We’re almost at year end, and the ‘blinkers on’ rush to the festive finish line is on.

The race to the fruit mince pies is on!

So with that in mind, I’ll keep it short.

3 Bits of Advice That Made A Difference

A large portion of my work is advising leaders across all types of industries and roles. This puts me in the interesting position of seeing what insights make a meaningful difference across multiple people, places and contexts.

So in the hope that they may help you too, here’s three that truly resonated with my clients this year:

  • You’re overcomplicating it. Your proximity to your problem means you can only see the complexity, so narrowing in on what’s important is harder. Find a way to step back yourself, or ask someone who is one step removed for their view.
  • Stop expecting hierarchy to solve all your ails. There are two directions of power & communication within any organisation: vertical (hierarchical) and horizontal (network). Leverage both.
  • When you have nothing to lose, experiment! If you’re considering leaving your role in the next 3 to 6 months then your appetite for managerial experimentation & ambitious challenge should increase. Ask yourself: “what big thing can I experiment with while I’m still here” or “what big, scary, ambitious challenge can I overcome before I go” → You’ll either be wrong (but leaving anyway), or you’ll be right and you’ll have grown your list of achievements & skills.