The power of letting go of being liked and embracing authentic leadership

It frustrated Veronica her team never met their commitments. She was forever trying to pin them down for completion dates and complaining when they evaded her. Her clients were also giving her grief that her team ignored deadlines and did not deliver on what they promised. She asked herself what the point was of putting … Read more

If you want to be an effective leader, learn how to listen

Charismatic leaders are like magnets, attracting people to them. But maybe their charisma is not based on what we think it is. The myth of a charismatic leader is someone who is inspiring on the podium, commands the room, and enjoys speaking. But when people describe charismatic leaders they have met, it’s their ability to … Read more

Take the busy monkey off your back; the shift from doing to leading

Dianne was a prodigious doer. She accomplished more than most people. But it meant she was always running from back-to-back meetings/Zoom calls during the day; dealing with emails at night. Her young family also demanded her time, which meant she often felt over stretched. The prospect she could burn out confronted her if she continued … Read more

What outstanding leaders can teach us about connecting with people

Early in my career, I learned some important lessons from my boss about connecting with people. Everyone who worked for him would go the ‘extra mile’ for him, me included. How come?  I won’t embarrass him by mentioning his name, but he had a great capacity to connect with people and get the best from … Read more

The surprisingly soft way to get an edge in leadership

We have all experienced how critical soft skills are in leadership. Think about an influential leader you have worked with. We will invariably find their success comes down to how they treated people. However, no doubt you have also witnessed leaders who treat people poorly. These so-called soft skills give us the edge we need … Read more