Coaching for Outcomes…or Insights? I’ve been coaching for over 15 years now and over that period I’ve familiarised myself with a number of coaching processes and methodologies, not to mention all those acronyms. I’ve noticed how many of these methods try to tie down the multitude of ways that you can approach coaching – some even attempting to…
I regularly work with boards and senior management teams on Strategy, which as far as I’m concerned, essentially means working out: where we are; where we want to get to; how we’re going to get there. It’s a deceptively simple challenge – simple, not necessarily easy. Occasionally, someone pipes up with: “Let’s talk about Values!” at which point…
Reading Mike Willis’ (et al) excellent book recently, The Resilient Director, I came across the concept of the Subversive Director and suddenly realised that I had a name for what, on occasion, I instinctively try to be in the boardroom. Now Subversion is quite a strong term with overtones of a deliberate intention to destabilise or unsettle….
I have to admit to having a problem with the whole concept of Role Models. Let me explain: Firstly I’ll lay out what I mean by a Role Model: Someone, anyone on whom someone else models their behaviour, for whatever reason. So this could be David Beckham, Mother Theresa, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela… you get the…
This week I met someone who had recently lost his job and was making his first tentative steps into the world of self-employment. He is very well connected and has met and lobbied politicians and dignitaries across the globe. He is bright and personable. He has all the attributes: skills, experience, attitude and energy to…
I recently spent a day with the management team of a small banking software house. Nice guys, young, driven and successful… Just one little problem – the management culture that’s got them to where they are today, will keep them there for ever and a day. The charismatic founder and CEO is very able –…
The Times’ review of Wolf Hall quotes the director, Peter Kosminsky, on the subject of why Mark Rylance makes such a great actor: He’s quite uniquely vulnerable. He’s very open to the vibrations and emotions around him… There’s very little in the way of mask or suit of armour around him. It’s as if he’s…
Here’s what happens when the balance between Thinking and Doing isn’t quite right…
I’m interested by how much pleasure and entertainment there is in other people’s faux pas, ignorance and generally messed up love-lives – as exemplified by the latest rash of reality shows. The Germans call it Schadenfreude and I do catch myself indulging on occasion… Is it that it makes ordinary folks like you and me…
… he spoke a lot of sense too: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Question is, is this just a bit of positive thinking, or does it turn our concept of causality on its head? Whichever you think, you’re right.
Well, Clint Eastwood actually: “If you hire the right people, you can give them the responsibility and then keep your mouth shut and get your pay cheque” After years of doubting, I now take this as an inviolable truth. So if it’s not working for you, get the right people and keep your mouth…
A recent LinkedIn discussion zoomed in on the issue of trust and particularly the question of how you cultivate it in others. How do you bottle it and dispense it when required? Lots of debate followed which was tempting to engage with. But then the penny dropped: If I just focus on who and what…