Storytelling in leadership development

 This week I was facilitating a new leadership development programme with a group of directors. For the past couple of years, the company has been going through some challenging times due to being acquired by a large global organisation resulting in changes, restructuring and shifts in culture. There was a feeling of powerlessness and a…

Failure, success and life

Earlier this month I took on the National Blog Posting Month challenge of writing a blog each day. I started out well, writing daily, full of ideas on what I could post and then life got in the way. Committing to the time to write was always the challenge. I could have written less words,…

Growth and development is ageless: 5 nuggets to becoming a better you

I often get asked to speak at schools and universities about my journey. Afterwards, many of the professionals  feedback that they have also found it stimulating. This has made me realise that some of the fundamentals of growth and development is ageless. Here are 5 nuggets which I share with a younger audience and believe that they are…

What stories are you telling to our future leaders?

Monday 21st of January was a particularly snowy day with 16 cm of the white stuff gently floating down to transform the landscape and cause the usual UK chaos. As a result schools were closed and my two children took this opportunity to have some fun time in the snow. My eldest had crafted a…

If you are happy and you know it…

Yesterday the Office of National Statistics released its findings as part of the inaugural subjective wellbeing survey commissioned by David Cameron in an attempt to chart the nation’s happiness alongside economic data such as GDP. Whilst you may disagree with its subjectiveness, cost of £2m a year and view it as being “candy floss –…

What foundations are you laying for the future?

Yesterday, as I dropped my eldest child off to spend a month with a group of strangers in another continent, I experienced a multitude of emotions from tremendous anxiety and worry to pride. My worries ranged from concerns about her safety, her health and wellbeing, about being so far away from home… to immense pride…

Can your strengths become your flaws?

After 20 years of facilitating personal and leadership development, I think that I have a good understanding of what my strengths are and put them to use as much as possible. However, a series of unfortunate events over the past few months have made me realise that my strengths are also a source of my weaknesses.…

Will the real Mrs W please stand up? Banishing The Impostor in the room

Earlier this week I was working down in London and took the opportunity to catch up with a friend. I inquired how her morning had been as she did not seem her usual bouncy self. She responded that she has had a couple of graduates working with her and went on to say, “You know…

What can you learn about leadership from parenting?

This weekend my eldest child begins her training for her expedition to the Amazon and Andes. It seems like only yesterday that she was a helpless and dependent infant. As I reflect back on my journey as a parent I am humbled by the mammoth learning that I have gained from it and how it…