Leadership Interviews & Insights
for great leaders, teams and workplaces
Ricky’s Insights
Blogs, webinars and podcasts
Are you an Audacious Leader?
Audacious leaders imbue a mindset that allows a shift in existing patterns of behaviour of staff and clients while breathing life into more productive habits such as follow up and follow through. Audacious leaders are profoundly transparent, truthful, and unafraid to say that they are wrong or that they don’t know the answer. As Research Professor Brene Brown said “The core of authenticity is the courage to be imperfect, vulnerable and to set boundaries.” It is indeed time to take heed of these wise and simple words before promises are made that create unrealistic demands on staff or where people [...]
My Dog Hugo
My ten year old dog Hugo loves to sleep at the foot of the bed. If you’re a dog lover you understand this and will most likely keep reading. If you prefer cats or kids you may choose to stop reading – no offence taken. Here’s my point anyway: when I take one or two steps towards my cupboard to dress for a typical workday, Hugo opens one eye just enough not to disturb his euphoric upside-down state and immediately goes back into an almost hypnotic sleep that is almost impossible to rouse him from. Yet if I make a [...]
Diversity and Inclusion are Not Mutually Exclusive – Here’s Why
Society’s expectations are shifting the sands of the business world and is sweeping the legal world with it. Successful legal firms are increasingly operating more like ‘start-up businesses’ – changing everything from how they call themselves to how they deliver their services. What’s also changing is the rules of engagement which mean transparent behaviours, open attitudes, and collaborative team behaviours are the new norm. It’s a game-changer. Yet the benefits are anything but a game and the proof is in. Deloitte’s detailed global analysis and study “Eight Powerful Truths” of how diversity and inclusion have impacted businesses since 2016 have [...]
Smart leadership all starts with a smart leader
What is a smart team? A smart team is an intentional team working as one towards a clear vision and mission. It’s a team that engages in vigorous debate, that challenges constructive thinking to spark creativity and bring out the best qualities in each other. Members of a smart team care about each other. They’re in-tune with one another, are honest with each other and treat each other with respect and social sensitivity. But without a smart effective leader, you’ll never have a smart team. Effective smart team leaders open the conversation, they don’t stifle them. They don’t control their [...]
Let’s talk about resilience
Resilient leaders are well aware that just like putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, they need to care for themselves first. So, how’re you tracking? Are you busy being brave, stretching yourself too thin while struggling from within? Do your colleagues and peers think of you as a resilient leader? Does your team see you as professional, motivated, confident and focused, yet always approachable? Change is undeniable, the pace is relentless and there’s no stopping progress – it’s not about just keeping up anymore, it’s about being on the front foot – being proactive rather than reactive. [...]
What makes a great leader, leading a great team?
Strong, connected teams recognise vulnerabilities in their co-workers. They protect and support each other. They trust one another and they don’t judge. They understand that we’re all human and showing vulnerability is a courageous attribute. They help to create safe conversations and build safe trusted workplaces. They know that what happens on the bus stays on the bus. Trust is a powerful tool. When people don’t trust each other, when they break confidentiality, or publicly humiliate others, they isolate each other and lower morale, causing depression and anxiety among the troops – the strong smart team is compromised, trust is [...]