I like it hard

This week I got very excited. I received a Fedex from Wiley at the University of Pittsburgh, sending me a hard copy of my article taking up several pages of their brilliant Leader to Leader magazine. Now, I already knew the article was out online, but there really is something magical about seeing it in […]
What is this sign really telling you…

I walk around my neighbourhood every morning, as fast as feet will go (without breaking into a hated jog), with Lilly Allen blasting her London lyrics into my ears to make me laugh. And although I do the same circuit every day, I notice something different each time. Last week I spotted this sign. On […]
Can I say Happy New Year still?

Happy new year! As a Brit, I flinch every time I say HNY beyond January 3rd – up in the cold, dark half of the planet the HNY window is pretty short. But thanks to the glorious summer we’ve had in Melbourne, I’m eking out my HNYs for as long as I can, so you […]
Reflecting on 2024 & Looking Ahead to 2025

I won’t lie, I’m so looking forward to December I can almost taste it! I forgot to take a mid year holiday this year, and boy am I feeling it now. Imagine me forgetting that energy, as a leader, is the most important commodity you’ve got. I can literally hear 1000 middle managers growling in […]
The B-Suite Benchmarks 2024 Report

It’s finally here! I’m very excited to announce the launch of the first-ever B-Suite Benchmarks® Annual Report, and as a follower of BoldHR®, I wanted you to be among the first to receive a copy. This Australian-first report profiles over 1,000 middle managers from a range of industries, professions and backgrounds. It addresses the key […]
Don’t worry, I’ve got a chainsaw

Now, Australia has been bashed about by some pretty hairy weather recently. Uncommonly cold in some states and uncommonly hot in others. Drought in one area and floods in others. Snow on the beaches but no snow on the ski-fields. Cyclone-force winds in typically temperate states. And the economy is just as weird as […]
Is the concept of balance a total con?

I can recall my boss once saying to me “you’re always lurching from one extreme to another”…. Geez, these wonderful feedback moments really stick with you don’t they? Luckily that same leader told the CEO that ‘pound for pound I was the most valuable player we have in HR’. So ON BALANCE I’m ok with […]
The Great Unbossing

Just another trend, or a real risk? And for whom? Another ‘Great’ trend – what a relief, we haven’t had a ‘Great’ since the Great Resignation – I was beginning to worry….. What exactly is the ‘Great Unbossing’? Companies are reportedly removing middle management and restructuring their hierarchies in favour of decentralised, autonomous teams. […]
How I transformed my relationship with the cold.

We clicked over into the first day of winter on Saturday. In Victoria (Australia) you can definitely feel it in the mornings now: crispy breath, crispy car, crispy washing (note to self: do not leave washing out overnight). I hate being cold. The cold makes me curl up and tense up. The curling up […]
I believe skimming stones holds the answer

I was skimming stones with my sons this weekend, down in Gippsland. Truly, no-one is worse at this than me. It’s sunny, and cold, and my kids are getting a minimum of 3 skips per pebble. Mine are all sinking. And creating a ripple. The bigger the stone, the bigger the ripple. I know for […]