Leaders need the courage to deal with sunk cost bias

In his book Essentialism, Greg McKeown outlines a phenomenon called “sunk-cost bias.” In case you are wondering what that is, he defines it as, “the tendency to continue to invest time, money, or energy into something we know is a losing proposition simply because we have already incurred, or sunk, a cost that cannot be … Read more

How coaches can help leaders go for gold just like elite athletes

The highlight of many memorable Olympic moments for me was seeing Australian swimming coach Dean Boxall’s excitement after 20-year-old Ariane Titmus beat US star Katie Ledecky in the final of the women’s 400m freestyle. As her coach, he was just as elated as her when she achieved her dream of winning gold. His bold style … Read more

How leaders avert overthinking and the curse of perfectionism

Grace had an amazing capacity for analytical thinking, but she was using her superpower to overthink the simplest of problems. She worried about getting the right answer to any issue, believing a mistake could cost her job. Worrying about finding a perfect solution made her anxious most of the time. Her tendency for analysis paralysis … Read more

Why leaders who listen and validate others have an edge

The conversation Ray had with a senior leader at a pre-COVID event captivated him. He said the executive asked him about his business objectives, his role, and the challenges he faced. He listened intently to the responses and although he did not offer any advice or suggestions, his comments showed he could relate to everything … Read more

Why practising kindness is a crucial leadership skill

It has delighted me to hear from several people over the last few weeks checking in with me to see how I am going with the latest lockdown. Fi Slaven’s message is one of my favourites. She lets me know, “I’m here if you need me.” It is a phrase she borrowed from netball. When … Read more