Worrying is one of those nasty little habits that are so common, like biting your nails. Unlike biting your nails though, worrying can have far greater consequences for you, your career and your life. Of course, worrying is about preparing for a future that may happen. Being ready should the worst happen. That's prudent. Read More

Whatever your views on the current global crisis, all things must come to an end. How the end affects you, and what comes after, to a large extent, is up to you. You can write your own story, far more than you may realise.

However, one thing I can promise you, is that having a rock-solid reputation will help you make the best of what is to come, for seven main reasons. Read More

Bosses come and go, and with increasing frequency.

One of my clients is getting ready for their first meeting (interview?) and another is preparing for a potential departure, so I thought it worth sharing a few thoughts on this topic.

There are three things to think through in this situation… Read More

How much thought (and money) do you invest in looking presentable?

Assuming that you care about the impression you are creating, probably quite a bit.

It is important to look the part, to convey a positive image looking like you mean business. Read More

If you don’t play, you don’t learn, very well.

If you don’t learn, you don’t change, very well.

If you don’t change, tomorrow will be pretty much the same as today.

And today, will be pretty much the same as yesterday.

Which is pretty pointless, and very boring. Read More

Yin and yang. Agility and Rigidity.

Understand that you need both.

Rigidity is necessary when things are clear and decisions have been made.

Agility helps when the way forward is unclear.

If you applied agility to everything in your life you’d be a chaotic mess, and a fascinating spectacle! Read More

Regardless of the relationship you have with your critics, they can be your friends.

Indeed, they should be your best friends.

When someone is willing to risk offending you to give you some feedback you may not like, seize on the opportunity to learn.

Learning seldom comes with praise and agreement, it mainly arises with honest reflection on challenge and criticism. Read More

99% of people fail to influence the single most important stakeholder, at least consciously.

This one is easy to engage, available and potentially open-minded. Yet also the most tricky stakeholder to get on-side.

Who is this stakeholder? Read More

“If you don’t give me a crisis, I’m going to make one.”

These words, expressed with humour, ushering in my stint as a crisis manager.

What I had noticed is that if you wanted to get on, you either had to perform exceptionally well in your (highly valued) job, or squeeze through against the odds on big hairy-arsed problems. Read More