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Over the past 12 months, I've noticed a leadership style emerging across many of the organisations I work with. It doesn't fit the traditional image of the highly visible leader who dominates conversations, has all the answers, or feels the need to direct every decision. Instead, it's a leadership model built on humility, clarity, trust, and consistency. I call it the “Humble and Clear Leader.” These leaders are creating high-performing teams without becoming the centre o

For many executives, the annual performance review becomes a conversation about the past. A discussion focused on what was delivered, what wasn't, and how performance is rated. But the best performance reviews aren't just about looking backwards. They're an opportunity to demonstrate reflection, strategic thinking and leadership maturity. Too often I see executives arrive underprepared, relying on memory rather than evidence, or waiting for their manager to lead the discuss

One of the trends I'm observing this year is a growing number of redundancies across organisations. At the same time, executives are being asked to make increasingly difficult decisions about where resources should be deployed and which initiatives deserve investment. I spend a lot of time working with CIOs and Chief Technology Officers, but the principle I'm about to share can be applied across almost any function within an organisation. It's what I call the "Rule of Thirds

Organisations engage external advisors for many reasons. Sometimes it's to provide an independent perspective. Sometimes it's to accelerate change, support a leader, or help navigate a complex challenge. Yet not all advisors create the same level of value. Over the years, I've observed that the most effective advisory relationships are built on five key factors. Experience Creates Perspective The first factor is experience. While qualifications and methodologies are importa

There's a quiet tension I'm seeing across organisations right now. On the surface, leadership teams are aligned. Strategies are in place. Communication plans exist. But underneath, there is a different story playing out - one where employees are questioning direction, consistency, and ultimately, integrity. Not necessarily at the executive level, but across the broader organisation. So the question becomes a simple one, and a confronting one. How are you operating with inte

One of the patterns I consistently see with senior executives - those just below the C-suite but carrying significant responsibility - is this - they struggle to clearly articulate what they are delivering against the enterprise strategy. They are busy. They are accountable. They are delivering work. But when asked, “How does your function enable the strategy?” the answer becomes operational rather than strategic. The issue isn't effort. It is clarity. And the solution is no

What if there was one action that could improve your executive leadership and team performance as you enter 2026? Would you like a 25% performance uplift? Research from Harvard Business Review shows that teams conducting structured retrospectives are 25% more likely to achieve their outcomes in the following year. A quality retrospective allows leaders to reflect, learn, and make deliberate choices about how the next year will unfold. 1. Examining Achievements Start by review

How to avoid being fired Most CIOs don’t lose their job because of one big mistake - it’s usually a collection of small but important things that get overlooked. Here are the five core factors I see most often, and what leaders can learn from them. 1. Missing Clarity Clarity is almost always the first problem. Some CIOs deliver major projects without a clear strategy that explains the value technology brings to the organisation. Others create strategy documents that sound imp

Five years have passed since we began writing Finding a Better Way ! This book, co-authored by Michelle Stevenson, a Gen Y editor, and...

The first review from an international editor - “I think it's incredible. I don't remember when I was last so challenged by a book - but...