Practical guidance for tackling common leadership challenges
Over the years, in my business, as an executive coach, and in leadership development, I have seen the same challenges recur repeatedly. How do you keep a team engaged? How do you raise performance? How can we help people navigate change? How do you balance results with relationships? and so on.
These questions rarely have a single answer. What matters most is the way a leader chooses to respond. Each choice not only drives performance, it also shapes the climate and culture that others experience.
I aim to offer you practical guidance and a fresh perspective, blending science and stewardship, not as fixed solutions, but as insights and steps you can apply immediately. Think of each post as both reflection and practice: useful now, and part of a longer journey of growth.
You’ll find new questions added regularly. If there’s one you’re wrestling with, I invite you to share it with me.
For those looking to develop a specific capability or competency, the Leadership Library offers one hundred areas for you to develop yourself.
How do I support mental wellbeing while maintaining performance?
Discover how workplace wellbeing drives sustainable organisational performance. Explore behavioural, systemic, and relational strategies to prevent burnout, boost engagement, and build resilient, human-centred workplaces.
How do I stop my team getting distracted?
A practical guide to reducing distraction at work by redesigning how teams focus. Through four pillars: connection, environment, system, psychology. it shows leaders how to protect attention, cut interruptions, and build shared commitment, with actionable tips, micro‑stories, and reflection questions for sustained team focus and performance.
How do I deal with team members who don’t want to join team events?
What should a leader do when team members skip team events? Absence may not be disengagement but a signal to rethink how gatherings are designed and owned. Discover how freedom, belonging, and team-led events can transform attendance into genuine commitment.
How do I get my team to turn their cameras on?
Leaders often ask, “How do I get my team to turn their cameras on?” The answer is less about rules and more about presence, trust, and creating spaces people want to enter.
How do I handle recurring performance issues in my team?
Recurring performance issues in teams can frustrate leaders and lower standards. Learn how to handle recurring problems constructively through the Five Lenses of Performance, giving feedback that builds accountability, strengthens trust, and even works when you lead without formal authority.
How do I lead people from different cultures?
Leading across cultures means adapting to very different expectations about communication, feedback, leadership, and time. Drawing on Erin Meyer’s Culture Map, this article explains the eight dimensions of cultural difference and offers practical tips and reflective questions for managers of global teams. By developing cultural intelligence, leaders can turn diversity into a strength and build more effective, collaborative teams.
How can leaders say no without damaging relationships?
Many leaders struggle to say no without upsetting others. This article explores why saying no feels so hard, how culture shapes our responses, and practical strategies to set boundaries while preserving trust and respect.
How can I make my team more accountable?
Accountability is not about keeping score, it is about connection and choice. In this article, we explore the shift from leader-enforced rules to a culture where the team holds itself accountable. Includes the top barriers, enablers, and five self-coaching questions for leaders.