Cultivate a co-operative rather than competitive advantage
In a period of market consolidation it’s time to focus on your customers, not your competitors. Janet Garcia tells us more. No observer could have failed to notice the scale of consolidation underway in the training and elearning industry during 2011. We saw Lumesse acquire Edvantage and Taleo take over learn.com. SuccessFactors acquired Plateau Systems, […]
How to be successful in your first 100 days
Having a plan for your first 100 days will help you get your new leadership role off to a flying start, says Fiona Rawlinson. In the current global economy, making an impact early on in a new leadership role is more important than ever. Your performance in your first 100 days can be the difference […]
Is it better to be loved or feared?
Martin Addison of Video Arts examines a controversial idea from Machiavelli and how it applies to today’s leaders. The question of whether it is better to be loved or feared as a leader is often raised in discussions around leadership development, however this is not a new debate. It was first posed 500 years ago, […]
Caption competition
And the winner is… “The latest model of the ‘Hotpointer’ dishwasher was a little lacking in design.” Congratulations to tkakadu who has won this month’s caption competition! A bottle of wine will be winging its way to you. In order to enter our caption competitions you need to sign in to become a registered member […]
Leaders prefer informal learning, says research
Leaders and managers prefer to learn informally, according to a study on leadership development carried out by GoodPractice. The GoodPractice research looked at the key challenges faced by managers in UK organisations today, where they go for support and to understand the effectiveness of the support they receive. The biggest challenge faced by leaders and […]
Closing the ‘reality gap’ to build stronger leaders
Alan Garvey looks at how organistions can close the gap between perceived and real leadership ability. Leadership requires more than technical know-how. Yet many leaders find themselves in positions of authority having worked up the ranks due to their technical abilities and not necessarily due to their business skills. The misperception that many managers […]
How self-awareness frees us to be innovative and effective leaders
Self-awareness fuels ingenuity which in turn builds better leadership skills, says James Flanagan. Bentz (1985) identified leadership styles associated with managerial derailment in the retail industry. Researchers at the Centre for Creative Leadership similarly concluded that managers who are technically competent but fail are variously perceived as arrogant, vindictive, untrustworthy, emotional, compulsive, over-controlling, insensitive, […]
What is neuroleadership?
Amy Brann explores what this fascinating new field may mean to you. What is neuroleadership? Neuroleadership is the field that uses neuroscience (the scientific study of the brain) to underpin leadership concepts. Due to advances in our understanding around how the brain works over the last twenty to thirty years more fields are turning to […]
Insight: The differences between male and female leaders
Men and women have different leadership strengths, and organisations need a balance of both if they are to be truly effective, claims a new study from Talent Innovations. The company analysed the 360° feedback results of nearly 14,000 UK leaders and managers to identify the differences in how men and women were rated against a […]
Trainer’s Tip: The barefoot project manager
Spencer Holmes has a story for the community from last year’s marathon. This time last year I had just completed the London Marathon, barefoot. Since then I have been cogitating on a comparison between running barefoot and project management. I sometimes use a method known as ‘metaphorical attribute listing’. This involves using the attributes of […]
OAP or VIP?
Simon Drury shares some insights into the continuing need for personal significance, particularly after leaving the usual workplace. Why we work Work is an integral part of our lives. It enables us to establish our credibility in society, demonstrate our skills and capabilities and achieve our goals and aspirations. It affords us the opportunity […]
The TZ interview: Charles Handy
At a recent Benchmark for Business event, we caught up with leading thinker and business author Charles Handy to get his thoughts on leadership and the workforce of the future. bits://v/aN7Zj6Wv-JeYudoL6 For more information about Benchmark for Business events, click here At a recent Benchmark for Business event, we caught up with leading thinker and […]
How to engage senior leaders in the L&D process
Wendy Brooks of Hemsley Fraser gives five tips on how to get your leaders to support and champion learning. Is your L&D process fully supported by the senior leaders in your organisation? If so, it is much more likely to be effective. If they are not engaged, it is a missed opportunity. When senior leaders […]
Caption competition
And the winner is . . . “If you ask me . . . this identity parade is rigged.” Picture credit: Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 David McEnery/Rex Features Congratulations to Audrey who has won this month’s caption competition! A bottle of wine will be winging its way to you. In […]
Using storytelling to coach leadership self-expression
John Sadowsky explains that inspirational leadership communication can be learned and coached. This article provides a rapid overview of my method for coaching a leader to become an inspirational communicator. At the core of the process is the concept of learning to express oneself through one’s personal stories of identity. I came to coaching, […]
The future of L&D: Five things you need to know
The latest UK Learning Trends survey from GoodPractice shows that confidence in L&D's ability to meet business needs and support corporate objectives remains positive. Compared with previous results, the latest survey shows renewed attention on improving organisational efficiency and a broadening of L&D activity to include the development of middle managers alongside strategic leadership […]
From role play to real play
Is role play just not cutting it for your training sessions anymore? Spencer Holmes has just the tonic. Role play is dead, long live real play! For those of us who have always struggled with role playing in training, whether facilitator or learner, this may herald great tidings. In the past year or so I […]
Leadership: New thinking and inevitable change
There is no doubt that that the values of effective leadership are changing. Stephen Archer makes a few predictions. The idea that leadership by default should be a centrist notion is already widely challenged. Command and control is seen to be less effective in the light of new industry management style and new thinking. Managers […]
Self-awareness: the cornerstone of effective leadership
James Flanagan combines the independent works of Hogan and Lowney to give a high-level explanation of the transformational benefits of greater self-awareness and its role in developing leadership. Leadership is not a trait limited to a few but one that is sown within everyone and constantly seeks the opportunity to blossom. It does so […]
How to boost your leadership training investment
Are you defining your leadership competencies properly? Alan Garvey offers the community some great advice. At a time of greater accountability, the increased need for transparency and more stringent performance measurements, leadership training for your entire team is a worthwhile and necessary investment. However, simply filling in the gaps in leadership performance and adhering to […]