Tag: leadership

  • Why would anyone follow me?

    Why would anyone follow me?

    One of my clients recently had a big wobble in one of our coaching sessions. She’d been thinking about role models in the sector and wondering what she could learn from them. As we talked, I could feel the mood changing. These inspirational leaders, who at the start of our chat felt like peers and…

  • How to succeed by failing

    How to succeed by failing

    We’ve all been there. A really crucial event at work has gone wrong – and it’s your fault! It’s over and you’re home now, bracing yourself for all the criticism and fallout from your mistakes. Your stomach’s fluttering, your mind’s buzzing with regret and with those ‘staircase thoughts’ – the sort that only come when…

  • The seven best books for  awesome leaders

    The seven best books for awesome leaders

    When I start coaching with a new non-profit leader I usually get asked for a list of what to read. I’ve ceased being surprised that these busy people want to keep learning and growing between all the other million things they have to do. I guess that’s why they’ve come to me too. There are…

  • Is “fun” a dirty word at work?

    Is “fun” a dirty word at work?

    I was recently invited to write a guest blog for Great Charity Speakers. I’d hate for you to miss out on all the fun, so here’s a shortened version for you to enjoy. The full version is here. So, politics has gone mad. Injustices are multiplying. Poverty is on the rise and the funds to…

  • How to have a work-free holiday

    How to have a work-free holiday

    “I’ll have to leave my phone on 24/7 in case the team needs me.” “I could take that Skype meeting from the beach bar, I suppose.” “I’d rather just keep on top of emails and stuff while I’m away.” “I can’t just disappear, can I?” “A bit of work won’t do me any harm.” Is…

  • But I never take a lunch break

    But I never take a lunch break

    Ok, so hands up? How many times last week did you eat your lunch away from your desk (and munching on a sarnie in a meeting doesn’t count!)? Not at all? Once, tops? I totally get it, I really do. It’s a challenge to prioritise getting a proper break at lunch-time when there’s so much…

  • “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it” – 7 steps to smooth decision-making

    “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it” – 7 steps to smooth decision-making

    Okay, so I’m about to contradict myself! In my last blog, I talked about how there is no such thing as a wrong decision. And I believe that. Apart from a very few exceptions, that really will be the case. At our recent Leaders Who Brunch meet-up the group found it a useful approach to…

  • Difficult decisions don’t have to be so…difficult

    Difficult decisions don’t have to be so…difficult

    So, you’ve got a big decision to make. You know it needs to be made so that everyone involved can move forward. But, arrgh! How do you get the thinking time when there’s so much going on? And how on earth do you make the right decision? I know the feeling. And so do my…

  • Dare To Lead

    Dare To Lead

    A non-profit coaching client asked me recently to recommend the very best book I knew on charity leadership. She’s starting a new role and keen to get in some helpful reading. I think she was surprised by what I said. Instead of a classic leadership tome like Good to Great by Jim Collins (which is…

  • Have no passport. Will travel.

    Have no passport. Will travel.

    I’m a secondary school governor as well as a coach and trainer. One of my clients volunteers for another fabulous charity. Another leader is a Director in a social enterprise. A third mentors young people. Through experiences like these, senior leaders in our sector are enhancing their ability to shine in their roles. What about…