One of the reasons teams struggle to define their purpose is that they can’t work out at which level of aspiration the purpose should be. At a very basic level, pragmatic purpose is about relatively short-term accomplishments and survival. For example: “We’ve got to attract enough customers to stay in business”. Grounded purpose takes a (more…)
When domestic couples are too busy to spend quality time together, it’s a recipe for discontent and perhaps divorce. Relationships at work are different in many ways, of course, but if interactions are overwhelmingly transactional, the same mechanisms of disconnection, misunderstanding of motives and disaffection can easily occur. We spend roughly the same amount of...
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Cultures differ in how much people instinctively gesture, but gesturing is a key part of how humans communicate with each other. They are also, according to studies by Susan Goldin-Meadow, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, key to how we learn. It turns out that the movement associated gestures reinforce learning. Children taught...
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What do you stand for? If you were asked this question out of the blue, how would you answer? If you can’t articulate what you stand for, then how do you expect other people to recognise it? It’s a constant challenge for leaders in every environment. It’s easy to explain strategies and plans, and perhaps...
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One of the everyday challenges for team coaches is that many teams cannot advance without greater psychological safety, yet psychological safety is not something that can be instantly switched on. The members of a team may come to recognise the need for psychological safety, but it can only be achieved gradually, in small steps. Moreover, (more…)
A recent study by PWC and The Conference Board reveals some worrying deficits in core competencies, as perceived by senior executives. In particular: Only one third believe that board members ask probing questions Only 29% rate the performance of their board as good 57% think their boards don’t understand key stakeholders, such as employees or...
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After several years absence from Hong Kong in the aftermath of Covid, it was a delight to be able to revisit and also engage with coaches in mainland China. Last time I was in Shenzhen, it was just a village. Now, it’s a thriving modern city of 18 million people. The level of technology in (more…)
As a question to stimulate reflection, this can be quite powerful. It’s not about narcissistic self-congratulation. It’s about being realistic in the narrative we tell ourselves about ourselves. Good friends are authentic towards each other. They are not afraid to give critical feedback when it is needed; but they care enough about us to be...
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Well-designed and managed mentoring initiatives can have immense value both for helping individuals achieve their potential and for organisations – for example, in retention of talent and achievement of diversity and inclusion aspirations. Unfortunately, many initiatives are ineffective. Some of the key reasons are: 1) Inadequate preparation of mentors and mentees. Good practice involves training both...
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The immediate impact of toxic bosses on their teams’ productivity, creativity and other factors that contribute to good performance has been well documented. Now, however, evidence is emerging that the poison spreads more widely, even after they are long gone. A recent study from Angela Ruskin University reveals that people who report to an aggressive...
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