In Defence of Micromanagement
This article is meant to generate a reaction, something that surprises the reader and makes them think. Hopefully I have made my case effectively but please comment and let me know if you think differently – all respectful opinions are valued! Leadership is not just about empowering people and letting them get on with…
Is that a Fact or your Opinion?
Leaders create the conditions for execution. They nurture people and the environment to make it easier for them to perform. If you want to understand why someone is or isn’t performing, it often helps to look at the environment and ask the question, ‘is it easy or difficult to perform here?’ I believe that nearly…
The Principles behind a Great Career Conversation
You can’t lead people if you don’t know where they want to go. Career conversations are a crucial part of line management. Helping people to clarify what they want to do and where they want to go is one of the most important tasks you need to complete as a leader. This is not something…
The Art of Delegation: How to Win with a Delegating Leadership Style
Delegation is a core leadership skill and key to the ‘Delegating Leadership Style’ If you can’t effectively delegate, you will hit a point where you are become totally overloaded and you’ll become ineffective. But few companies teach people how to effectively delegate. It’s one of those things that everyone assumes you pick up as you…
Do you plan using your energy levels?
Time is the most valuable resource because you cannot get more of it. Learning how to use our time effectively is not a lesson that we learn. It is a lesson that we have to keep relearning because how we use our time changes as we grow and develop. As a young father, I am…
Why Perseverance is important but might not be such a good thing…
Why is Perseverance Important? Perseverance is a good thing. It is a value that drives us towards success and achievement helping us to overcome challenges along the way. Many great achievements have been the result of the quality of perseverance. Is Perseverance a quality? There is no doubt that perseverance is a quality, but it…
The Theory of Winning – Part Three
Last week, I expanded on mental models and explained how you implement decentralised decision-making. This week, I want to concentrate on focus so that your resources have the greatest possible impact. I also want to explain some simple tools that you can implement immediately to help you get more bang for your buck. Surfaces and…
The Theory of Winning – Part Two
If you’re reading this, you probably read last week’s epic on the OODA Loop – thank you – and I appreciate you coming back to find out how you can best implement this philosophy into your organisation. Last week, I explained how the OODA Loop works. I talked about the impact of mental models on…
The Theory of Winning – Part One
Is there a theory of winning? Is there a way in which you can consistently stack the deck in your favour and win under any circumstances? History has proven that favourites don’t always come out on top – why not? Is this simply a question of luck or is there a strategy to winning that can…
How do you solve the Accountability Problem?
It doesn’t matter how good the strategy is. If you have an accountability problem, the wheels are spinning. You’re making lots of noise and expending lots of energy but you aren’t going anywhere. I have written about accountability before. The accountability ladder is a tool that leaders can use to get their teams to reflect…
How to recruit a High Performance Team?
Ask any business leader, ‘What makes a top performer in your industry?’ Chances are you will get an answer that focuses on soft skills as opposed to the individual’s hard skills and experience. The ability to create an inspiring vision, communicate it to their team and focus people’s attention on the relentless pursuit of that…
Professor Richard Holme’s 10 Diseases of Leadership
Professor Richard Holmes identified ten diseases of leadership. These are common bad behaviours that leaders can slip into. The good news is that if you’re self-aware, these issues can easily be corrected with some minor adjustments in behaviour. However, if left unchecked, they can cause significant damage in the long-term. Leadership disease #1: Lack of…
The Toxic Triangle – the Environment and Followers of Toxic Leaders
Last week I wrote an article on Toxic Leadership. It clearly resonated as within a few days it had been viewed a couple of thousand times. This week I am going to write about the two other elements that make-up the Toxic Triangle, susceptible followers and a conducive environment. What is the Toxic Triangle? Toxic…
The Junior Officers’ Resettlement Guide
The Junior Officers’ Resettlement Guide was first written in July 2012 when Matt and I left the Royal Marines. We wanted to create some handover notes that would help Lieutenants/Captains leave the UK Military and transition into a successful second career. We have received some very positive feedback since then so thought it might be helpful…
