Posts Tagged ‘communication’
The fears that women face about taking a career break (and four things we can do to alleviate these)
With New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, commencing her six weeks’ maternity leave, I thought it was an appropriate time to talk, once again, about the fear that women have about taking a career break. A 2014 London Business School survey showed that women are anxious about taking time out for maternity leave…
Read MoreWhy disagreement is a sign of a high performing team
My old boss, Nick, used to have a saying for anytime he came up with a new idea (which seemed like every day – he was an innovation freak). “What’s wrong with my idea?” he’d ask us. The first time I heard him say this, I nervously looked at my colleagues to see if it…
Read MoreWhy change is like a knock on the door (and how to greet it)
Change, I’ve decided, is like a random dude who turns up on my front doorstep. Sometimes he arrives with a polite knock, giving me time to get myself together and meet him best-foot-forward, lipstick intact. At other times, he bashes down my front door like a toddler on a sugar-fueled rampage. My all-time FAVOURITE way…
Read MoreThe leadership lesson you can learn from Spotify
Spotify has a nifty little feature called ‘behind the lyrics.’ When you’re playing a song, up comes the story behind the lyrics. Spotify gives you information like: What led the artist to write the song, how the song took shape, the challenges the artist faced in writing and producing the song and who they collaborated…
Read MorePress a button – what you can learn from airport security about getting feedback
In hundreds of airports around the world, you’ll see a little stand like this. It asks you to rate your experience of customs by pressing a button. What is so brilliant about this ‘happy face/sad face’ contraption? It’s simple. They’ve made it super easy for you to tell them what you think. There’s been times…
Read MoreThe Art of Rejection – What Leaders Can Learn From Picasso
Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon – you know, that one of the five women with the lopsided faces – is considered to be the first Cubist painting of all time. Not too shabby, wouldn’t you say? But when it debuted to the public, people didn’t exactly ooh and ah. In fact, they ew-ed. They were angry…
Read MoreHow to get through the tough first times in leadership
The first time I went for a run I hated it. We’re talking the level of contempt I hold for personalised licence plates and root canals. “Why do people do this?!” I wheezed. It was difficult, painful and way outside my comfort zone. But as I trundled and puffed my sorry ass around the block,…
Read MoreFrom waterfall to tides – how to improve communication with your team
Information in an organisation is like a waterfall. It tends to flow pretty easily from its ‘source’ at the top – usually the senior leadership team. Memos, directives, new procedures and policies – they all veritably gush down onto the heads of the workforce. The problem with a waterfall is that the water doesn’t flow…
Read MoreFive Things That Will Make You a Better Leader (in under five minutes)
One of the most impactful conversations of my entire professional life, one where a senior colleague literally saved me from committing career hari-kari, lasted just eight minutes. I was with my fellow leadership team in a strategic planning session with our new CEO and I was hogging the floor, talking too much, and completely unaware…
Read MoreDon’t take it personally
There’s something about this time of year that makes people feral. I’m talkin’ scratchy, snarly, tearful, short-tempered and generally stressed out to the max. It’s as if we think Armageddon is going to reign down upon us on December 25, so we absolutely must get everything on the ever-increasing list done before we head off…
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