Private Insights on Influence

Project Managers Are Too Soft. Are You?

Incredible it may be, but the data is beginning to emerge that this could indeed be the case. The usual caveat about generalisations aside, this is what my recent research is starting to reveal. And, you don’t have to be a project manager to learn from these results....

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Are You Too Evasive?

“If you are asked a direct question a second time, give a direct answer no matter how much it may hurt.” This is a rule I'd like to encourage you to strive towards because it will, in the long run, help you to achieve greater success and fulfilment. Although this may...

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Seven Things Your Opposition Hopes You’ll Never Learn

It is entirely natural to have opposition. In fact, I would encourage it. Unless you have opposition the game is too easy ― isn't it? Well I hope you think that because otherwise you might be wasting your talent, ambition and energy. Opponents stretch thinking,...

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The Vision and Engagement Gap at the Top

In some recent research* it has been found that the number one skills gap among executives is the ability to build vision and engage stakeholders to make it happen. Without vision and engagement not a great deal is going to change, and implementing change is another...

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Disrespecting Your Leader

Nine out of ten leaders are not respected by nine out of ten of their followers. Well, that’s the way it often appears when you get a group of people together in a room talking about leadership. This also came across loud and clear earlier this year when I was...

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Corporate Politics: Necessary Evil or Waste of Time

A little while ago one of my private coaching clients was expressing his frustration about the political activity surrounding his work. This stimulated me to ask my connections about their views on this common feature of organisational life... What's your take on...

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