Today I'm working from a special slice of paradise - Mission Beach. It's just south of Cairns, a hop, step and a jump to the Great Barrier Reef in Far North Queensland. I'm here for my friends' wedding. Me and 107 other guests who've come to share their special day. This was the view from my room at sunrise this morning. That's Dunk Island to the right. Views are prime real estate everywhere, and office-land is no exception. When I first started working, in the days before open plan, your … [Read more...]

When thinking about friends at work, it's not as simple as whether you like someone or not. Work relationships are more complex. And here's why. First, there's the personal relationship with a colleague (aka frolleague) and how close you feel. There's a range that goes something like this: Unfriendly. Friendly (eg. acquaintance). Friend. Close friend. Best friend. Intimate (eg. life partner). You might ask yourself if that degree of closeness is too much, too little or … [Read more...]

An anteater doesn't lose its integrity or sanity doing its job, eating white ants. Neither should you. Turns out 'white anting' is an Australian term. According to the Macquarie Dictionary, the verb means 'to subvert or undermine from within'. It's namesake, the wood eating white ant (aka a termite), can’t survive in the open. That's why you don't usually see any sign of these pests until it's too late. When you discover the serious damage they've caused. One of my coaching clients had … [Read more...]

Looks like the right Puffin didn't ask the left Puffin what they want first. What is it with those people who don't care as much as you do about doing excellent work? Why don't they? You employ them. You pay them. What more could they want? Well, one thing they certainly want, is to know that you're doing everything you can, to help them get what they want, from the job and for their career. That doesn't mean you pander to their every whim and fancy. It's not about capitulating to … [Read more...]

It doesn’t matter how competent, capable and confident you are. There will always be things you can’t do on your own. It’s why the seemingly smallest of things can make all the difference: A phone call from a friend, especially when you feel a pang of the lonelies. Your boss taking the time to let you know what a great job you did on that presentation yesterday, and what they thought you did so well. The barrista remembering your name and how you like your coffee. It can be … [Read more...]

Scaredy cat It goes by many names, avoidance. 'Head in the sand', 'in denial' and 'turn a blind eye' come quickly to mind. There are more. Why so many versions? Because it's so frustratingly prevalent! The most vanilla, least evocative and most corporate-speak version is 'conflict averse'. And I've been wondering why I have such an aversion to it. And then it dawned on me. If you've ever worked for a conflict averse boss, the type who uses avoidance as a strategy, then you'll know the … [Read more...]

  Recently, one of my clever clients with impressive technical skills, was complaining about the endless supply of useless meetings that make up his day. To him, they feel like a complete waste of time. But are they? Maybe. But, not if it's an opportunity to build trust through spending time together. Or a chance to witness the underlying emotions and relational dynamics that can help or hinder a project. That kind of information, if you can use what you see, makes you one savvy … [Read more...]

Imagine arriving in at work and your inspired team is already hard at work. The place is humming. You're feeling proud and almost redundant. Isn't that every leaders' dream? And then there's this whiff of conflict. But it's not trouble in paradise. It sparks joy in you as you see it spark creativity in them. Move over Marie Kondo. This requires no tidying up from you. What. So. Ever. How do you create an environment like that? Well, according to Judith Glaser, it's neuroscience. In our Audio … [Read more...]

A gift for all guests It was like walking into a wedding reception, There were tables dressed in white, a buffet of delicious morsels, a bar that most made a beeline for, and about 100 guests. At the door was a book for us all to record our memories of the Grande Dame, as I shall call her. She would be mortified. She's humble and later said she was embarrassed by the whole thing. But she really is grand. Actually, one of the most amazing women I know. And very much a lady who sets the … [Read more...]

Hello again, groundhog. I've been thinking about echo chambers this week. Leadership echo chambers. The kind that can limit your leadership learning and hold back your development. A kind of leadership groundhog day. It's from the feedback I received about the Lessons in Leadership Audio Series. A few of you highlighted how you much you value the mix of experts - from the well-established to the new discoveries. That is, the people you'd never heard of until now. Of course, I can't … [Read more...]