A few years ago, I had a moment of realization that changed the way I think about leadership. I was working on a particularly thorny challenge one of those problems that doesn’t have a clear solution, just layers upon layers of shifting variables. At some point, I found myself longing for a simpler time, a …
Imagine being in the captain’s seat of a ship navigating stormy, uncharted waters. The map? Outdated. The weather forecast? Unreliable. The crew? Looking to you for direction. As a leader, it can feel paralyzing when you don’t have all the answers. But here’s the twist: leadership in complexity isn’t about certainty’ s about communication. Jennifer …
In 1978 in a quaint town in Vermont, USA there existed a small ice cream company called Ben & Jerry’s. Childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield who couldn’t make it to medical school or sell enough pottery, discovered their passion for creating unique and indulgent ice cream flavours. Having done a $5 correspondence course …
How often do people in your organisation disagree, reveal faults, deliver bad news on that high-stakes launch, without fearing retaliation or push back? Not always.. depends… maybe.. you might say. Unfortunately, a major tragedy a few years ago serves as a reminder that when courageous collaboration, trust and safely speaking up is not prioritized in companies, …
V leads product development in a software development company. In one of our coaching sessions she shared that she is noticing a concerning pattern during her Monday morning team meetings.* Instead of starting the week with energy and enthusiasm, there is an ‘eerie air of despair’ in the room. The dull energy is palpable in …
In March 2020, as Covid-19 spread rapidly around the world, the cards seemed stacked against Airbnb. With lockdowns and social distancing measures in force, global travel ground to a halt and within eight weeks the accommodation-booking platform lost 80% of its business. The pandemic could signal the end of a 12-year successful run of the …
Wilson Sporting Goods specialises in manufacturing equipment for a wide range sports and has been around for 108 odd years. Joe Dudy joined the company as an entry level accountant 27 years ago and now serves as the CEO of the company. Over the years Wilson has been the global leader in manufacturing sporting equipment …
Is perfection a desired trait in leaders? Or is it a blind spot?
My coach once asked me: What is that one thing that holds you back from doing what you want? I said: Overthinking. The consequence is inaction. Analysis-paralysis – that’s my biggest challenge. I was reminded of this when my friend T, called me a couple of days ago, to give me the big news that …
The dread you feel of being ‘found out’. The anxiety and foreboding that the ‘fraud’ will be revealed one day. That you have been lucky in your career stints, the bosses and peers you have met. The new role will reveal not your hidden potential, but your actual incapacity. Like me, perhaps when you commit to an audacious …
