to make a positive shift in your working environment, for the benefit of yourself, your people and your organisation. This is the last episode for the year – so be sure to give me an end of year positive review on Apple podcasts below if you liked it, and have a safe and hopefully restful end of the year. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps m

It’s a common problem for thoughtful leaders – taking on too much work to handle. Often, this comes from trying to help others more than we are trying to help ourselves. This is an admirable quality, but it can land us in hot water. In this episode, I look at some of the common causes of taking on too much, and of course, what we can do about them. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coachin

There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. Every team is made up of different individuals with varied goals, motivations and personalities.  As a result, you can’t just treat every team you lead the same way. To make matters more complex, every organisation is different too.  However, all is not lost. In my experience, there are a few main factors that I take into account when leading people, and in this episode I’m going to share them with you! Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you

Many of us are still caught in the busyness mindset – where we feel like we should be rushing around busy all day. However, in my experience, I’ve found that this is not a great way to show up as a leader. Doing less is the key, allowing us to focus our effort to our most important priorities.  In this episode, I look at some of the key benefits of doing less, and some ways that you can make it happen in your work environment.  What steps can you take to start doing less today? Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify roadblocks that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose an

Many people “Like” all the nice leadership quotes on social media, and there seems to be an overwhelming amount of agreement of what constitutes good leadership.  So why do we continue to see bad leadership happening in our workplaces? In this episode, I take a look at some of the causes of bad leadership that I notice, and some steps thoughtful leaders can take to try to avoid them and make their organisation a better place to work. Show Links:  Leadership Coaching: Get in touch and apply for your complimentary Discovery Coaching Session.

Many thoughtful leaders suffer from the common problem of putting their own needs last, and focusing on everyone else first.  This is admirable, but over time, this can lead to a situation where you are working on everyone else’s priorities and sacrificing your own time and effort. It’s hard to lead effectively in this situation! In this episode, I look at some good ways to start putting yourself first and setting boundaries, so you can lead effectively and show up as the best leader you can be, each day. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clari

Many thoughtful leaders have a habit of overthinking things.  It’s great to be thoughtful, but too much thinking can turn into a lack of action. You can also tie yourself in knots trying to come up with the perfect plan or strategy, when simply getting on with the task might be a better use of your time. However, we don’t overthink things because we like it. We do it for a reason. In this episode, I take a look at why you might be overthinking and some steps in place to try to reduce this behaviour so you can get on and start taking action! Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coa

Wellbeing is no joke. Working long hours and experiencing stress and pressure is still seen as a badge of honour in many workplaces, but it’s time we put a stop to it.  And the best people to make a change are leaders in our organisations! In this episode, I take a look at some simple ways to support wellbeing for your people, to improve motivation, productivity and help people work more effectively rather than heading for burnout. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps 

In this episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Alexander, the retired Australian international Rugby player. Ben played for the Wallabies 72 times and also retired as the ACT Brumbies’ most capped player with 152 games. Ben is now the co-owner of Canberra pub ‘The Dock’ (Instagram: thedockcbr) and co-founder of meal tracking service Alfred (IG: the.alfred.app). The father of 3 is also on the ACT Brumbies Board, and The Dock was recently named ‘Canberra’s best pub’. Ben started Alfred while he was playing, after getting frustrated with the current meal tracking

It’s nice to be optimistic, but what happens when we go too far? In this episode, I take a look at optimism bias and the impact it can have on our leadership. Of course, I’ll also offer some ways that you can try to reduce the impact of optimism without turning you into a negative thinker! Be sure to leave a comment below and tell me about your experiences with people being too optimistic in your workplace. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move you forward.

In this episode, I interview Justin Peters, a young leader who went from being an intern at one of his first employers to being the Program Manager for the entire internship program. We discuss many topics including the challenges of transitioning into a leadership position and the best ways to support new leaders to grow their confidence and experience. Justin also hosts the Struggle is Real podcast, which helps young adults learn to overcome life challenges that aren’t really covered in traditional education programs. You can contact Justin and follow his work at the links below. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really hel

Passive aggressive behaviour can be quite common in the workplace, as many of us work in a relatively polite society. Passive aggressive behaviour is a way for people to say “No” and push back on you, without direct confrontation. Needless to say, it can also be one of the most frustrating behaviours to encounter in the workplace! Leaders are likely to run into this behaviour because we are in the business of making change… and many people don’t like change. In fact, they’d rather that you just left them alone! In this episode, I’ll take a look at some common signs of passive aggressive behaviour and what you can do about it. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave

We often think that only “bad” leaders fall into displaying poor leadership behaviour. In reality, I believe that depending on the situation, we all have the potential to do things we’re not proud of in leadership. This doesn’t make us bad people or even bad leaders, it makes us human! So what should you do if you’re slipping into bad leadership habits that you would like to change? It’s all about identifying the pay off (what you’re getting out of the behaviour) and then challenging the belief underneath. Listen to this episode to learn more about how to get yourself back on the right leadership track. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward a

Coaching can be a really powerful way to help your people improve. It also shows that you’re interested in committing significant time to their personal and professional development.  In this episode, I run through some advice to help you coach your people, including when coaching might be appropriate, and when it might not be. I also introduce a simple model you can use for coaching, to help you and the person you are coaching achieve a positive outcome from the experience. Coaching Model Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs

Leaders often need to introduce process and structure into their teams. So it can be really frustrating when your people won’t follow what you’re trying to introduce! In this episode, I look at some of the major reasons why people aren’t following your process. And as usual, I’ll provide some ideas of what you can do about it, to have your people follow your lead. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to move you forward. 👉 <a href= "https://www.thoughtfulleade

Daily commitments are a powerful tool that I use with some of my coaching clients. Commitments are a great way to shift mindset and help you show up the way you want to every day. For leaders this is extremely valuable, because we are often in challenging situations where our people are relying on us to remain calm, composed and motivated. After all, we want to role model the right behaviours! In this episode, I discuss the benefits of daily commitments, how you can develop some for yourself and then what to do with them. Try them out, they can make a big difference to your mindset and create a better tone for your day. Daily Commitment Questions: “If I reached the end of my life, what is something I would regret if I hadn’t done it?” “How do I want to be each day at work (or home, or wherever)?” “What behaviour, mindset or attitude 

Ever wanted to improve engagement in your team, and make work more interesting at the same time?  Well, you’re in luck! In this episode, I interview Lauren Dixon who is the founder of Wizard Innovation Labs.  Lauren is an ex-corporate consultant who wants to make work better for all kinds of teams. She founded Wizard Innovation Labs in 2020 to help teams be more innovative and effective through unlocking people’s creativity and performance. You’ll most often find her – Sharpie in hand – facilitating a creative problem solving workshop, or coaching leaders through understanding how to better understand the individuals on their teams. It’s a great interview – see if you can implement some of Lauren’s ideas in your team! And you can learn more about Lauren at the links below. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-leader-pod

Many leaders struggle with the balance between wanting their people to like them and getting the respect they need to perform their leadership role effectively. So which is it? Is it better to be liked or respected? And is it reasonable to want both? In this episode I look at both sides of this issue and look at the pros and cons of each! Want to Feel More In Control of Your Leadership Situation? 😎 Join the New Group Coaching Program If you struggle with your workload and feel like you’re not in control in your leadership role, then join the upcoming Group Coaching Program. Group coaching is a great way to benefit from coaching and learn from other leaders at the same time. To learn more and apply for your place in the program, click here: Group Coaching – Apply Now. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, <a href= "ht

It’s frustrating when you ask your people to do something and they just can’t seem to get on board. Your first instinct might be to think they are incompetent or lazy. However, I’ve found that hardly anybody comes to work looking to do a bad job – there is usually more to the situation. In this episode, I’ll take a look at some of the questions you can ask yourself about your people, to see whether you can narrow down the source of the problem. Want to Feel More In Control of Your Leadership Situation? Join the New Group Coaching Program If you struggle with your workload and feel like you’re not in control in your leadership role, then join the upcoming Group Coaching Program. Group coaching is a great way to benefit from coaching and learn from other leaders at the same time. To learn more and apply for your place in the program, click here: Group Coaching – Apply Now.</p

Some leaders consider regular 1 to 1 meetings with their team members to be a waste of time and effort. After all, there are lots of other things that could be done instead of adding another regular meeting to your schedule.  This perception often results in 1 to 1 meetings being held less frequently, on a monthly basis or even less. This isn’t very much over the course of a whole year! 1 to 1 meetings can be a valuable point of engagement with your team, especially if you focus on making them useful. In this episode, I share some of my ideas to improve your 1 to 1 meetings to both you and your team members can get the most out of them. Feeling Overworked and Overwhelmed? 😫 Join the Group Coaching Program If you struggle with your workload and feel like you’re not looking after yourself in your leadership role, then join the upcoming Group Coaching Program. Group coaching is a great way to benefit from coaching and learn from other leaders at the same

It’s never pleasant when your people aren’t getting on board with what you’re trying to do. But leaders are in the business of making change, and resistance is a natural part of the process. Whether you are trying to introduce a new process, change the structure of your organisation or trying to get your people to think differently, you’ll likely find people who are resistant to it. Change brings uncertainty, which breeds fear of the future, and of the unknown.  In this episode, I discuss some of the ways that resistance to change can show up in our workplaces and of course, some ways that you can overcome it to be successful in your change efforts. Overworked and Overwhelmed? 😫 Join the Group Coaching Program If you struggle with your workload, and feel overwhelmed in your leadership role, then join the upcoming Group Coaching Program. Group coaching is a great way to benefit from coaching and learn from other leaders at the same time. To learn

It’s very common for leaders to feel a lack of confidence sometimes, and it’s nothing to be ashamed about. But ideally, we’d like to be perceived as self-assured and confident most of the time, so people want to follow us! In this episode, I look at some of the common signs of a lack of confidence that I see in leaders, so that you can try to avoid them. Sometimes it’s as simple as creating a shift in language and behaviour that can make us seem much more confident. If you like this podcast, be sure to leave a review on Apple Podcasts here – I really appreciate it! Show Links: Article: How a Lack of Confidence Shows In Your Leadership. Podcast: Beating Leadership Imposter Syndrome. Article:

Ever struggled working in a tough role in a challenging workplace? How about working for a horrible boss? If the answer is yes, then this episode is for you! This week, I interview Reshad Oberlander, an experienced leader and host of the excellent Weekly Leadership Experience podcast. In this interview, Reshad shares his experience working in toxic workplaces, and how he has managed to bounce back and keep leading despite the setbacks. Reshad is a leadership super junkie with more than 17 years of award-winning leadership experience in a number of industries. He hosts the podcast “The Weekly Leadership Experience” where he shares content designed to challenge, inspire, and grow your leadership. Reshad wants to help leaders grow themselves and their teams to be more effective and avoid the mistakes in leadership that he has made or seen. Reshad is a “Canameristralian” and lives in Edmonton, Alberta with his wife, two daughters, and Zeus the Weimaraner. Che

Thoughtful leaders sometimes get caught in the trap of trying to shelter their people from harm. While this can be a good thing, it can also slow the growth and development of your team members if they never need to fight their own battles or solve their own problems. In this episode, I look at protective leadership, some of the common causes and then the situations where I see it occur most commonly. You can use these scenarios to see whether you may need to adjust your own approach to your team! Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world

Trust is a vital ingredient in a productive, cohesive team. When people in a team trust each other, they feel like they are in a safe environment, free from blame.  People in a trusting team are much more likely to show commitment to the team and to feel compelled to do a great job. For leaders, trust is important because they need to believe that their team members will be able to get the job done and work well with others.  However, trust goes both ways. Not only do you need leaders to trust the team members, team members also need to trust the leadership. A low trust environment can destroy confidence as people believe their boss is out for themselves and don’t have their best interests at heart. Compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout.</p

Work doesn’t always go smoothly, or to plan. As leaders, we are often put in situations where we are under stress and having to work through uncertainty. Leaders need to be able to keep calm, make good decisions and move forward. That’s why in this episode, I run through some good ways to help yourself stay calm in times of trouble, stress and uncertainty. After all, a calm leader looks more confident and capable, and is more likely to have people want to follow them! Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taki

Fear is a natural part of leadership, because leaders are always pushing forward, trying to make change and improve their workplaces. They are taking on responsibility and dealing with difficult situations every day. Thoughtful, introspective leaders can be vulnerable to fear because they tend to be aware of their feelings and emotions. Instead of ignoring them, they may feel that this means something is wrong. However, it’s impossible to avoid all fear in your leadership role, and it’s how we respond to them that really counts. In this episode, I discuss some common fears of thoughtful leaders and some ways to try to reduce their impact on your leadership. Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scrol

One of the most frustrating parts of workplace life happens when people aren’t communicating effectively. After all, it’s easy for communication to break down in the hustle and bustle. In this episode, I look at some of the common causes of communication issues and of course, some ways that you can avoid them in your team and workplace. As usual, leaders have a huge part to play in how communication flows, which can have a dramatic effect on just how productive your workplace is! Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpo

It’s inevitable that at some point in your leadership career, you’re going to come across a colleague that you just don’t see eye to eye with. In this episode, I cover the various causes of poor working relationships and some ways to fix it so that you can work together productively, even if you don’t become amazing friends. After all, it’s much nice to come to work without the stress and awkwardness of a difficult colleague. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps to mov

Sometimes even the best of us will go down the road of weak leadership… even if we don’t mean to. Leadership is complex and can be difficult and sometimes we’ll run the other way when we come up against our fears. We might take the easy road instead of the more difficult path. But what might that mean in the long run? Could our problems get even worse? In this episode, I’ll discuss some of the misconceptions of weak leadership, as well as some of the key signs of weak leadership and what you can do about it. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of cl

Collaborative and inclusive leadership can be great when used in moderation. But what happens when leaders collaborate too much? Many thoughtful leaders fall into the collaboration trap because they value the input and opinions of others. They care about giving people a chance to make their opinions count. This is generally a good thing… but it can come with some issues. In this episode, I’ll cover the pitfalls of the collaborative and inclusive leadership style and look at some ways to avoid them in your leadership. After all, it’s good to be collaborative, but only when it serves you and your team, not when it creates bigger problems! Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you

In this episode I interview Michael Watts, who is a consultant focused on helping business incorporate more purpose into their operations. In our conversation we cover what we mean by “Purpose for Profit” and how leaders can start to use a purpose-driven approach to improve engagement within their teams and organisations. You can get in touch with Michael by clicking the show links below, but don’t forget to leave a review if you like the podcast! Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to leave a review). Your review really helps me to reach a wider audience of thoughtful leaders, so we can improve workplaces around the world. I appreciate you taking the time! 🙏 <stro

Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone in our teams were super high performers? You know, go-getters who are striving to improve their career and going over and above all the time? Well, maybe. But maybe there are other people in our teams who play a valuable role that we are actually overlooking. In this episode, I take a look at some of the types of team members who deserve some appreciation, but sometimes aren’t the first people we think about. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and practical steps</str

Do you ever wish your team members were more resilient? You know, putting up with the problems and striving forward with even greater motivation?  Well, it’s not enough to wish people were more resilient. And you can’t just blame them for feeling bad in a chaotic and complex work environment. Leaders need to set the right conditions for resilience to happen. In this episode, I talk about some of the key ways that I believe you can create resilience in a team, and have your people feeling more able to cope with the challenges that come. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Sessio

If you’ve ever encountered tricky behaviour or performance issues in your team, it’s not pleasant. Sometimes leaders will wait until the problem “sorts itself out” or goes away, instead of taking action to fix it. The only problem with this approach is that these issues hardly ever go away by themselves. It often takes some powerful and courageous leadership action to make progress. In this episode, I’ll discuss four of the powerful actions you can take to address the issues in your team, rather than waiting for them to go away on their own. There is no silver bullet solution for these problems either – you might have to try some different approaches and see what works. Your team is different from everyone else’s. But the 4 leadership actions presented in this episode are usually what it takes to make a positive change. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: <

Many people think that being strategic is just for company CEOs and executives, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In this episode, I’ll introduce some of the top strategic skills that I believe make for better leadership. You might not feel like you have a strategic bone in your body, but it really doesn’t need to be too complicated. In my opinion, strategy can be summed up by knowing where you want to be, developing an approach to getting there and having a framework for deciding what to do as things happen along the way. Being strategic can help every leader achieve their goals and identify a better way to get from point A to point B! Like the Show? Leave a Review On Apple Podcasts ✅ 👍 If you like this episode, please take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts (Note: you have to scroll to the bottom to

When you’re in a tough leadership role, it can be easy to slip into a victim mindset. Nothing is your fault, you can’t do anything to fix the workplace problems and you end up being passive in your approach. This is obviously damaging for leaders because they slip into complacency and inaction. So what can we do about it? In this episode, I discuss this mindset challenge and some common situations that can bring it on. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of <span style= "text-dec

Continuous improvement is obviously very popular these days. Why wouldn’t you want your team to keep improving? But there is more to team improvement than just boosting performance to make you look good. In this episode, I look at some less obvious reasons why improving your team is something that all smart leaders should do. It can make the difference between leading an engaged, motivated team and having a team that simply stands still. Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of <sp

Leadership situations are often complex, because they involve people and competing priorities. Each leadership challenge involves multiple dimensions that need to be considered. Even when you think there is a simple solution, there are often complexities that arise when we analyse the situation from different perspectives.  In this episode, I discuss a helpful model for assessing your leadership challenges from 3 perspectives: Rational, Emotional and Political. I’ll walk through these 3 aspects to help you view your workplace in different ways. Hopefully, you can use these perspectives to successfully overcome your next leadership challenge! Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs

Many leaders need to deal with a tricky situation – balancing the needs of their boss with that of their team. In this episode, I take a look at why this can be difficult, and how failing to balance both aspects can be bad for your leadership and the workplace itself.  Book Your Discovery Coaching Session I invite you to a 90-minute Discovery Coaching Session, where we will: Get clear on your most important goals and what is most important to you Identify blockers and limiting beliefs that are holding you back; and Develop key actions you can take to move forward and make progress. You will leave the Discovery Coaching Session with a sense of clarity, purpose and <span style="text-de