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Are you one of those leaders who, when things get tough, you put a smile on your face and keep it plastered there no matter what gets thrown at you? You think you’re doing the right thing by keeping it together in front of your team. You push down those feelings into a little compartment...
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The room was packed full of women either committed to helping other women succeed or trying to succeed themselves when Dame Quentin Bryce took to the stage for her first speaking engagement after she finished serving as Australia’s Governor-General. Many of the women attending the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Fostering Executive Women (FEW) Alumni...
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Let me tell you a story about Clarivale, a metaphorical village encircled by tall mountains with a secluded pool known as Gwyneth’s Gut. For generations, the villagers drank from the pool whenever they were troubled by a problem. They believed the pool helped them gain unmatched clarity. Over time, however, the water became stagnant and...
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Have you ever been so frustrated that you encourage the people around you to share in expressing your frustration? Here’s one from my shame file. You know that file where you store memories of when you could have been a better leader. A long time ago, I was leading a collection of work units and...
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Today Apple’s iOS is one of the most dominant mobile operating systems. However, Apple’s decision to develop and launch the iPhone was a significant risk. At the time, the market was dominated by established players, and the concept of a touchscreen smartphone was unproven. However, Apple took the leap, investing significant resources and taking substantial...
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The rescue of a soccer team from the Tham Luang Caves, otherwise known as the Thai Cave Rescue, caught people’s attention around the world. After football practice one afternoon in 2018, the Wild Boars football team raced to the Tham Luang caves on their bicycles. It was one of the team’s favourite haunts. But a...
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Do you regularly feel anxious or worried when presented with a complex task or issue at work? Do you often feel overwhelmed by the complexity of a problem and lack confidence that you will perform well? I could have felt that way when I started a new role and discovered I was expected to get...
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When more than four centuries of people grow up hearing the saying ‘curiosity killed the cat’ you can understand why so many people pull back from the unfamiliar. Sticking to the familiar might feel safe, but it can lead to stagnation. How long that takes, probably depends on how much you desire challenging work. For...
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If you frequently find yourself skipping between the extremes of “I always”, “I never”, “it’s perfect”, “it’s impossible” or thinking about concepts as either purely good or bad you may be falling into the trap of black-and-white thinking. The American Psychological Association calls this ‘polarised’ thinking because it keeps us from seeing the world as...
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Elbert Hubbard’s essay “A message to Garcia” published in 1899, was considered an important literary work about military leadership for over 100 years, and dropped from the Marine Corps Commandant’s reading list in 2015 after making the list for more than 25 years. “A message to Garcia” tells a simple story of US military officer Rowan,...
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To this day, I am embarrassed to admit it took me three goes to pass the test to get my driver’s license. I’m not embarrassed that I failed twice. I’m embarrassed that I was so worried about what the Driving Examiner would think of me, I wasn’t myself and made silly mistakes I didn’t make...
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Are any of the following pressing your buttons right now? ⦁ People are like deer in headlights; unable to maintain focus, make decisions or be productive when faced with ambiguity or uncertainty at work. ⦁ Some people are blocking opportunities, slowing down progress and holding back the rest of the team. ⦁ You need innovative...
Read itIf the complexity in your organisation isn't going anywhere, and you have less certainty than you'd like, that's ground Susanne has worked for thirty years.
Start with a conversation to find your team's way through.
