The More Technology Advances, the More Human Leadership Matters
We have never had access to more information, analysis or support for making decisions. AI can summarise a report in seconds, challenge an argument, compare scenarios, prepare a presentation, suggest options and increasingly carry out parts of the work itself. The possibilities are extraordinary, and they will undoubtedly continue to change how organisations operate. I am less convinced, however, that this makes leadership easier. In some ways, it may ask more from us. Leader
9 min read
Transformation Happens One Person at a Time
Why understanding the individual side of change may be the most important part of transformation When organisations talk about transformation, the conversation often revolves around strategies, operating models, systems, structures and project plans. Yet organisations themselves do not change. People do. One decision, one behaviour, one conversation and one habit at a time. Over the years, I have noticed that many transformation initiatives struggle not because the strategy i
7 min read
When Does Attention to Detail Become Micromanagement?
Most leaders do not wake up in the morning wanting to micromanage people. In fact, many of the leaders who struggle most with it are often: deeply committed highly responsible quality oriented and genuinely trying to support both their team and their clients well. Sometimes, what is labelled as “micromanagement” starts from something understandable: high standards fear of mistakes pressure from demanding environments or strong client expectations. And in some industries or or
5 min read
If You Don’t Have the Expertise — What Gives You Legitimacy as a Leader?
Stepping into a leadership role is rarely simple. Whether you’re coming from the outside, or you’ve been appointed to lead a team made up of different areas of expertise, you may find yourself in a similar position: working with people who know more than you do in their respective domains. And when expertise is the reference point, a quiet question often appears: “What do I actually bring?” Because when you are not the expert, it is not immediately obvious what your legitimac
4 min read
Why Alignment Is Not Enough — The Role of a Guiding Coalition in Change
In many transformation efforts, a familiar pattern appears. A leader — often responsible for driving the change — invests time aligning key stakeholders one by one. Conversations happen, views are exchanged, concerns are addressed and gradually, a sense of alignment seems to emerge. On the surface, this feels like progress. But when the transformation starts to move, something often becomes visible: alignment is there — but collective ownership is not. Why one-to-one alignmen
3 min read
What Coaching Can Give You — Even When Nothing Is “Wrong”
Coaching is often associated with moments of difficulty. When something is not working. When a decision feels stuck. When a challenge becomes visible. And in those moments, coaching can be helpful. But this view is also limiting. Because it suggests that coaching is only relevant when there is a problem to solve. In reality, many of the most meaningful outcomes of coaching happen when nothing is “wrong” — but something could become clearer, stronger, or more aligned. Coaching
4 min read
Why Time Management Is Not Really About Time
Time management is one of those topics where most of us already know what to do. We’ve seen the methods. We’ve read the advice. We’ve tried different systems. And yet, many days still feel: too full too reactive or strangely unproductive Which raises a simple question: If we know the tools, why is it still so hard? A few simple methods that do help There are a few approaches that are consistently useful — not because they are sophisticated, but because they create structure.
4 min read
Positive Reinforcement — But Then What?
In many organisations today, there has been a clear and welcome shift. We talk more about strengths. We focus on what works. We encourage, recognise, and reinforce. And for good reason. Research from Positive Psychology has shown how powerful positive reinforcement can be — for motivation, engagement, and confidence. For a long time, feedback was too often associated with: criticism, correction, and what wasn’t good enough. So moving towards a more positive approach makes sen
4 min read
Why Strategy Doesn’t Turn Into Results — and What Makes the Difference
Most strategies don’t start badly. There is a vision.There are ambitions. There are numbers attached to it: increase market share, improve profitability, attract new customers, grow faster. On paper, it often makes sense. And yet, somewhere between the strategy deck and everyday reality, something happens. Or rather, something doesn’t happen. The results don’t fully follow. When strategy becomes a list of intentions Part of the difficulty is how strategy is often understood.
4 min read
Why Do Meetings Go in Circles — Even with the Best Intentions?
Most meetings don’t start badly: People show up on time, there is an agenda, everyone wants to move something forward. And yet, an hour later, there’s a strange feeling in the room: We talked a lot — but did we actually decide anything? Sometimes we leave with a list of actions. Sometimes with more questions. Sometimes with quiet frustration. And very often, what happened is surprisingly simple: We mixed up the problem, the options, and the solution. When everything happens a
3 min read
Why Is It So Hard to Disconnect from Work Without Fear of Judgement?
Recently, during an employee satisfaction survey with a client, one result stopped me in my tracks. Only 60% of employees felt they could disconnect from work without fear of judgment during weekends or outside working hours. At first glance, this felt puzzling. Because when we looked closer, many of the right things were already in place: no emails expected over weekends, no last-minute after-hours requests with “tomorrow” deadlines, no messaging tools used outside working h
4 min read
Why Middle Managers Matter Most in Times of Change
When change arrives in an organization, the visible shifts tend to take centre stage: new processes, new structures, new systems. What is less visible — and often far more decisive — is what happens to people. Change destabilises. Even when it is necessary, well-intended, or exciting on paper, it disrupts routines, identities, and informal certainties. And when that happens, people do not turn first to strategy decks, project plans, or leadership statements. They turn to thos
4 min read
Should Transformations Be Delivered For Organisations — or Built With Them?
In almost every large transformation I have been close to, a familiar question appears sooner or later: “Should we bring in a consulting firm to run this — or should we build the capability inside?” The question is usually framed as a binary choice. Either we outsource the thinking and delivery to experts, or we struggle internally and hope people learn along the way. In practice, this framing is too simple — and often unhelpful. What matters more is how external support is u
4 min read
Rethinking Feedback: Why Positive Reinforcement Matters
Why leaders often underestimate the power of recognition, focusing on mistakes instead of reinforcing success.
3 min read
