No Bullsh!t Leadership

Episode #67 // The reality of life in modern organisations is that resource constraints are ever present. For this reason we have to make choices, but we typically aren’t good at this. We simply try to do way too much. And if we DO manage to get good at it, there is often a Nike boss above us who says “Just do it”. The type of boss who doesn’t want to listen to why something can’t be done. Excelle...

Episode #66 // It is almost expected that when you take on a new role, you are going to find ways to do things differently, and improve the team you have. Enter the “change program”. It is easy to get caught up in the hype… Consultants running around everywhere telling you what needs to be done, people drowning in PowerPoint decks that explain the change, and a whole facade of indicators to prove...

Episode #65 // As leaders, we often feel as though it is our obligation to ensure that everyone in our team is happy, motivated, and succeeding. Although that would be nice, it is also incredibly unrealistic. This episode explores the line between accountabilities for the leader and their people (many of whom may also be leaders, of course). How far does your obligation extend to help someone chan...

Episode #64 // Restructures in large organisations are commonplace, and quite often imply that the organisation is seeking greater efficiency, which results in a number of roles being made redundant. These decisions, from the front line perspective, may seem to lack rationality and create a lot of angst, as sometimes very good people are moved on. How do you handle this emotionally and psychologic...

Episode #63 // Sometimes we focus so much on developing our own leadership style that we forget to read the play. One of the most useful leadership models that I have encountered is Situational Leadership Theory. It basically states that, since every individual is different, and they often find themselves in different situations, the style of the leader should vary according to this in order to op...

Episode #62 // In today's episode, Em and I are chatting through two really great listener questions! The first question we tackle is from Alison, who asked: “ I’d be interested in a topic covering how to lead and influence people that are smarter than you! How do you keep them engaged and motivated without being permissive?" We all know that hiring people who are smarter than us is actually the o...

Episode #61 // As leaders, we are often cast in situations where we have to say “no” to people. In this episode I give you some practical techniques for having the confidence to say “no” to virtually anyone - your team, customers, suppliers, and peers. I’ll even touch on how to say “no” to your boss without risking the relationship, or making her or him feel as though you are being insubordinate....

Episode #60 // Leading when you don’t have physical proximity to your people can be tricky. The good news is that doing this well is no different from leading any team well. However, any cracks in your leadership will be more obvious in this scenario. In this episode I explore the nuances of leading remote teams (or remote employees, as flexible working arrangements become more prevalent). I'll ta...

Episode #59 // Great leaders are great communicators - and for the most part, they are also excellent presenters. Although it has never been easier to put together a great presentation to win over and influence an audience, many leaders still miss the mark. You don’t want to be the presenter whose audience has only one thought: “ How do I get out of this room? ". In this episode, we explore why pr...

Episode #58 // This week, Em and I take on a few great questions that appear to keep coming up regularly for our listeners! (0:55) The first question we tackle is from Stephanie, who is about to inherit a team member that is known company wide as an under performer (and quite frankly, pisses a lot of people off!), but her boss really likes this team member and doesn’t seem to see her faults. We he...

Episode #57 // I often talk about the hard work of leadership as being the process of challenging, coaching and confronting your people. I had quite a few questions from our last Leadership Beyond the Theory cohort asking to explore this in more depth, so this episode takes a closer look at how it works. If you want to learn how to set up each phase, and use this approach to get the best results p...

Episode #56 // For a leader, trying to shift a culture, improve performance, or lift the standard of a team is fraught with danger. Ideally, everyone would recognise the necessity for change, the benefits to be gained, and the logic of the plan. They would then get behind you with their unequivocal support. In reality, this is not how the world works. So what do you do when the change management f...

Episode #55 // We often take for granted that when people join our team, they will intuitively know what to do, and will seamlessly assimilate into the culture, becoming productive almost immediately. This, of course, builds on the burgeoning love affair that developed during the recruitment and selection process. And then, reality sets in… This week we take a look at some of the myths around brin...

Episode #54 // There are many different types and structures (and levels of involvement) of boards but there are also some universal rules of thumb that should help you to work with your board, no matter what type it is. In this episode we explore the differences and the common elements of boards, and I’ll let you in on a little known secret. Of course, we have practical tips for how to manage the...

Episode #53 // The focus on collaboration in large organisations remains as trendy now as it was 10 years ago. By that measure at least, it has become one of the longer standing “fads” to come out in the last few decades. This wouldn’t have happened unless there was something to it. Collaboration has the potential to unlock value by harnessing diversity and innovation, bringing together people wit...

Episode #52 // Today is our first birthday! Episode 52 marks one year of weekly No Bullsh!t Leadership podcasts. So Em and I wanted to take the opportunity this week to reflect on the year, and give our listeners a little insight into the origins of the podcast, and where we are taking it. In this episode we have an informal chat to expose some of the key decisions that led to the establishment of...

Episode #51 // Last week marked International Youth Day, so to celebrate we’ve put together this long-awaited episode on how to lead Millennials, a pretty common question from listeners. Marty was recently quoted in an article for The CEO Magazine ( Generations X and Y: leadership ready? ) written by Adam Courtenay), which explored the future of leadership when Millennials take the baton from the...

Episode #50 // Many of you will have heard of “The Peter Principle”; the concept that every employee in a hierarchy rises to their level of incompetence. If you believe this, then anyone who has been in the same role for an extended period of time is, by definition , incompetent. We look at the Peter Principle, take a recent perspective from The Economist called “Bartleby’s Curse”, and blend it al...

Episode #49 // When a new boss comes into an organisation and identifies that there is a need to make major changes, should she listen to her people, or push ahead regardless? Changing fundamentals like the organisational values can be tricky, but sometimes necessary. The so-called ‘ Captain’s Call’ is used to at least some extent by all leaders, with varying degrees of success. This episode explo...

Episode #48 // This week, Em and I take on a few great questions that appear to keep coming up regularly for our listeners! The first question we tackle is from Sam, who wants to know how to build credibility quickly in a team he has inherited. (1:40) Secondly, we answer Blake’s question which is quite a complex one. He wants to know how to deal with those people in his team who really struggle wi...

Episode #47 // I came across a great article in Forbes a few weeks ago, entitled The Three Biggest Misconceptions about Leadership , by Rajeev Peshawaria. It was such a good article that it got me to thinking about what the biggest misconceptions about leadership actually are. Rajeev addresses some really big ticket items in his treatment of the subject, so today, I’m going to build on his article...

Episode #46 // When you are brought into an organisation to deliver a turnaround, or when the CEO says it’s time to make major performance and culture change, it isn’t going to happen by expecting the same people to do things radically differently. The trick is to blend the best of the existing capability and culture with new ways of thinking, behaving, and performing. What role do we, as leaders,...

Episode #45 // You have probably heard me say before that ‘leaders are learners’ (well, it’s hardly an original saying, is it)? Today, we step away from the purely business and organisational context to share a few very personal examples of how some of my greatest leadership learnings have come from everyday life - not from the world of business. So why was my trip to Japan in 2012 so valuable in...

Episode #44 // One of the most important roles that a leader plays is to set the right standards for performance and behaviour in their organisation; an aspirational standard to which they expect their people to rise. Often, we think we are setting a high standard of performance, but it is the exceptions that we make that tell people what the real standard actually is. How do you make the standard...

Episode #43 // I have seen many leaders who are good under pressure, but just as many who really struggle in stress situations. Resilience is a core ingredient of success for leaders, regardless of the type of organisation they work for. If you can handle the inevitable setbacks that come with a level of calm, rational confidence it will help you to lead people through the toughest crises. This ep...