Airbnb is inspiring the ‘work from anywhere’ model – an email from CEO Brian Chesky
I’ve had more chats over the past few weeks with frustrated leaders who are determined that people ‘should’ be back in the office. As the arms race for new talent accelerates, I can’t help but feel that some leaders are missing the point entirely. ‘Back to the office’ is quite…
How do you really ‘recruit for attitude’? Some practical advice…
After a couple of weak hires, I advised one of my clients to really focus in on ‘hiring for attitude’ – whilst waving my arms about to illustrate the levels of relative importance… attitude first (waves hands up here), then skills (a bit further down) and finally experience (at the…
Watch: Hammer Hand – an experiment showing the incredible workings of the human brain
This video is a fascinating look into how the human brain works and can be easily deceived In less than two minutes, creating the feeling of body ownership. This rubber hand illusion reveals how the brain understands the body. Incredible.
The uncomfortable space. Don’t rush to answer the question.
I loved this article ‘Reflections’ from Richard Merrick – which explores the idea that the challenge is creating the space for the questions to emerge of their own accord, rather than forcing them to the surface. “The best way to find out things, if you come to think of it,…
Prioritising profitability. Don’t grow for growth’s sake.
A discussion with a business leader recently motivated me to write this article around vanity growth. I hope it helps you to figure out what you can do to make sure profit – rather than revenue – becomes a mission for business growth. You’ve all likely heard the term ‘Revenue…
22 constructive feedback techniques for managers
Office Vibe , a software I’ve previously used and sometimes recommend for staff sentiment tracking, are producing some great content right now. A recent article summarising 22 Constructive feedback examples & tips for managers was a useful and easy read. You can read the full article, here, but I’ve summarised…
The truth about not trusting your teams (spoiler: you might be the problem).
“I don’t trust her/him/them to get it done’. It’s something I hear a lot as a leadership coach. Whilst there are a lot of reasons you might be struggling to trust your teams, the reality is that some of these reasons might be down to you, rather than ‘them’. An…
Every manager is one of these four types – which are you?
Some interesting findings from Gartner about the most effective manager types. When Gartner studied manager effectiveness before the pandemic, they identified Connector Managers as the clear winners in building high-performing employees. They’ve now confirmed this manager type still outperforms — even in today’s stressful, disrupted times. You can see the four manger…
Every tick is not made equal – considerations around your to-do list (and how to discuss it with your teams)
If you’re someone who finds annihilating things from your to do list incredibly satisfying, then I’d put you firmly in the majority. Personally, I’m a fan of a rather aggressive squiggly line upon completion of a task, and I’d place a bet that almost every single person in your team…
Start, stop, continue. An openness and feedback exercise.
Start, stop continue is as simple as it is adaptable, and a great exercise for leaders to use in meetings to help gather useful feedback from teams. It’s a great leadership tool too, as it helps to get buy in, and show you’re listening to your teams. Here’s how start,…