Insights

I took a brief for a recent search where the board chair said to me, “I need someone who will not make mistakes.” I told him, that person doesn't exist. And if they did, you couldn't afford them. Perfectionism has become the socially acceptable language of fear at work. We admire the people who double-check everything, who never drop a ball, who refuse to hit send until the email is flawless. We call them professional. We call them passionate. Deep down, many of them are scar

The Authenticity Dilemma You’ve landed the new role. The first few months are a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and that quiet, persistent question: “How much of myself should I show?” Modern workplaces celebrate authenticity, but the reality is nuanced. While being "you true self" builds trust and engagement, expressing your whole self  too early can feel risky in unfamiliar environments. The science of character strengths - the 24 universal, research-based traits identifie

I’ve been coaching a founder CEO who recently found himself in a painful but familiar crossroads. After a decade spent building his company from scratch, he’s been offered significant investment capital, enough to take the business global. But there’s a catch: the investors want him to step aside as CEO and bring in a more experienced “scale-up” leader. He’s conflicted. Part of him knows it might be right; part of him feels it’s a betrayal of everything he’s built. He’s consi

When leaders step into a new business, or earn a long-awaited promotion, the advice they hear most often is to “lean on their strengths.”...

AI is a Leadership Issue Anyone else feeling a little overloaded by all the AI talk? I know I am. After two decades recruiting some of...

Leadership as a Value Multiplier—or Destroyer Private equity (PE) is, at its core, a bet on value creation under compressed time...

The Illusion of a successful hire The employment contract is signed. The press release goes out. The new leader enters the business —...

The Hidden Accelerator in Executive Transitions When a new leader joins a business, the early days are deceptively calm. They receive a...

Diversity in hiring leaders has come a long way. We now routinely talk about the power of diversity in gender, culture, experience,...

In many corporate cultures, evenings and weekends are quietly assumed to be part of the job. “Getting ahead” often translates to being...

Despite elite recruiting, board alignment, and hefty compensation packages, 40–50% of C-suite executives either fail or underperform...

Executive and leadership coaching has steadily matured from a “luxury” offering for top executives into a strategic, evidence-based...

We’ve all seen it. A new leader steps into a role. They’re smart, seasoned, exactly who the organisation thought they needed. Everyone...

Ok, so I went down a bit of a rabbit hole on this topic - it is one of my favourite subjects and easily one of the most controversial...

Its a contentious topic and one that seems to have leaders at an impasse. Do executives follow the likes of Amazon CEO, Andy Jassy in...

Why younger leaders need to stop swimming against the tide of expectation In your 30s, the leadership climb feels both exhilarating and...

One of the most overlooked aspects of executive integration and onboarding coaching  is helping leaders recognise when their new role...

Why Health Is a Leadership Issue — Not a Lifestyle Choice In my work on leadership development, executive integration, and...

In boardrooms and break rooms alike, psychological safety  has become a leadership buzzword. But behind the buzz lies a serious business...

Why Your Hiring and Onboarding Strategy Matters More Than Ever in 2025 “In volatile markets, your greatest risk isn’t inflation,...

You’d never greenlight a deal without financial due diligence — so why roll the dice on leadership? Private equity firms have mastered...

Every founder, CEO or investor eventually finds themselves saying it: “We just can’t find the right talent.” “No one’s quite the right...

You’ve just hired a heavyweight executive. Everyone’s excited. The board is optimistic. You’ve paid a six-figure fee to a Global...