My Blog
We all want leaders who listen. So why don't we have more quieter leaders?
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Time and time again I hear people in organisations say they wished their leaders listened to them more.Read more...
Stop faking till you make it!
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Because it will burn you out. I’ve been there. I have heard from many people who have been there.Read more...
What if the problem is TOO MUCH FOCUS on women’s lack of confidence?
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There is so much written about women’s lack of confidence. It’s become a ‘truth’ that men have more confidence than women.Read more...
How organisations and leaders crush diverse talent without realising
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Following my article Bias towards style over substance is keeping your real talent hidden, I found out from a colleague about an organisation which eliminated introverts from their talent pool after doing some personality profiling of their high potentials. Most of my readers know where I stand on the issue of diversity of leadership style (ie. I believe we need more diversity in leadership style – please see Do you have to be an extrovert to get ahead?). It made me reflect on what organisations and leaders do to keep their diverse talent hidden and under-utilised.Read more...
Do you see yourself as ‘leadership material’?
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Have you come across conversations where people comment on others that they are ‘not leadership material’? That they lack executive presence, they don’t have gravitas, they’re too soft, they’re too reserved? Often they are to do with styles, personalities and qualities. Have you ever wondered what they are saying about you and your leadership potential?Read more...
Bias towards style over substance is keeping your real talent hidden
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Thank you to the people who responded to my previous article Do you need to be extroverted to get ahead?Read more...
Remembering that your mind can be easily tricked
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If you want to have a breakthrough in 2017, remember that our minds can be easily tricked. Pause before believing and acting on what you see, hear, read or feel.Read more...
Do you have to be extroverted to get ahead?
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Whether organisations, leaders and individuals are aware or agree with it or not, the collective belief to this question is an overwhelming ‘yes’. Of the 114 people who responded to a survey before attending the Quietly Powerful Women’s (QPW) events, a whopping 92% feel that they have to be extroverted to progress in their careers. Many of these women feel exhausted from having to put on the extroverted persona to get ahead. Even ambivert (mix of introvert and extrovert) and extrovert women have told me that they feel exhausted!Read more...
Do you really know what it means to ‘be yourself’ at work?
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I hear many of us, including myself, advising people to ‘be yourself’, ‘bring your whole self to work’, ‘be authentic’ etc. It seems like a sensible piece of advice. I mean, who else would you be if you’re not yourself? As leaders, authentic leadership is supposed to be effective in engaging and inspiring people. As an organisation, you get higher engagement and access the best talents when people feel like they can ‘be themselves’ as well.Read more...
Frustrated that you keep getting told to “speak up”?
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Many people in organisations – men and women – get told to speak up more. It seems women get told to more often, and quieter women get told even more often. The Quietly Powerful Women’s survey indicated that out of 97 respondents, 85% said they get told to speak up.Read more...
Why we tell ourselves "I can't" rather than "I can"
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How often do you notice your inner voice saying “I can’t” or “I can”? How much and how often do you hold yourself back?Read more...