Every leadership expert tells you something different about who you're supposed to be. Be vulnerable but confident. Listen but direct. The contradiction is exhausting. What if the real work isn't performing leadership - it's practising it?

Even the best teams fall apart when unexpected hits.

Drawing from a personal redundancy experience and the cycling concept of echelons, this post explores how leaders can navigate organisational crosswinds by building the right formation rather than trying to muscle through change alone.

Why did Bowie and Prince resonate so much at age 12?

Because they showed me that reinvention isn't about abandoning who you are - it's about allowing yourself to evolve into who you're becoming.

The same principle applies to leadership transitions.

From first-time manager to C-suite executive, leadership transitions follow remarkably similar patterns. The mindset shifts look different at each level, but the fundamental challenge remains the same: you're moving into a world where the rules you knew no longer quite apply. The question isn't whether you need support through this transition - it's what kind of support you actually need.

For senior leaders who are brilliant at helping others find clarity but struggling with their own next step. A reflection on the questions that helped me navigate career transition – and might help you too.

A conversation yesterday reminded me why I left a 25-year career to start again.

Sitting in the Science Gallery under the shadow of the Shard, I was surrounded by HR professionals grappling with change. Andrew Shorter said something that cut through: "Change is unpredictable and messy."

Everyone you know at work is probably wrestling with how to define, react to, manage, communicate, or survive the change they're facing. Sound familiar?

One insight stayed with me: courageous leaders don't just initiate change – they stay the course.

December 2024, I knew I had to make a change. I was trapped. Twenty-five years of career success, but I was burned out and disconnected. So I walked away from the salary and security to reconnect with my purpose.

Now? It's slowly building, and I need courage to stay the course.

What's the change you need to make for yourself? And who's in your camp to help you through it?

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

Shhh. I’m not an imposter - I’m just new(ish).

Six months into working for myself, I’m learning to trust what I’ve built over nearly 30 years. If you’re navigating doubt or change, this one’s for you.