Take a look at your calendar for this week. How much of it is spent in ‘doing mode’? Time spent problem-solving, firefighting, back-to-back calls or simply clearing your Inbox. Most senior leaders spend 95% of their lives here. Doing mode may feel productive because it’s high-activity, high-execution and high-control and most corporate cultures reward it but a packed diary and constant responsiveness simply creates the illusion of effectiveness. But according to a recent Harvard Business...

“She's a natural leader." "He'll find his feet." These are just a few of the lazy tropes organisations use to excuse a fundamental lack of investment in their human capital. Let’s be clear, leadership is not an innate trait, it is a highly complex, emotionally taxing discipline that requires deliberate practice, deep resilience and intentional development. Yet, a glaring corporate paradox persists. Companies routinely allocate ample budget for hard skills – certifications, technical...

Self-belief is a topic that surfaces most in my coaching conversations. It may not always be framed directly as such, but it’s there - shackling otherwise brilliant, capable people from acknowledging their own knowledge, skills and value. It is easy enough to spot because I’ve experienced those exact feelings myself. Most professional careers pass through three distinct psychological phases, and those familiar with the Dunning-Kruger effect will immediately recognise the pattern. Phase 1:...