Have you ever found yourself in a conversation so uncomfortable and challenging that it haunted your thoughts for years? It may have left you questioning your leadership abilities and replaying the scenario in your mind, wondering what you could have done differently.
13 years ago, I had a difficult conversation that forever changed my approach to communicating with my team. This conversation taught me invaluable lessons about leadership, difficult conversations, and the courage to lead confidently.
Picture this: It was an ordinary Friday afternoon – when I should have been home with my baby. Instead, I was at the office, facing a situation that would shake me to my core. I was leading a growing team, and on that Friday, I was about to have one of the most challenging conversations of my professional life.
Little did I know that this encounter would become a cornerstone in my journey as a business leader.
Mastering difficult conversations at work is an invaluable skill – especially for leaders – but do you know the ten most common types of difficult conversations?
While difficult conversations about performance management are definitely one of the most common types of difficult conversations we see in workplaces, they’re just the tip of the iceberg.
Business owners and leaders will encounter a wide range of challenging conversations with their teams, and knowing how to approach and navigate these difficult conversations is an invaluable skill.
So, while performance dramas are undoubtedly a significant part of the landscape regarding difficult discussions, it's a mistake to believe that these are the only challenging conversations you'll have as a leader in business.
There are many reasons why avoiding difficult...
If you run a business or an organisation, the Code of Conduct is one policy you want to invest in.
Creating policies for your business might not be the most exciting task, we get it – but some guidelines are essential, and this is one of them.
Having a code underpins and informs almost everything your business does, from communication best practices to acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. In this blog post, we explore what a Code of Conduct is, where and why it's useful, and how it can significantly benefit your business.
A Code of Conduct is a formal document that outlines the guiding principles, standards, and behavioural expectations for all team members within your organisation. It serves as a set of rules and guidelines that govern interactions, communications, and behaviour...
If you run a business with staff, keeping up with compliance is one of the most important things to be on top of.
The Parental Leave Pay scheme is a significant pillar of support for families. The recent changes represent a step toward greater flexibility and inclusivity, recognising the diverse dynamics of modern families.
To ensure you stay up to date with current changes to compliance, we’re covering the recent changes to the Parental Leave Pay Scheme. If you have team members who have recently had a child or adopted a child, or you have team members who will be going through that process in the future, the details we cover below will be beneficial.
The Parental Leave Pay Scheme can be a bit confusing for the uninitiated, primarily because even though it has the word ‘leave’ in the name, it’s not actually a type of leave....
Micromanagement at work refers to a management style that is typically excessive and controlling and usually exercised by a supervisor or manager. This management style focuses heavily on task-specific elements while often neglecting the bigger picture, such as overall outcomes, staff development, and collaborative teamwork.
Micromanagement can impede team efficiency and arise from several underlying factors. These factors usually encompass a lack of confidence in team members' competencies, a tendency to seek control due to apprehension or self-doubt, and a need to maintain close oversight to ensure tasks meet personal expectations.
Micromanagement frequently emerges when leaders encounter challenges in effectively delegating tasks, motivating their team, and fostering a culture of accountability. Although the motivations behind micromanagement might be rooted in aspirations for success, the approach inadvertently restricts autonomy, stifles...
Have you ever been in a situation where you were oblivious to a particular issue until someone brought it to your attention?
Like the moment you become aware of a stain on your shirt? Or food stuck in your teeth after a meal? Things that you weren’t aware of until someone brought it to your attention or you noticed it.
In these situations, you likely immediately took action to rectify the problem once you became aware.
In leadership, it can take us a little longer to develop this kind of awareness – and even if we are aware, the necessary action isn’t always clear.
As writer, tech executive, and philanthropist Sheryl Sandberg says, “We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”
In leadership, just as in life, we cannot change what we are unaware of.
Once we become aware,...
As the boss of my own business, I know firsthand what it’s like to burn the candle at both ends – and still feel guilty that you’re not getting enough done.
The other night I was exhausted.
I’ve been working long days. Not many breaks. Balancing the fine art of family alongside the demands of my business. I kept finding myself at my desk thinking, “If I just get this one thing done”, or “I’ll just do this one more thing before I take a break.”
And I caught myself.
This way of thinking signals the slippery slope of boss guilt.
The type of boss guilt I’m talking about is that feeling that you’re lacking, that you’re not doing enough, or being enough.
This kind of boss guilt...
How frustrating is it when you have someone on your team who you know has so much potential, is actually really great at their job and everyone really likes them - but it’s like they are just going through the motions? They get the job done, but only just, they certainly don’t show initiative and you just want to shake them because you know they are capable of so much more, of doing a much better job.
You know they are smart, capable, skilled and you’re frustrated that you’re not seeing their best.
Here's what you’re dealing with when it comes to these people – it’s not that they are lazy – they simply lack motivation.
Why is that your problem you ask? Well, you know how hard it is to find great staff right? So, you don’t want to exit them and have to go through the recruitment process again. Add to that the fact that by proactively working to improve motivation you are actually improving employee engagement – and...
As business owners and leaders, we often find ourselves spending our entire day dealing with people, managing their needs, and navigating the complexities of teamwork.
But what happens when we slip into the mindset of a non-boss boss?
When we started our journey into entrepreneurship or embarked on our careers, we may not have anticipated that managing people would consume so much of our time.
Yet, as business owners and leaders, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the responsibility of dealing with our team members.
The desire to avoid conflict, lack of clear direction, and the tendency to please everyone can push us towards becoming a non-boss boss – and there are clear reasons why this is ineffective for you, your team and your business or organisation.
The non-boss boss is characterised by a hands-off approach to leadership. They avoid conflict, lack clear direction, say yes to everyone, and struggle to lead...
It’s all too common in the world of HR to hear stories of micromanagement and the detrimental effects micromanagers have on their teams, and ultimately their business or organisational output and reputation.
Micromanagement is a style characterised by excessive control and interference in the work of others, usually those reporting to you.
It can look like dictating every aspect of a project without allowing their team to get involved or insisting on being cc’d into every email about a project. It can also look like refusing to delegate tasks, undermining a team members ability, and ignoring their input.
Micromanaging can also look like failing to provide clear instruction or guidance and then criticising the team member for not meeting expectations. Micromanagement is an insidious element that the micro manager themselves sometimes don’t even realise they’re doing.
Whether you're a business owner, leader, or aspiring...
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