There are three common responses I see from leaders when leading through change. They are: Steamroller, shirker and steerer. The steamroller tries to force change with a command and control ‘tell’ approach without addressing the legitimate concerns, questions and feelings of their people. The shirker avoids leadership by sticking their head in the sand and […]

If I asked you to describe how you feel about work right now, using two words, what would they be? And “good” is not an answer. Could you do it? Could you pinpoint the main emotions or feelings you’re experiencing? I often use this question at the start of my workshops to get a read […]

Feelings and emotions underpin everything that we do. They drive human behaviour – our choices, decisions, performance and actions. We ignore them at our peril. American academic and author Brené Brown nailed it in her bestselling book Dare to Lead when she wrote: “Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears […]

A difficult conversation doesn’t have to be unkind. In fact, you can have the most challenging conversations with genuine care, kindness and empathy. Think delivering tough feedback. Giving a reprimand for poor behaviour. Ending a relationship. Even making someone redundant. While you may need to stay hard on the issue, be clear and direct, and […]

Behaviour is more important to manage than performance. Or rather, behaviour is a core component of performance. Yet far too often, leaders let poor behaviour go unchecked because someone is considered a ‘good operator’. Nothing kills culture quicker than poor behaviour, particularly if it is excused and not addressed. It doesn’t matter if that person […]

Leading through change is often a long game. It takes stamina and resilience. That is why setting, holding and protecting your own personal boundaries is essential. The only way you’ll be able to give and maintain compassion to your team through the stress of change is if you’re in good shape yourself. And the only […]

It has been a while since I’ve shown up in your inbox. I considered what I would say about that, and in true Leah style, in the end I decided to be honest. This year has been tough. Professionally, it has been wonderful. I’ve achieved my goals, supported many of you with training and mentoring […]

Pre-COVID, I once had a leader who works in a hospital tell me they weren’t investing in the ‘soft skills’ development of staff because their focus was on medical competency training. This article, published in The Guardian yesterday by journalist Amanda Gearing, PhD, highlights why this attitude is not only dangerous but deadly. Research shows […]

Let’s be real. Everyone can improve the way they communicate with others, including you and me. But you can’t change or improve what you don’t acknowledge. That’s why you need honest self-reflection. It takes an inside-out approach. ‘Honest self-reflection’ is my polite way of saying, please don’t bullshit yourself. Because we’re good at that. We […]

Recently, my 10-year-old son was bouncing on a jumping pillow in a park, practising his front flips. The aim was to land on his feet and my son was focussed on nailing it. He missed a few, then started landing them. It was then that a couple of kids of similar age demanded he “stop […]