Leadership Development

May 9, 2022

The Thomas-Kilmann model for managing conflict – choosing the right conflict response

In the last blog, we discussed how conflict, if carefully handled in a timely manner, can actually be beneficial to businesses. (link – conflict is good) This time, we’ll focus on the Thomas-Kilmann model, which outlines a range of responses conflict can elicit in people and how managers can actively tailor their responses to be more appropriate – and ultimately more successful – in resolving the issue. If you’re dealing with conflict, you’re bound to have your own personal preferences for how you approach the situation. It’s important, though, to make […]

April 1, 2022

Strategic Leadership

How to become a strategic leader As you progress in your career you often need to move from being an operational leader to a strategic leader. But the word ‘strategy’ can instil a feeling of fear into many managers. It may be because it sounds grander than it actually is, so we thought we’d ask Brenda Etchells, our associate and specialist in strategic planning, to help us de-mystify strategy. So what is strategy? In essence, a strategy is having a plan of how you will achieve your goals, objectives, and […]

March 18, 2022

Difficult Conversations

How to handle difficult conversations Throughout our careers, we all experience those moments when we’re not happy with someone’s behaviour or performance. It’s easy to put off a difficult conversation. You could be worried about the other person’s reaction and how you might handle it. Or worse, you might convince yourself that ignoring it will mean the matter goes away. But if they aren’t nipped in the bud, issues can escalate, impacting others in the team or customers. How you have a difficult conversation can affect the outcome. So how […]

January 19, 2022

Performance Management – how to make it work for everyone

Hybrid working arrangements are fast becoming the norm for a great many businesses which would normally have people working in an office. But a blend of people home-working alongside dedicated time in the office can throw up as many issues for leaders as it solves – including that of performance management. How can leaders effectively manage their team’s performance in a post-pandemic world? Performance management might traditionally be framed as a formal meeting between leadership and team member, blocked out in the diary a couple of times a year. But […]

November 24, 2021

Reflective Questioning – what leaders should be asking themselves now

The pandemic has changed our working practices – perhaps forever. While some people have returned to the office full-time, many are continuing to work entirely from home, with others developing a hybrid arrangement of home and workplace. It’s a period of flux, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to reflect – not least about what we want from leadership. Sharing expectations Your organisation’s situation may be different now – the world around it has changed immeasurably. Objectives and goals may have shifted – and it’s also possible that your team […]

October 12, 2021

Modern Leadership – the last 40 years

As more people return to the workplace with the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, the demands of managing a blended working arrangement of home and office are unprecedented. Managing those who may be anxious about or unaccustomed to their new working set-up places new demands on management. Now is an ideal opportunity to ask questions about the sort of leadership that is most effective in a changed, post-pandemic world. Reflecting on the last four phases of modern leadership can provide an insight into how evolving management styles have altered the working […]

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