Leadership
Leadership is the first constraint on growth. A business cannot scale beyond the capability, energy and self-awareness of the people running it, which is why so much of our coaching work starts with the leader rather than the plan. In our experience of working with ambitious UK scale-ups, the point at which a company stalls is rarely a market problem. It is usually the point at which the founder's way of leading stops working at the new size.
This section brings together everything we have written about leading a high growth business. The articles are practical rather than theoretical, drawn from what we see in leadership teams week after week, and they fall into a handful of recurring themes.
Focus and priorities. Most leaders are not short of ideas; they are short of focus. Defining your needle movers explains how to pick the few activities that move the business forward, and how to avoid shiny toy syndrome deals with the constant distraction that kills them.
Energy and mindset. Energy is contagious, and a leadership team takes its cue from the top. Your role as chief energy officer sets out why managing your own energy matters more than managing your time, and what's your primary question? looks at the habitual question that quietly shapes every decision you make.
Letting go. Founder-led businesses hit a ceiling when everything still routes through one person. The three levels of delegation and ownership gives you a simple model for handing over real responsibility, and breaking free from micromanagement covers the trust that has to come with it.
Communication and feedback. Why feedback is the key communication skill argues that giving and receiving feedback well is the single most valuable habit a leader can build, and how to run an effective weekly leadership team meeting shows where that habit lives in the calendar.
Where leadership goes wrong. What causes poor leadership? names the four failures we see most often, and four hidden leadership bottlenecks explains how to clear them before you try to scale.
Developing yourself. The leaders who scale well keep working on themselves. High growth leadership starts with self-discovery explains why, five underrated leadership habits picks out the quiet routines that compound over time, and the servant leadership mindset makes the case for putting your people first.
The newest articles are listed first below. If you prefer to browse by theme, our strategy, team and implementation sections cover the other three disciplines of a high growth business. And if you would rather work on your own leadership with someone alongside you, that is exactly what our one-to-one business coaching and non-executive support are for.
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Easy ways to show your employees you care
Leadership is about more than just giving orders and making decisions. It’s about guiding and motivating your team to achieve common goals, and one of the most effective ways to motivate your employees is by showing them you care about them as individuals.
How to be the most interesting person in the room this Christmas
When networking over the festive period you may try you try to think of a good topic for conversation when meeting someone new–something engaging and stimulating.
How to make 2023 an extraordinary year…
If you’d like to create a powerful 2023, you need to be asking the right questions.
How recognise a toxic manager….
For a business to thrive managers at all levels must BE leaders for their organisations.
How to relieve economic anxiety in your team…
In these uncertain times, leaders are most likely experiencing some pressure from their teams looking for answers on economic uncertainty.
10 steps leaders can take to build their personal online brand
Business leaders need to build both an online presence and trust with their followers while also gaining recognition and industry expertise. This is personal branding.
How to implement a four day workweek
Some of my clients recently have been trialling a 4 day workweek. While some have been successful, others have struggled to roll them out correctly. Here some learnings I have gleaned from those that have struggled.
Lessons in leadership from Queen Elizabeth II
With the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, it is a time for gratitude in what she gave us. One area I’ve reflected on is some of key leadership lessons we should learn from her reign.
How to help your team return from holiday and hit the ground running
It is estimated 60% of UK employees will take five or more days of their holiday entitlement in August. However, a third say they plan to work or be available during their time off.
How to empower everyone to lead….
When I ask managers and directors to name the leaders of their company, most would be expected to point to themselves. They are the group who carry the formal, assigned responsibilities of leadership.
The questions leaders should ask any time they’re making changes…..
Recently, I’ve been working with a lot of clients who have or are completing employee engagement surveys.
Are you sabotaging your success?
Through coaching I observe some core leadership behaviours that can set leaders up for success, but when taken too far, they have a real downside.
How to think optimistically about the future
In today’s challenging business environment it is quite easy to be a pessimist or, as some of my clients would say, being a “realist”.
How to encourage inclusion during meetings
Although most of us spend time meetings – virtual or live, small or large – they aren’t always inclusive spaces.
Simple Strategies to Boost Your Performance
Every day you read about new ideas to help you optimise your performance. But rather than focus on new-age methods, below are four timeless strategies to boost your high performance.
How your mood can destroy a team’s morale
As a leader your demeanour is often mirrored by your team. This is what we call emotional contagion.
Are you a toxic leader?
We’ve all known or experienced a toxic boss.
The benefits of hybrid working
The move in the way we work in the last two years have been significant. Many people believe work will never be the same – given the shifts in where work happens and how it gets done.
How to make meetings more effective
I recently ran a planning session for a client. During the process, we begin the first day by reviewing our “Starts, Stops and Keeps.”
How to create stability in uncertain situations
The emerging hybrid work environment creates new challenges for leaders, including:
The 2 question leaders must be asking their teams
As businesses continue to reopen or expand operations as COVID closures ease, many leaders I work with were worried about whether or not customers would come back.
How to handle communication overload….
When we are all an office, communication could be as simple as stopping by someone’s desk for a quick question or to have a brief discussion.
How to stay true to your values as you scale….
Most companies I work with were founded on a shared mission. When a company is just a few employees, it’s easy to align on the vision, focus and rally behind core values.
Senses leaders must develop in a remote world
Leaders used to manage by ‘walk about’. Now, with remote teams, leader’s have to develop new senses to supplement what they used to see and hear in the physical workplace.