Why did some work teams manage well through COVID-19 and the lockdowns? Some teams I have spoken with believe they were at their best during the crisis. During this time, they actively connected more with each other, communicated often, planned and problem-solved together, supported each other to

Is your Team Breaking up or Breaking through? We are excited to share our BREAKTHROUGH Teams framework, developed over many years of working with great teams and highlighting the essential elements of high-performing teams. The model is dynamic, describes POSITIVE indicators for each element but

I love this line “Time-Out before Burnout”, adopted from a wonderful person I met last week (thanks Emma!).  It is a powerful reminder to be deliberate about looking after ourselves and others.  Rest and recovery are indeed productive activities. This short piece looks at what

“FAST” Coaching for Busy Managers. If you “don’t have time to coach”, this is a great paper to read, by Michael Bungay Stanier, Author of “The Coaching Habit”. It highlights how critical #coaching is to growing team potential and includes great tips on how to keep

Authentic Leaders. How do you inspire others to be their true selves? Authenticity is not passive.  It is about consciously choosing how you want to show up every day.  How do you create an environment where everyone can be their best unique selves at work? Here are five ways to foster

How did Dr Ashley Bloomfield respond to the petition by some for him to be nominated as New Zealander of the year?  He replied with his view of leadership. | “Leadership is an Invitation to Collective Action” – Dr Ashley Bloomfield This I see as a genuine call to change, to make

“The nice thing about teamwork is that you always have others on your side” – Margaret Carty This is the time for teams at work to draw on their collective resilience, capability, courage, trust, respect and learning. Together, talk about how you can do this! Talk about how you

Use these five steps published by Allison Shapira of the Harvard Kennedy School, that others have found helpful, to first find your own sense of focus and then allow yourself to convey that reassurance to others. Pause and Breathe Put yourself in your others’ shoes Do your research Speak clearly

“We don’t learn from experience… We learn from reflecting on our experience” John Dewey. One thing I have noticed about high performing teams is that they make time for REFLECTION.  Even when operating in fast-forward, they realise the value of pausing, reflecting on their experiences and

How are you leading everyday? Here’s a very good reason to engage and connect people in a meaningful way. Photo: View from Black Rock, a great spot for team

What stands out about top leadership teams? They think and act as leaders of the organisation first and foremost, rather than leaders only of their  function or discipline. They see the leadership team as their first team or Team #1 (*). All teams thrive with trust, divergent thinking, healthy

You can be held back from being your best self through self-limiting beliefs. It’s time to challenge the beliefs that limit you and focus on those that empower. “If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you can be” – Maya Angelou. One of the questions