Why Your Leadership Programme Washed Off in the First Rain
I once used an analogy with a client that I have never been able to improve on, so I keep using it. Leadership programmes are like painting
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Topic guide · 46 articles
Culture Change
How to shift leadership culture without the usual resistance. Practical approaches to embedding new behaviours that stick beyond the programme.
Culture doesn't change with a memo. These articles show how to shift behaviours one team at a time, using the SEE-SOLVE-SCALE framework.
How to lead culture change that actually sticks, without the usual resistance or another failed initiative. These articles show managers and senior leaders how to shift behaviours one team at a time using the SEE, SOLVE, SCALE approach.
How to Pick Which Managers to Develop First for Real ROI
Most leadership budgets are tighter than they used to be. That’s not a bad thing. It forces a decision that a lot of organisations avoid: St
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How to Tell If You Are the Bottleneck or the Amplifier
Quick question: Which type of leader are you?
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How Multitasking Is Quietly Killing Your Team's Output
Your leaders think they're being productive. They're juggling five projects, responding to emails during meetings, and switching between tas
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How Your Energy as a Leader Shapes Every Result Your Team Gets
Your leadership impact isn't just about what you say or do. It's about the energy you bring into every room, every meeting, every decision.
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How a Wrong Turn in the Grand Canyon Changed How I Make Decisions
Standing in the depths of the Grand Canyon as the sun set, I faced a problem that would later define how I think about leadership decisions.
Read article →Why Your Top Performers Are Slowing the Rest of the Team Down
Controversial truth: your top performers are often your biggest constraint. Not because they are underperforming. Because they are overcompe
Read article →Why Your Management Playbook Is Outdated and What Replaces It
My most valuable leadership lesson wasn't learned in a classroom. It was learned with the bite of an enormous backpack digging into my shoul
Read article →Why the Right Management Team Beats the Right Strategy Every Time
When you step up from managing individual contributors to managing managers, everything you thought you knew about leadership gets turned up
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Why Your Managers Believe the Right Things but Do Not Change
Most leadership programmes teach the wrong thing entirely
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How to Spot When Your Leaders Are Optimising for Headlines Not Results
Walk into any leadership team meeting and you'll witness it: leaders who've mastered the art of looking busy while accomplishing little.
Read article →How Back-to-Back Meetings Are Draining Your Team's Capacity
Let's talk about your calendar this week.
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How Fear of Getting It Wrong Is Slowing Your Team Down
When was the last time you watched a child learn to walk?
Read article →Why Fixing Everything Yourself Is the Problem Not the Solution
If solving problems were the path to the top, every CEO would be a former help desk manager.
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How to Manage Up So Your Boss Removes Obstacles Not Adds Them
Some managers arrive asking you to make the call. Others arrive with a proposal and a question. The difference decides whether your manageme
Read article →How to Find the One Thing That Matters Most This Week
Life is a constant rush. We spend our time bustling from one deadline, project or task to the next and rarely take a moment to stop and just
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How to Reignite Your Drive When the Role Starts Feeling Stale
“I want to do something I am passionate about” – A simple thinking framework to help you brainstorm the answer to this challenge.
Read article →Three Leadership Lessons That Future-Proof Your Management Layer
Glaciers, Dumbledore and the wrong paint choice — 3 essential leadership tips for the future.
Read article →Why Pushing Harder Stops Working and What to Do Instead
One of the things that have been top of mind for me during this lockdown period has been how and where I use my energy.
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How Being Reliable Builds the Trust Your Team Needs to Perform
The easiest way to think about reliability in terms of building trust is to imagine your leadership like a vehicle that takes you from A to
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How Your Behaviour Leaves a Wake That Shapes Team Culture
I had several people reach out to me on my latest IG posts on @jimmybleadership this week related to my Bow and Wake post so I thought I wou
Read article →How to Stop Your Team Going Stale After a Good Quarter
The road to high performance is paved with the golden bricks of experience and learning lessons.
Read article →How Four Hidden Tensions Are Blocking Your Team's Performance
Leadership is hard because it’s a game of tensions:
Read article →How Agreeing Ways of Working Stops Team Friction Before It Starts
When my team and I were putting together the Ways of Working (WoW) program we wanted to create something really impactful, cost-effective an
Read article →Why Tough Conversations Go Wrong and How to Fix That
In the Ways of Working program, one of the modules we talk about is Tough Conversations.
Read article →How to Avoid the Development Mistake That Wastes Time and Budget
As we move to an age of digitized learning, it has become apparent that a lot of companies are going to focus on providers who offer app-bas
Read article →How Defining Your Leadership Brand Cuts Decision Fatigue
Do you have a leadership brand? Do you know what one is?
Read article →How Trust Between Your Managers Speeds Up Everything
Imagine being in the Board Room, talking about the commercial upside of being a leader who builds trust.
Read article →How the Right Kind of Connection Keeps Your Team Engaged
Last week we started discussing the idea of connection – in particular the idea of connecting new starters to the business, their peers, and
Read article →How Leaders Accidentally Exploit Their Team's Willingness
This blog was one I thought long and hard about how to write. Then I thought, if it feels uncomfortable for me
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Why AI Cannot Replace Your Purpose as a Leader
AI can write the report and model the forecast. It cannot supply the purpose, judgement and trust your managers lead with. Here is why that
Read article →How Clarifying Role Purpose Lifts Productivity by 20 Percent
In our previous blog posts, we explored the significance of having a personal purpose and how to find it. Now, we're moving to the next leve
Read article →How Flexibility in Your Team Drives Innovation and Results
Are you ready to redefine leadership and create a work environment that fosters growth, innovation, and exceptional performance?
Read article →What Parenting Taught Me About Developing Managers
In the realm of leadership, fascinating connections can be found in unexpected places. One such intriguing overlap exists between parental l
Read article →How to Build Resilience That Goes Beyond Coping
In today's ever-evolving world, resilience is the secret ingredient that empowers us to navigate challenges and truly thrive in the face of
Read article →How One Leader Built a Business Around Purpose Not Profit
Indulging in the pleasure of chocolate without the guilt is a dream turned into reality by Glenn Gardone, the visionary behind the delicious
Read article →How Unexpected Gratitude Lifts Team Performance Faster Than Incentives
Picture this: You're leading a team, navigating challenges, and striving for success. How can you become a better leader and inspire your te
Read article →How to Lead Change That Actually Delivers Results
In the dynamic world of leadership, the only constant we can be certain of is change. Yet, how you navigate this change can mean the differe
Read article →How Kiwibank Fixed Their Leadership Culture from the Inside
Recently, I had an enlightening conversation on The High Performance Leader Podcast with Andrea Duncan from Kiwibank.
Read article →How to Get Off the Hamster Wheel and Into High Performance
How Busy Managers Can Become Effective Leaders
Read article →How to Make Innovation Work Without Adding to the Workload
How Everyday Leaders Can Harness Innovation to Drive Meaningful Change
Read article →How to Stop Drowning in Your Task List and Start Leading
Do you ever feel yourself buried under an avalanche of tasks? Your to-do list shocks you with its ever-growing length.
Read article →How ADHD-Inclusive Management Gives Your Team a Hidden Edge
In the latest episode of The High-Performance Leader podcast, I sat down with productivity coach and industrial organizational psychologist
Read article →Why Your Management Toolkit Is Not Enough When Things Get Complex
Imagine a world where every leadership challenge has a clear solution, a world where a well-stocked toolbox guarantees success.
Read article →How to Build Lasting Leadership Impact Instead of Short Bursts
Have you ever stopped to think if you're truly making a difference in your leadership role? We all like to think we are, but what if we coul
Read article →How Being Too Available Is Making Your Team Less Capable
Many leaders think that being "always available" is the hallmark of effective leadership. But here’s the reality: being constantly available
Read article →Podcasts and media on culture change
PodcastThe High Performance Leader
How managers embed purpose into culture transformation
Struggling with culture change as a manager? Discover proven strategies to embed lasting purpose and performance in your team from Kiwi Bank
Listen to episode →PodcastThe High Performance Leader
How managers adapt decision making in uncertain conditions
Uncertain business conditions challenge managers. Learn how elite leaders build adaptability, narrative thinking, and resilience for team su
Listen to episode →PodcastThe High Performance Leader
Why Managers Struggle to Drive Change in Complex Teams
Why do change programmes stall at the manager layer? Discover key leadership strategies to drive successful change in complex organisations.
Listen to episode →PodcastThe High Performance Leader
How managers drive change with the C8 team framework
Struggling to lead change? Discover the C8 Model for managers to improve team performance and drive consistent organisational results.
Listen to episode →PodcastThe High Performance Leader
How managers turn innovation ideas into real business wins
Innovation vs risk management for managers. Hear practical insights and proven strategies to build a high performance, innovative team cultu
Listen to episode →PodcastThe High Performance Leader
How managers can stop perfectionism slowing team progress
Perfectionism in managers can hurt team performance and create burnout. Learn how to balance high standards with growth for better results.
Listen to episode →Questions leaders ask about culture change
How do I change team culture without triggering resistance?
Start with behaviours, not slogans, and change one visible thing that makes people's work easier so they experience the benefit before you ask for buy in. Resistance usually comes from change that adds load, so lead with something that removes friction.
Why do our culture change initiatives keep failing?
Most fail because they rely on a launch event and a memo rather than sustained reinforcement in day to day management. Culture changes when leaders model the behaviour, reward it in the moment, and keep at it long after the enthusiasm fades.
How long does it take to change organisational culture?
You can shift a single team's behaviours within a quarter, but embedding change across an organisation is a matter of many months of consistent reinforcement. Aim for visible early wins to build belief, then scale what works.
What is the role of middle managers in culture change?
Middle managers make or break culture change because they translate intent into daily behaviour. Give them the language, the frameworks and the authority to act, or the change stalls at their level.
How do I make new behaviours stick after a leadership programme?
Build the behaviour into your existing rhythms such as one to ones, team meetings and reviews, so it is reinforced without extra effort. Anything that lives only in a workshop deck is gone within weeks.
Explore More Topics
Team Performance (79)For Senior Leaders (41)Communication (38)Employee Retention (37)Remote Leadership (36)Work-Life Balance (33)Coaching Skills (30)Building Trust (27)Decision Making (25)Accountability (25)Delegation Skills (24)Having Hard Conversations (22)Leadership (19)Change Management (11)For New Managers (8)Emotional Intelligence (8)Dealing with Burnout (5)Management (4)For HR Leaders (4)Gen Z Workforce (4)Running Better Meetings (3)Managing Difficult People (3)
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