Leaders need to connect, to find their supportive communities, to be collaborative, to embrace challenge and celebrate their progress with their team and tribe.  This will sustain us to be the best we can be for those we lead.

Some conversations are more difficult than others, and at these times specifically, communication is key. As leaders, the Brene Brown mantra of ‘Clear is Kind, Unclear is Unkind’ should never be far from our minds. How we do/say things is as important as What we do or say, as shown in the Radical Candour model of communication, which is both caring and challenging in equal measure.  If we don’t care and won’t challenge directly we are Manipulatively Insincere. No challenge but plenty of care becomes Ruinous Empathy, and plenty of challenge with no care is Obnoxious Aggression.

As leaders our communication skills are critical to the success of our team meeting our goals and objectives.  We need to communicate to ensure all are clear with the direction of travel, to get everyone on board with the vision, mission and aims, and to ensure that this is kept to during the inevitable ‘bumps in the road’

While the first element of the group coaching programme focuses upon developing self-awareness and leadership, as mentioned in our previous blog, we move swiftly into applying this awareness and understanding to leading those around us as effectively as possible.  Much of our approach to leadership comes from our purpose, presence and mindset, and there are things we can do to become more influential and to persuade people most effectively.  We take some time to look at what it is that leaders we admire do, and reflect together upon how we might develop those skills and techniques, taking time to practise them between the sessions. 

One of the things I love about working with schools is the opportunity to ‘recharge and reset’ every term, and the start of the academic year in September, after the summer break, is key.  Every child has a new year group to join and courses to follow, and many staff have changes of roles and responsibilities, and new students to support. 

Our Sage Powers are our positive self, and using this perspective we are able to see that we can convert every problem or challenge into a gift or opportunity. The five Sage Powers — Empathise, Explore, Innovate, Navigate, and Activate — help us handle life's challenges with a more positive mindset. Mental fitness is the ability to quiet our Saboteurs and tap into our Sage Powers.

This is the time of year that school CPD coordinators are nailing down their September and January CPD planning and my slots are going fast! I really enjoy going into schools and working with Middle and Senior leaders to hone and develop skills, and there’s nothing like being ‘in person.’ Companies are doing this too – the new financial year means that plans can be honed to the new budget cycle and implemented quickly. I enjoy travelling around our varied and interesting country, meeting colleagues and forging relationships, it satisfies my naturally curious nature. I’ve seen dolphins in Sunderland and stayed in Laurie Lee’s Golden Valley, and I always enjoy finding time for a walk in the countryside to ground myself.

Most of us, at some point, feel like we’re going to be ‘found out and found wanting’. These horrible niggling feelings can eat away at us if not acknowledged and addressed. Long term, without addressing, these voices in our head and feelings can also affect our performance, as our confidence is eroded sufficiently providing a self-fulfilling prophecy. Unless they grip us long-term, most others are unaware we are feeling like this, and simply see us coping well with demanding roles ...

To varying degrees, we all have voices in our head which don’t always serve us, whether that’s imposter syndrome, self-doubt, negativity or similar, and yet we also want to lead fulfilling lives, achieve our goals, and cultivate meaningful relationships. At times of stress these voices can intensify and even overwhelm us to the point that our perception of our reality becomes distorted and so our relationships and our judgement are affected.

The Positive Intelligence Program offers a holistic approach to mental fitness, equipping us with tools and a mindset needed to thrive in today's complex world.

The seasons of Easter and Ramadan serve as effective reminders of the great importance of renewal in both our personal and professional lives. As leaders, lets listen to these lessons and embrace the opportunities for growth, transformation, and renewal that each season brings. Just as spring heralds the blossoming of new life and Ramadan instils a sense of spiritual rejuvenation, lets start our summer leadership journey with renewed vigour, purpose, and resilience.

She founded the University of Al Quaraouiyine in Fez, Morocco, in 859 AD, which is recognised by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university in the world. What a fantastic legacy of shaping academia and knowledge dissemination from such early times.

Using the responsive and disruptive elements of the Working Geniuses framework to inspire inclusion.

I want a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Not only is it a moral imperative, it makes for a more positive community, society, and world. People who feel they belong bring a positive energy to all those around them. It makes for a better and more productive workplace and homelife. As a geographer, it makes both economic and social sense.

Having come up with the ideas and worked out what is and isn’t practical, events such as these take planning and preparation, getting people excited about coming, helping to set things up as you wish them to be, and making sure things happen as required. These events are classic examples of the six working geniuses in action, and in particular the Galvanising (G), Enablement (E) and Tenacity (T) geniuses.

Once ideas have been thoroughly thought through using the ID loop process it is much easier to then galvanise others into action because everyone is behind the idea and the possible pitfalls have been properly addressed. Great possibilities are polished and are workable and much less likely to fail while being implemented. Ideas are thoroughly understood, and alignment is created behind them amongst the team.

The beautiful surroundings of the Alps, and the time spent on the snowy slopes, allowed many moments for contemplation and grounding, important when we consider two significant national days at this time of year: Mind's ‘Time to Talk’ Day on Thursday 1st February, and National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Wednesday 7th February.  With my involvement with REDJanuary, an initiative to get us all more active, and Positive Intelligence, helping us quieten our judge and saboteurs in our heads, these days are close to my heart and well linked together!

The Natural History Museum isn’t just a stunningly beautiful building, its architecture purposely and artistically designed to reflect its contents, it is a repository of wonders that not only captivates the curious minds of visitors, but also embodies the essence of innovation and invention.

Men, Young Women, Welcome! This blog is for you, just as it is for those of ‘menopause age’, so please do stay, and read on …

Last September, we started the new academic year introducing a blog series linked to Patrick Lencioni’s ‘The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team’ pyramid. This January, I’d like to start the new calendar year by introducing our new series which will focus around his ‘6 Working Geniuses’…