The worst teams lead organisations. And then they pay consultants and coaches to sort it out. While individual executives may be brilliant, as teams they often fall short. Research identifies three recurring patterns: the Shark Tank (hyper-competitive and political), the Petting Zoo (conflict-avoidant and complacent), and Mediocrity (lacking capability and looking backwards). But there are teams that work differently - and it's not an accident.

I'm sat in the optician's chair, trying contact lenses for the first time at 51 years old, and I can't shake the feeling that something fundamental has shifted.

Not just my vision (though that's definitely different). It's deeper than that. My face comes with glasses. Has done since I was 17. They're part of who I am. Without them? I look like a stranger to myself.

But when you're cycling on busy roads and the Garmin's getting blurry, the coffee menu's unreadable, and that car or tree is just a touch too undefined - you adapt, or you risk something worse than discomfort.

We've seen the enemy… and it is us.

A reflection on the manager behaviours we all recognise - the good ones we aspire to, and the difficult ones that emerge when we're running on empty.

What does it take to stay on the left side of that line?

After 32 years of friendship and a weekend seeing Deacon Blue in Glasgow, I'm reminded that connection isn't indulgent - it's essential. Especially when you're the one everyone else looks to for answers.

Yesterday, I returned to facilitate a team session at a company I'd left 2.5 years ago. They'd changed, I'd changed, but what struck me was how this team had created something rare - a space where people could be themselves completely and deliver brilliantly through their unique strengths. It got me reflecting on my own journey back from some of the lowest points in my career, and what I've learned about taking ownership when you're feeling stuck.

As senior leaders, we're used to being the go-to person when things go wrong. But sometimes that weight on your chest isn't caused by anything you've done wrong.

Here's what I learned about when to stop blaming yourself for outcomes beyond your control.

Last week I found myself on a small Malaysian island, working with aspiring managers genuinely excited about stepping into leadership. What struck me most? This client wasn't waiting or crossing their fingers. They were investing early and deliberately. It got me thinking about a senior leader I spoke with recently who felt increasingly isolated - promoted for technical expertise but struggling with the human challenges no one prepared them for. Sound familiar? In a world where 42% of CEOs cite uncertainty as their top threat, the question isn't whether disruption is coming. It's whether your leadership capability is ready.

I'm in a good place right now. I know that won't last - life has a way of taking over. But here's what I do know: I've built something.

Over the last year, I've made decisions that leave me genuinely privileged to be where I am. The question is: if you're carrying the weight right now, who's in your camp?

A coaching conversation reveals why servant leaders struggle to identify their own needs - and what it takes to lead with both heart and clarity.

The business case for leadership development has never been clearer. With 200,000 UK jobs lost in 2024 and unprecedented disruption across industries, the organisations thriving aren't just those with the best strategies - they're the ones with leadership capabilities that serve people through uncertainty. Research shows 25% performance improvement and 3× revenue growth for companies investing in leadership development. If you're leading through complexity whilst everyone looks to you for answers, discover what this moment actually demands.

The belief that leaders must project constant confidence is exhausting - and it’s holding teams back. Here’s why curiosity beats certainty every time.

Eight months into this independent journey, I’m still learning. From pricing and pipeline to joy and community, here are 12 honest lessons I’d share with any fellow indie consultant.

When I stopped trying to be a “better manager” and focused on helping my people grow, everything changed — including performance. Here’s what happened.

“You can tell me anything.” But do your team believe you? In this reflection, I share how fear shaped my early leadership behaviours—and what I learned about creating real safety at work.

Smiling on the outside, quietly falling apart inside? Setting direction whilst feeling lost? This week I'm exploring what happens when the person everyone turns to for answers feels like they're falling apart. There's a persona many of us wear when we don the cloak of leadership - the strong, calm, in-control leader. But what if strong leadership isn't about having it all together, but about being honest about what you don't? A personal story from the messy space of human leadership.

What if we treated leadership more like parenting – creating space, support, and structure so others can learn and grow? Here’s what raising an 18-year-old taught me about growing talent at work.

A cancelled run in 32°C heat sparked more than just sweat — it led to 10 powerful parallels between hot-weather safety and psychological safety at work.

Can humility and a solution-focus hold us back? In this post, I explore what it means to spot (and seize) opportunities - and the challenge of being your own product.

A photo of me smiling on a Yorkshire road doesn’t tell the whole story. This post explores the invisible emotional toll of leadership - and what happens when we mask it. Trust, safety, and empathy aren’t soft skills - they’re everything.

What happens when a perfectly planned workshop goes off-script? In this reflection, I share what a team development session (and a last-minute hybrid curveball) taught me about adaptability, inner voices, and letting go of “perfect.” Spoiler: it all worked out — and I left the room in my happy place.