A number of people have bought my Leadersmithing cards recently, to use with their teams while we’re all working remotely. To help you, here is an update on recent resources. There is a longer page of general resources on my blog here. The best short account of Leadersmithing is this article in Developing Leaders and if you prefer video do watch my TEDX. Read More
This week I was struck by a piece in the FT arguing that “nasty leaders can be successful – if they don’t cross the line.’ The piece described some bullies who had seemingly produced excellent results, and who were not as unpopular as their behaviour might suggest. The article was careful not to suggest bullying as a strategy, of course, but the subtext is clear. If you get results, you can usually ‘get away’ with bad behaviour.
And we know this to be true, because we see it every day in our organisations, both public and private, and in politics as much as in the professions. But before you nod sadly and move swiftly on, please stop for a moment. You are being had. This is classic ‘end justifies the means’ morality, and we are so used to it as the prevailing ethical narrative that it seems irrefutable and unremarkable. Read More
In the Summer of 2011, I was fortunate enough to work with my brother and the cast of the RSC’s production of Measure for Measure about power and politics. This is the programme note I wrote for them. Read More
Do you ever fail to get picked for cool work or top jobs? Maybe it’s because your Use Cost is too high. This often gets wrapped up in euphemisms like ‘people skills’ or ‘emotional intelligence,’ but basically it means that you’re hard work. Read More
You’ve probably all seen the Daniel Goleman Emotional intelligence grid. This trusty management 2×2 is deceptively simple. For a start, as it’s usually drawn, there is just a thin black line between the sections labelled ‘self-awareness’ and ‘self-management’. In my world, this looks more like a colossal wall, with very few toe-holds. Who doesn’t like wallowing in it a bit when the car won’t start and it’s raining and someone cuts you up and you’re late and the first person you meet on the way in is somebody ghastly…? So if we’re in the market for some New Year Resolutioneering, here is my contribution to help you scale that wall. Read More
