The fun and anticipation of one part of this festive season can cause it to become, for some, one of the most stressful events of the year. No, I’m not talking about Christmas dinner at the in-laws. I’m talking about the annual office holiday party! For a leader, the annual office holiday party can be…
Like many people, I have a smart phone. It’s excellent for both working and personal connections. In an instant I can exchange words with friends who are scattered across the country and participate in a stream of communication. I can monitor email from anywhere, which proves handy whether I’m keeping an eye on urgent issues…
I am a millennial—I can’t deny it. I was born in 1992, right in the middle of the millennial generation range. I grew up in a world where children were showered with praise and everyone was a winner on Sports Day. I’ve lived in the shadow of September 11th and repeated recessions. Oh, and I…
“Procrastination is the thief of time” – Charles Dickens I procrastinate. I’ll admit it. I have a bad habit of taking on easy tasks first and leaving more challenging things until last. Or I’ll put off a job until later because I’ve found something more desirable to do—but I won’t define when later is, exactly.…
Did you know 35 percent of managers would rather skydive for the first time than address a problem with their team at work? That’s according to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. Effective leaders must know how to conduct difficult conversations with employees. Because of the common perception that conflict at work is bad, it’s…
No wonder leadership theorists are focusing on trust as a key leadership quality. In an article for Forbes, David Horsager, author of The Trust Edge: How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Stronger Bottom Line shares that anyone in a leadership role can have a compelling vision, excellent strategy, flawless communication skills,…
I’m a Girl Scout leader. They’re called Brownies here in the UK, and the girls are between seven and ten years old. I help run the activities the girls take part in. Last weekend, our Brownies went on an adventure day to a local woodland where they were tasked with building dens in the woods.…
For anyone who might have read my previous blog post, you’ll know I’ve been training for a 54-mile cycle ride from London down to the south coast of the UK, ending in Brighton. When I say training, I mean I’ve looked at the bike and bought a new pink cycling jersey. That’s about as far…
I am a runner. It defines me. Up until recently, my Twitter bio’s opening descriptor was Runner. (It’s now, temporarily, a Game of Thrones quote. I’ll change it back soon.) Running is part of my life. It’s what I do. But lately I’ve encountered a problem: I haven’t been running. When I’m training for a…
“Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one is watching – even when doing the wrong thing is legal”. – Aldo Leopold * * * Ethical adjective Avoiding activities or organizations that do harm to people or the environment. * * * Examples of non-ethical behavior in business and leadership are all around…