Let’s face it, we all love a quick fix.
• The meditation app that clears your mind of all interference to create a zen-like state and blissful sleep.
• The turmeric shot that will definitely cure that virus.
• The injection that allows you to eat carbs to your heart’s content and never gain a pound.
No judgement here.
“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?”
This astute quote from George Carlin sums up the dangerous idea we explored last time – the ‘I’m perfect but surrounded by idiots’ mindset.
If you have a team member with this mindset it’s hard work managing and working with them.
• They don’t grow because they have zero self-awareness.
• They scupper teamwork because their colleagues don’t trust them or want to collaborate with them.
• They repel other talent because great people don’t want to work with delusional, difficult ones.
So, you're going to be a 'new you' this year, right?
You're going to cycle to work, live on kale smoothies, kick caffeine for green tea, prioritise personal development, inspire your team with heartfelt wisdom, attend more events, meditate twice a day, set daily achievement goals...
...well, basically, you're going to walk on water.
Wonderful.
I only have two questions.
As a leader who’s on top of all the relevant trends you may know there’s a shift in how we describe our increasingly uncertain business world.
Hold on to your hat – there are new acronyms in town…
Now you’ll be familiar with VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. It’s a term coined in the ‘80s by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus in their book “Leaders: the strategy for taking charge”. They believed that resilience in leadership was fundamental to keep pace with a changing world.
Let’s talk costs [cue eye roll]. Not your favourite topic, I’m sure, but we can do this.
Many of the organisations I partner with are grappling with 2025 costs right now.
Following last month’s budget, many in the UK are worried about the increase in operating costs for just staying in business.
Now I’m not here to debate the whys and wherefores of the budget (I’m sure you’ve got views…) but I do have thoughts on what you do about it!
You could be forgiven, as we come to the end of this spooky season, for being petrified about how close we are to the end of the year. So, as you reflect back…
Are you looking at your 2024 deliverables and celebrating with a treat?
Or are you feeling tricked by a lack of progress?
In these last couple of months stuffed full of reporting deadlines, flu bugs and Mariah Carey’s warbling, it’s hard to maintain momentum.
Ever found yourself coming back from holiday with more ideas than time to deliver them?
Or irritating the bejesus out of your colleagues after your summer break with all of your energy?
How many times have you used the phrase - "Well, it depends how you look at it?"
And was it just a platitude to shut down a disagreeable point? Or did you mean it?
I really hope you meant it. Because it's true.
Do you ever find your eye involuntarily twitching when you see the waffly, rushed comms your team members submit for approval? Or the dull as dishwater presentations you have to patiently critique?
I recently debated the tricky topic of standards with a coaching client. And how to set them with your team.
Sometimes it's the simplest advice that has the biggest impact. Case in point:
Client: We’ve introduced a mentoring programme for senior women, removed names from job applications, and run unconscious bias training for our leaders. But I know we still have a problem getting diverse voices into leadership. [Sigh]
Me: How are you measuring success?
Client: We’ve got the data consultants running some analysis on diversity.
Me: What’s the feedback on the ground on the things you’ve done so far?
Client: Erm. Don’t know.
