I have had the privilege of working with the University of Canterbury MBA Leadership paper over the last five years. One of the highlights is reading about people’s leadership journeys over the course of the programme and seeing the wins from people moving from problem solving to growing their people and their capabilities. Jeff Wetzler,… Continue reading The power of curiosity in high stakes conversations
A great interview with Gilbert Enoka, who has studied sports psychology and worked with a number of top teams. In his book, Become Unstoppable, he posits that great leaders are Vikings – they have fierce determination (the same as Level 5 Leadership) but with a mother’s heart. This echo’s Brene Brown, ‘a strong back and… Continue reading Leaders: Vikings with a Mothers Heart?
When there’s uncertainty, distress tends to follow. Our brains are hardwired for certainty. Evolutionarily speaking, predictability was what kept us alive, and our amygdala can perceive uncertainty as a threat, which kicks off the stress response. A few years ago, it was the pandemic. More recently, it’s been the shifting political climate resulting in unpredictability,… Continue reading Eight Ways to Support Your Employees in Uncertain Times
In January 2025, Gallup found employee engagement hit its lowest point in a decade. One data point says only 39% of employees strongly agreed that someone at work cares for them as a person. And findings from the human capital management firm Workhuman show 30% feel “invisible.” Feeling unnoticed is antithetical to engagement and satisfaction at… Continue reading Connection – making our people know they matter
Stories are powerful tools in communication, and adding an analogy can be a game-changer. “Life is like a box of chocolates.” “Like re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” “Like putting lipstick on a pig.” Analogy turns abstract into obvious. It gives shape to fuzzy concepts, making them feel familiar. It connects emotion to reason.… Continue reading Tapping Into the Incomparable Power of a Good Analogy
NZders are the worst in the OECD in having difficult conversations! Perhaps because we are closer to our people than in other countries. Avoiding those conversations can quietly erode trust, stall progress, and strain relationships more than we realise. Joel’s article has some great tips – especially to go in expecting to build the relationship… Continue reading Difficult Conversations. How to have them effectively!
