Blog
Take a look at recent insights in leadership, strategy and more.
Humility and influence
There are so many lessons to draw from Nelson Mandela’s life and example. Here’s three I have... It is possible to change the world (or something less) if it matters enough and there are no limits to the sacrifices we are prepared to make. In other words, to quote...
An engine needs a mechanic
People on the outside of an organization have the freedom and perspective to see and articulate what’s going on in the inside. They’re not part of the system; they’re not constrained by the responsibilities of office; they’re not invested in the status quo. If wise,...
The effect of sitting apart
He says there’s a “me, them and us” attitude at his place of work. He sees two sides, but feels separate from both. Meanwhile... He sits slightly apart from the little group in our workshop and politely declines an invitation to join the main body of participants,...
What lies between leading and following?
For some time I have been puzzled about this... When is it best to seek to lead and when is it best to follow? That’s an important choice to make in any situation, or so it appears. But here’s the thing... When people are really “in the zone” together, for example in...
Reconciling the irreconcilable?
It's tempting to try and reconcile things. It resolves that cognitive dissonance that so bothers us. We prefer to eliminate tension, and so we should when we can. It's good to reduce differences or apparent differences. But sometimes... The division is too great. It's...
The smaller the delta, the faster the change?
You'd imagine that a big difference between the status quo and a desired alternative, the faster change would be. That might be true in a crisis. Might be. The rest of the time it probably isn't. Strangely perhaps, a small gap between where somebody is at and where...
The authentic you… Yes, but which one?
"Be yourself." We're familiar with that advice, and it's good advice. That way we come across as authentic and "real" to other people, which they like, for the most part. But there's something we miss, and it makes all the difference... We don't really have just one...
Suspending your assumptions: Are you willing?
We all have assumptions—beliefs about the world. We hold them pretty tight usually. We act in accordance with these beliefs, often rather unaware we’re doing so. Indeed, they tend to become part of who we are. The result is our sense of identity gets tied up with our...
Who are your teachers?
We all have them—those people in our lives we struggle to deal with effectively. And if we find a solution with one, we can be pretty sure there’ll be another along in a minute. It’s tempting to deal with these “difficult” people, or at least the ones we experience as...
Is today’s wisdom tomorrow’s foolishness?
Personally, I’m very much in favour of going to the source, and seeking out others’ experience, especially when their achievements are significant. It seems to me they’re worth paying attention to and I take some convincing we know better than they do. I value today’s...
Telling yourself a better story
So much comes down to belief. After all... What does “impossible” really mean? Only that no-one yet believes that such-and-such can be done (running a 4-minute mile, being a famous example). What about “impossible” for you? Only that you don’t yet believe you can do...
Relationship Mastery: Learning to learn about relating to people
Funny how new perspectives come up when you least expect it, like when chatting with a new contact... I’ve often explained “relationship mastery” (the subject and title of my book) as taking an attitude of continual learning about interpersonal relationship skills....
Is your advocacy unbalanced?
It’s very easy to make this mistake... When advocating a change or something new, it’s very easy to miss out that part of the status quo that is also needed. We’re so familiar—unconsciously familiar—with the way things are at the moment that we’re liable to forget...
Democracy or knowledge: Do we have to choose?
We’re brought up on the principle of democracy—one person, one vote. We’re also brought up on the importance of knowledge: “If you think knowledge is expensive, try ignorance” (to paraphrase Derek Bok). But what about when these two meet in opposition? What should...
The only thing missing from any situation…
...is what you're not giving. That's a line from a book called "A Course in Miracles," highlighted by Marianne Williamson. Useful secular advice it is too... When things get difficult, it's tempting to expect other people to make the running; to attempt reconciliation...