In this episode, we talk with Noah Shepherd about leading change in a foreign country. We tap into his 30+ years of experience as a leader and executive in Asia. Our conversation covers three key success factors for leading change: It's not a race Involve everyone Tailor your communication to each audience While this certainly can be seen as common knowledge, there is a lot to learn from Noah's deep experience and the stories he is sharing. He provides practical examples and insights, leading to significant improvements in people turnover, accident rates, product quality, and customer servic ..read more

In this episode we delve into the vital  on the important leadership skill of assertiveness. With guest Rachel Goodwin, a UK-based leadership coach with a specialisation in assertiveness and supporting women in the workplace, we explore how leaders can balance assertiveness to avoid being too soft, or overly aggressive. We discuss behavioural patterns including passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive styles, and the role of skilful assertive communication in achieving win-win situations and impact as a leader. We also cover practical exercises for developing assertiveness, such as ..read more

In this episode, we explore how to navigate organisational boundaries. As enterprises expand, silos and barriers often emerge, hindering collaboration across units, functions, and regions. However, adept leaders understand that success comes from bridging such boundaries, both within and outside the organisation. Join us as we delve into this vital leadership topic with our valued guest, Dr. Jürgen Scherer, a seasoned leader renowned for his expertise in navigating boundaries in global organisations. Key Moments Introduction to Dr. Jürgen Scherer [02:32] Understanding why organizational Bound ..read more

Leaders often ask us, “How can I motivate my team?” or “How do I enhance employee engagement?”. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer, as motivation is a highly individual and complex subject. But the challenge of motivating people is also what makes life interesting as a leader. Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all like robots, needing three pushes of a button, to be motivated? Nevertheless, there are common motivational “themes”, or guidelines, that every leader can benefit from. Key moments [04:37] A common misconception is that people are motivated by money. While it's certainly true t ..read more

On the one hand, ‘every leader knows’ that it’s important to make all voices heard in an organisation, diversity and inclusion is critical. On the other hand, it’s still not uncommon to experience meetings where only a minority of participants are talking. And why is it so difficult to truly listen to opposing viewpoints? It has a lot to do with dialogue. In this episode we go deeper into the practice of genuin dialogue, its benefits and challenges. And, as always Gerrit and Martin has very different entry-points. Gerrit is sharing his personal observations on why dialogue is so hard, and Mart ..read more

Embarking on a more senior executive role in your career can be very rewarding, yet it also poses several challenges. In this episode, we delve into the intricate dynamics of leadership transitions, uncovering strategies to make a profound impact in your new leadership position from the get-go. [3:10]  Understanding the nuances of your new role compared to your previous one is pivotal. Letting go of familiar tasks and delegating these can prove challenging, especially if you excelled in those tasks and now must entrust them to individuals with less experience or lower skill sets. [7:15 ..read more

In this episode, we share insights from a 12-month project where we involved all executives, managers and employees in shaping and implementing a new vision and strategy for growth. The project resulted in re-energizing and motivating 700 people at a large chemical manufacturing plant, fostering not only business expansion but also fortifying a sense of ownership and teamwork across the site. Key takeaways Approach vision and strategy as a process, implementation included Involve people in co-creating the vision & strategy to cultivate a sense of ownership and use the collective intellige ..read more

In this episode we keep exploring the topic of trust in leadership, today from the perspective of openness and transparency. We are joined by Adam Horne, the co-founder of OpenOrg, a company on a mission to rebuild trust by bringing transparency to the world of work. We know that being open and transparent as a leader is key to build trust. And article in Harvard Business Review reports 76% higher employee engagement, and Gallup statistics shows 21% higher profit margin, compared to the average transparent company. So what can you do as a leader and what are the dilemmas or questions you are g ..read more

In this episode we keep exploring the topic of trust in leadership, today from the perspective of openness and transparency. We are joined by Adam Horne, the co-founder of OpenOrg, a company on a mission to rebuild trust by bringing transparency to the world of work. We know that being open and transparent as a leader is key to build trust. And article in Harvard Business Review reports 76% higher employee engagement, and Gallup statistics shows 21% higher profit margin, compared to the average transparent company. So what can you do as a leader and what are the dilemmas or questions you are g ..read more

A 360 Degree Feedback may be the most powerful leadership development tool you will ever use — if you use it correctly. Feedback holds the key to successful leadership development. Despite our well-intentioned endeavours, our actions may not always align with our intentions in the eyes of others. The most successful leaders understand how they are perceived by others and adjust their actions and manage perception accordingly. Receiving candid feedback is not always pleasant, but it invariably provides you with an opportunity to improve and develop as a leader. A 360 Degree Feedback is a mul ..read more