Blog
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Transform your Leadership by adopting a coaching approach
This week it’s International Coaching Week, so it is only fitting to pen an article that includes coaching! Modern day leadership has evolved beyond command and control to one that emphasises collaboration, empowerment and development. A coaching style of leadership has emerged as a powerful approach for driving team performance, fostering innovation and cultivating a……
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Silence speaks: Amplifying leadership presence and impact
I nodded, smiled encouraging and said nothing. It felt like ages. Awkward. So quiet. I could hear my heart beating. And then she spoke.…” These are the words of Idris (not his real name), my client, as he shares an update since our last coaching session. Like many people, he finds silence uncomfortable. His tendency……
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Breaking Barriers: Strategies for women leaders to silence self doubt and amplify confidence
You’re sitting at the head of the table, about to lead a crucial meeting. As you glance around the room, doubts creep in. ‘Can I handle this? Do I deserve to be here?’ Sounds familiar? I can recall numerous episodes in my career where I have felt that I would be ‘found out’, with that……
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Breaking Barriers: Strategies for Women Leaders to Rise Above
Embarking on the journey of leadership as a woman is akin to navigating a labyrinth of challenges and triumphs. Reflecting on my own experiences, I’ve encountered many obstacles that have tested my resolve. I’d like to share some insights and strategies that have helped me, as well as women I’ve coached, in the hope of……
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Are you a ‘Meera’? 7 ways to help you empower your team
Meera flops down in the chair. Her shoulders are drooped, she looks weary. When asked how she was feeling, her response was, “I’m tired, worn out, always seem to be busy ’. ‘Tell me more’, I probed. ‘I seem to spend all my time fixing other people’s problems, and then having to catch up on……
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6 common derailers that impact team performance and what to do about it
What’s derailing your team? What’s hindering collective performance and success? In my work and research with teams over the past 20 years, some of the common derailers that I have observed and supported leaders to address are: 1. 🤝Lack of clarity in purpose can lead to misalignment and confusion with personal agendas hindering the pursuit of……
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How do leaders innovate for success beyond the world of digital?
I like a good evidence-based book and delved into, Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future by Leinwand and Mani. Over 3 years they researched 12 companies who found new ways to drive success and achieve transformation that beyond incremental digital initiatives. 🔄If you lead / work in the Transformation……
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Effective leaders coach: 5 ways to have better conversations
Tony wants to have better conversations with his team. Having experienced coaching, he is keen to embrace a coaching approaching with his own team. ‘How will I know that I my conversations are more coach like ?’ he asks. Coaching conversations differ from normal conversations. The purpose of a coaching conversation is to stimulate thinking,……
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Embracing and Cultivating Curiosity
Curiosity is a crucial leadership skill, yet it is very much underrated. It is the catalyst for innovation, problem-solving, and growth. In a rapidly changing world, curious leaders ask questions, challenge the status quo, and explore new possibilities. Embracing curiosity offers a a multitude of benefits: 🚀 Promotes innovation and creativity: curiosity drives leaders to……
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The Art of Coaching Beyond Psychometrics
Yesterday I was asked if I routinely used psychometrics in my coaching. My response of ‘NO’, resulted in a raised eyebrow and has prompted this article where I share my thoughts on Psychometrics, Use of self as an instrument and incorporating Vertical Development concepts into coaching ….and would welcome yours…. Psychometrics In my early days,……
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5 practical ways to build trust and psychological safety in teams
‘Creating a safe environment to enable dialogue between team members’ was my first ever presentation at a conference. This was back in 2010 at the 4th EMCC conference where I shared my findings from my team coaching research. Since then team coaching has become more mainstream. In this article I share how you can foster……
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How to navigate workplace transitions
Last week I shared a post about my redundancy and its impact. As a coach who has supported hundreds of clients through transitions and having experienced this recently, I’m sharing a model for understanding the process and some tips to help you navigate the transition. If you or someone that you know has lost their……
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Leadership
One word, with so many different meanings and nuances! What does it mean to you? How has your own perspective of leadership evolved over the years? How does leader development differ from leadership development? How are you building the collective leadership capacity of your organisation? If you are a leader, a coach who works with……
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8 reasons why your organisation needs an internal coaching function
An Internal Coaching function is a strategic investment that can yield substantial benefits for your organisation. Following my post on ‘How to build an internal coaching function’, last week, I was asked if there is a place for internal coaching and does it work! Having worked both as an external and internal coach, I have……
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7 tips to building an internal coaching function
“I’m now qualified, and want to coach people within my organisation, what advice would you give?” My week started with this conversation with a connection who wanted to ‘pick my brains’ on the topic. Whether coaching is carried out in addition to the day job or as a full-time role, for internal coaching to be……
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Holding a safe space
What does ‘holding a safe space’ mean? I was asked this question by someone new to coaching. It is the space that we hold for our coachees which enables them to feel safe to open up, to be vulnerable and be their authentic selves. A space where feelings, emotions and thoughts can expressed without the fear……
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Experience alone will only get you so far
‘What can you do?’ asked Mr Smith (not his real name!) in a somewhat riled manner. His dull blue eyes stared across the table. I was in the early days of my consulting practice and at a business networking meeting explaining what I do, how I work, add value, outcomes… ‘ I’ve been running my business for……
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9 reasons to engage in group discussions and 10 ways to generate good ones
When asked to form discussion groups in a workshop, on a training day or at an event ….do you do so grudgingly or with an energy and enthusiasm? Discussions come in many guises and can be: Informal or formal Structured or unstructured Open to those with an interest e.g Twitter chats #ldinsights on a Fri……
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C is for Coaching
Coaching is a highly personalised way of learning as it focuses on your specific individual needs and context. Working one to one with a coach in a confidential and non judgemental space, it harnesses your own resources, skills and creativity to help you create new ways of thinking, doing and feeling to move you forward.……
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B is for Blogs Blogging
Whatever your interest and passions are, you are likely to find a blog on the topic. Since the early 2000s, there has been an exponential rise of blogs which are now well established within the online space. Why read? Blogs from respected authors, industry experts, people are passionate about their field can: Provide insights and……
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A is for Action Learning
A recent conversation about how learning has changed over the decades has prompted this series and challenged me to come up with 26 ways to learn #AtoZofLearning. Digital content, tools and technology is transforming how learning is designed and delivered. Accessing learning any time, anywhere, any device, individually or collectively has given choice, flexibility and……
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Walk in her shoes, Coaching walks
A few days ago, this picture of Celine caught my eye. Instead of going to school, 4 year old Celine walks miles every day to collect water. No school means no education – no opportunity to learn to read, write, have a better future. It resonated. Born in a developing country, I know what it……
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Am I too old for promotion?
‘Am I too old to go for that promotion?’ asks Mary. At 53 years old or young, she is questioning the possibility of going for a promotion at work. Mary took a career break to bring up her 3 children. She re entered the workplace 7 years ago when her youngest child started secondary school.……
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Banish limiting beliefs to progress your career
Have you ever been in a situation in which you did not perform as well as you could, leaving your confidence at a low and a reluctance to put yourself in such situations again? I know that I have and in most cases have plucked up the courage to have another stab at it. But……
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Develop your team by helping them to be problems solvers
Emma is nettled. I can see it in her body posture and hear it in her voice. She is describing her boss and the impact his approach to managing and leading the team is having. Emma is a highly skilled professional. Her new boss keeps telling her what to do, gives advice and always has……
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Why be a Hero when you can be a Leader?
Katy flops down in the chair. Her shoulders are sagging, she looks drawn and weary. When asked how she was feeling, her response was, “I am worn out, pooped, dog tired’. ‘What’s causing this?’ I enquired. ‘I seem to spend all my time fixing other people’s problems, and then having to catch up on my……
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Effective leaders coach. 5 guaranteed ways to better conversations
Tony wants to have better conversation with his staff. He is keen to enable his team to experience the benefits of coaching conversations as he did through our coaching sessions. ‘How will I know that I am engaging in coaching conversations?’ he asks. Coaching conversations differ from normal conversations. The purpose of a coaching……
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Get the most out of your team: Start building trust
Last week I was working with a leader who was poor at communicating with his team in a timely fashion, often micromanaging and engaging in excessive oversight. Things came to a head when one of his team members blurted out in a heated exchange that he was “controlling, made promises that were not fulfilled, didn’t……
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How to have those difficult conversations you avoid
It’s weighing on your mind, disrupting your thoughts, pulling you down. You know that you got to have that conversation. But you don’t want to. You are not sure how the other person will react and even more importantly how you will react. You are hoping that someone else might address it, that it might……