3 ways to tackle feeling overwhelmed right now
Many of us are feeling uncertain, unfocused and unproductive at the moment. My resilience was tested last week too. Not by the ongoing changes to the rules, not by the rapidly-dwindling pipeline, not by homeschooling – but by my uncertainty about how best to be of value and service to those around me right now. […]
An uplifting example of leadership under pressure
Leadership is tougher than ever right now, and making decisions can feel impossible – the rules are changing all time. Last week I witnessed a heated debate between two execs of a sports club – about whether they continue training or not. ‘Bob’ wanted to stay open until told otherwise by the peak body of […]
Is it too soon to be looking for a silver lining?
I know these are stressful times. Like many of us, I’ve got aging parents and a lack of loo roll on my mind. But I’m starting to see some upside, and as we know, practicing gratitude is good for your optimism and resilience, so here we go! I’m grateful to COVID-19 for: Making some people […]
The surprising solutions for workforce disruption
Change has changed, and so must we Even if we weren’t in the midst of the biggest disruption in a generation, research tells us that change has changed. Once the ‘critical’ change settles down, we’ll be facing inevitable organisational, social and economic change. I can’t advise on social and economic change, but I do know […]
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
Spotting this Qantas livery when I was flying to Sydney a few weeks ago gave me quite a jolt! Were we really flying in a 60yo plane? Of course not – but she sure looked like one. Qantas, what a fun way to celebrate your rich history. Apparently she’s been doing the rounds across Australia […]
Getting the most out of tomorrow
It’s a leap year this year, so tomorrow – Feb 29 – feels like a ‘free’ day to me. I’ll be making the most of it – education in the morning, beach in the afternoon. But of course if it’s your birthday tomorrow – then it’s a very special day indeed. >>I need to ask: […]
No-one likes a surprise at work
People don’t like surprises; research into emotional neuroscience shows that almost all reactions to surprise are negative. And yet we have traditionally kept org change plans a secret until the last minute – thus by design creating a ‘surprise!’ moment when our plans are revealed. There are loads of reasons for this, ranging from industrial […]
The surprising truth about an all-female executive
Last week it was my privilege to facilitate at City West Water. It’s the first time that my stakeholder group has been exclusively female – from the MD down. I’ve often wondered what an all-female leadership team would really feel like, but I haven’t experienced it first hand – till now. This is what I saw: ► […]
Is this the scariest question in the world?
John Maltby says that the scariest question in the world is “So tell me about yourself……” And he’s right – we all fumble that one when asked, don’t we? You know how easy it is to talk at length about what you KNOW, but it’s really hard to talk at length about YOU? It’s literally […]
How to tackle the horrible middle
No, I’m not spruiking a new diet – I’m talking about change! The ‘horrible middle’ is a phrase coined by Harvard’s Rosabeth Kantor, who says that change is “90% perspiration and 10% inspiration” Everything looks like a failure in the middle. Everyone loves inspiring beginnings and happy endings; it is the middle that requires you […]
