Recovering from the recession
A skilled workforce will be crucial to aid businesses in their recovery from the recession. And it would seem that the majority of business leaders recognise that continued workforce development is an imperative, according to Ruth Spellman. As the recession continues to take its toll, the temptation to continue to make cuts and focus only […]
Review: The Leadership Secrets of Genghis Khan
Title: The Leadership Secrets of Genghis KhanAuthor: John ManPublisher: Bantam Press Reviewer: John Pope John Man has written one of the most interesting books on leadership and management that I have ever read. He uses Genghis Khan as an example of a truly great leader and tells the story of his spectacular rise to power […]
Challenging leadership principles
The Christian movement continues 2,000 years after its inception, so its leader must have said something enduring. Therefore, by examining his reported words in the gospels, can we derive leadership principles that all leaders can learn and benefit from? Stuart Emmett believes so. My book “The Leadership Gospels” (2008) uses the gospels as a key […]
As a leader, are you in control?
When things go wrong, do you think that it is fate, luck, the system – or is failure, and success, all down to you? Bob Selden looks at how we think about who is ‘in charge’ – our Locus of Control – also affects the way that we lead. When the going gets tough, we […]
Leadership development in the brave new world
The economic downturn has demonstrated spectacular shortcomings in the abilities of some business leaders, especially in the financial sector. In turn this has raised questions about the efficacy of leadership development and training. Fiona Nicholson finds out what has gone wrong and what 21st century leadership development should really look like. In more prosperous times, […]
Is servant leadership the answer to the recession?
The idea that leaders and managers must serve their people if they are to create highly successful organisations is not new. Ken Blanchard – a high profile supporter of the servant leadership concept – explains why leading with humility could be the key to surviving and thriving during the current economic crisis. If you want […]
Review: Throwing sheep & Grown Up Digital
Title: Grown up Digital Author: Don TapscottPublisher: McGraw Hill The recent explosion of mainstream media stories about Twitter (see our Twitter guide here) shows both the fascination we have with the collaborative/communicative internet of web 2.0, and the fear – in some parts – that it is unpredictable, out of control and potentially dangerous. Two […]
Naked simplicity: The David Taylor interview
Mike Levy talks to David Taylor, author of ‘The Naked Leader’ and leadership visionary, about getting back to basics and fresh thinking on leadership. This article was previously published on LeadershipZone. David Taylor is a leadership guru who hates the ‘g’ word. This isn’t just lack of hubris. Taylor eschews the notion of gurus and […]
Coaching for resilience
At the epicentre of the economic crisis, the once booming financial sector has felt the full force of the recession. So how are the organisations helping leaders make their way through what are unchartered waters? Stephanie Sparrow discovers how coaching is developing resilient leaders in the finance sector. Coaching has been the people development success […]
The learning leader’s tips for tough times
In the current economic crisis same-old same-old is not an option. This is a time for fresh thinking, new ways of learning and adapting to business priorities. Nigel Paine offers these five tips to help learning leaders innovate their way through the recession. I am leading a Learning Technologies webinar and the topic is […]
Learning 2009: Mission critical
Drawing on research by the ASTD, Gordon Bull argues that for their own, and their organisations’ survival, learning leaders must be more business aware. This article looks at the importance of L&D during a recession and what learning leaders need to do to help their organisations survive the downturn. It is a certainty that many […]
What is a competent director?
When multi-billion pound bank bailouts start hitting the headlines, the spotlight naturally falls on the people in charge. Colin Coulson-Thomas examines the qualities that make a competent director. Despite the greater attention given to corporate governance in recent years, the competence of directors is still an issue. When bank write-offs and bailouts occur, discussion inevitably […]
Choosing a training provider who gives value for money
When times are tough and businesses are watching every penny, using a training budget wisely is more important than ever. Richard Marsh has some advice on choosing a training provider who gives value for money. As every L&D professional knows, when budgets are cut, it’s more important than ever to ensure training provides a worthwhile […]
Tom Peters: In search of leadership heroes
Mike Levy talks to a chastened Tom Peters about how the real leadership heroes are the invisible figures leading small organisations through the economic crisis. And Peters also offers to answer your leadership questions! For a guru of excellence, 2009 is hair shirt year for Tom Peters. "I had the chance and I remained […]
The language of leadership: How to avoid ‘death by PowerPoint’
The ability to speak well can mark the difference between leadership success and failure. Martha Leyton and Martin Shovel of CreativityWorks specialise in helping people in leadership roles become inspiring speakers – and they’re here to answer your questions. Q: I speak and present a great deal, but the feedback from a few trusted colleagues […]
Leadership development takes centre stage at HRD 2009
Leadership and leadership development dominated the HRD conference and exhibition last week. Neil Davey reports back on why it has become the burning issue – and what the speakers had to say about it. Earlier this year, CIPD research indicated that the vast majority of training managers believe that the development of leadership is the […]
Brian Clough: Leader of the pack
With the release of The Damned United, Brian Clough is back in the news again. Paul Ashley examines what lessons business leaders can learn from one of the most charismatic and successful football managers the beautiful game has ever witnessed. “I certainly wouldn’t say I’m the best manager in the business, but I’m in the […]
Developing senior leaders: Lessons from base camp
Graham O’Connell looks at the challenges of stepping into senior leadership, and reveals interesting research with those from Base Camp – a development programme for those entering the senior civil service. “It’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realise your true potential and become full-grown.” These are […]
L&D needs to become more business savvy to survive
L&D professionals need to become more business savvy and ‘prove’ that training really works. These are just some of the predictions to come out of the CIPD’s annual L&D survey – launched this week at HRD. Developing leadership skills is also seen as being critical. Claire McCartney gives TrainingZone.co.uk members an overview of the results […]
Training awards: Why they matter – and how to win!
There are plenty of awards open to training professionals and these could present you with the opportunity to benchmark against the best whilst boosting employee relations and external business at the same time. Stephanie Sparrow examines the power of training awards – and shares some secrets on how to produce award-winning applications. Training AwardsThe following […]