management

November 12, 2024

Mindful leadership: Boost team wellbeing & performance

Now more than ever, leaders face unprecedented challenges in supporting team wellbeing. Recent studies paint a stark picture: work-related stress, anxiety, and depression account for 49% of all new or long-standing health conditions in UK workplaces, with an estimated 17.9 million working days lost annually due to these issues. As leaders, we must ask ourselves: how can we better support our teams while maintaining organisational performance? Understanding mindful leadership At its core, mindfulness is about living in the present moment and focusing on what we can control rather than what […]

June 12, 2024

What is situational leadership and how best to use it?

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to leadership. It requires adaptability and a keen understanding of the individuals being led. One approach to this complexity is situational leadership, a model designed by Blanchard and Hersey to help leaders tailor their approach based on the developmental level of their team members. And this approach really does work. A study examined the impact of situational leadership on job satisfaction and employee performance within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The findings revealed that this leadership style has a significant positive effect, […]

May 13, 2024

What is the difference between training, coaching and mentoring?

When it comes to personal and professional growth, you’ll often hear the terms training, coaching, and mentoring banded around. While they all aim to help people develop and improve, it’s essential to grasp their differences to use them effectively. Let’s take a closer look at what sets them apart and when to use each one. Training: The foundation of upskilling Training typically involves imparting knowledge or teaching specific skills. It’s like providing a roadmap for navigating an unfamiliar environment. During training sessions, instructors take a directive approach, offering instructions, advice, […]

April 12, 2024

How to get the managerial balance right

Navigating the complexities of effective management is a constant balancing act. Whether you’ve recently stepped into a managerial role, are adjusting to new dynamics with peers, or dealing with challenging team members, diplomacy is key. If you’ve ever wondered how to tackle a friend’s underperformance at work or questioned the role of personal likability in professional success, you’re not alone. These are common challenges faced by managers. In this blog, we’ll explore the balance leaders must maintain – the sweet spot between keeping professional distance and building meaningful connections with […]

March 12, 2024

What is the role of emotional intelligence in leadership?

In the modern workplace, emotional intelligence has emerged as a highly sought-after interpersonal skill for leaders, surpassing the conventional intelligence quotient (IQ). According to a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, 75% of career setbacks are due to emotional competencies, such as challenges in managing interpersonal issues, ineffective team leadership during periods of adversity or conflict, and difficulties in adapting to change or building trust. In this blog, we’ll look at how you can lead and manage your team by applying Daniel Goleman’s psychological theory of emotional intelligence. […]

January 12, 2024

The evolving landscape of leadership

The evolving landscape of leadership The dynamics of leadership have transformed over the last few decades. From the autocratic rule of the past to the collaborative and inclusive models of the present day, the evolution of leadership styles has been a remarkable journey. In this blog, we look at the shift from traditional management to the visionary leadership we see today. Command and control Let’s start with the Industrial Revolution and the 80s – an era dominated by leaders who wielded authority with an iron fist. It was a time […]

February 19, 2022

Feeding Back Effectively: tips to help keep feedback helpful and constructive

In the last blog, we discussed how facilitating good feedback should be a priority for leaders. It’s critical for improving the performance of your team. But what is best practice when it comes to delivering that feedback? To be truly effective, feedback needs to fulfil these criteria: Timely If you had to pick one vital component to make feedback effective, it’s timing. Feedback conversations – whether positive or negative in nature – are most effective when they’re held as soon as possible after the event. Relevance wanes after a while – […]

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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