The world of work is evolving faster than ever, and 2025 promises to bring a wave of transformation for HR teams. With groundbreaking advancements in technology and shifting workforce expectations, staying ahead of the curve is no longer optional - it’s essential. So,...
It’s easy to forget just how much the world of work has shifted in the last few years. The work-from-home culture has introduced new dimensions, and challenges, to the way we work. Yet, as it became the norm so quickly, and on a global scale, it can be easy to...
When discussing workplace diversity, the usual focus on race, gender, age, and LGBTQ+ status often takes centre stage. Yet, diversity manifests in multiple ways, including the intricate tapestry of thoughts and cognitive processes. Enter the realm of neurodiversity, a...
Building resilient teams is a key goal for many leaders in one of the most challenging decades many of us have experienced. Over the coming few posts, I will dive deeper into the key area of resilience and why comprehending what it is, and the consequences it brings...
For both leaders and managers, the health of our team is critical. We want them to be happy, productive, and motivated. In our last post, we looked at supporting them to handle overwhelm, and this week I want to talk about working with a demotivated team. In today's...
As a leader or manager, one of the most important responsibilities is to support your team. This can include providing; direction, guidance, coaching, training, feedback, and access to resources to help them perform in their role. However, sometimes your team may feel...
A team that takes ownership of its responsibilities, is accountable for its results and follows through on its commitments is what every leader wants. In this week’s post, let’s define what accountability, responsibility, and commitment look like, and then I will...
Today I want to talk about a key leadership skill: developing everyone on your team. Since the start of 2020, the world has moved into a period of increased A.I. capability while at the same time entering into a period where critical skills are in short supply. This...
Last week I was chatting with a girlfriend who was incredibly frustrated about a particular team member she managed. According to my friend's view of the situation, the story transpired that the individual in question had zero initiative. Various 'things' required...
Over the last few posts on the Zestfor blog, we have discussed the challenges managers and leaders face as they navigate the new norm, including skill shortages and the uncertain economy. One of the key outputs for a leader today is to mobilise their team members. ...
Over the last couple of months, I have noticed several common leadership themes being raised by clients during our coaching and training sessions. And in the next few posts, I want to revisit these topics with a slightly different lens. It doesn't matter whether it...
Two years ago, many employers and employees had no idea what would happen as the predicted pandemic took hold. Two years later, we are still experiencing uncertainty across the Globe with inflation rising, house prices predicted to fall, and tech companies shedding...
The last few years have changed our employees in ways we are only just understanding. Consequently, as managers and leaders, we must change how we work with our people. Let me set some context by reminding you what the human brain of your employees has been dealing...
Employees who are engaged and energised impact the bottom line of any organisation. As engaged leaders, I suspect you are aware of the data that connects energy with motivation and performance improvement. If it has been a while since you have dived into this topic,...
In the final article of our dysfunctional teams series, we discuss the final disappointing output, which is the ultimate result of a team that isn't functioning: a lack of performance and, consequently, results. When a team does not hold each other accountable, this...
As I continue our series on dysfunctional teams, we approach the fascinating topic of team accountability and how many people avoid being accountable for the team's actions as a whole. So disappointing when the A word can deliver exceptional results for everyone...
Today I am continuing our series on dysfunctional teams. Last time we talked about trust, specifically its absence connected to our next dysfunction; fear of conflict. Logically healthy debate rarely happens when trust is lacking. The thing is that teams that lack...
Today starts my deep dive into the five critical dysfunctions of a team. The uncomfortable truth is that true teamwork rarely happens in any organisation without a focus on its implementation, and this is only set to continue as many organisations implement hybrid...
Our most recent post about leading virtual teams in our remote-first world was a precursor to a series of posts I am keen to write to help leaders manage and lead ineffective, disordered, and downright dysfunctional teams. Patrick Lencioni penned a New York Times...
It is hard to believe the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has been influencing our lives for over eighteen months, with the fallout remaining with us for many years to come. We are never the same after a crisis as before it hit. This is what it is to be human: We...
Behind every great leader is a cohesively working team; each cannot exist without the other. There has been so much written about what makes a great leader, and it always comes back to the same principles – that great leaders achieve success by working with the...
One of our most popular courses is the ISO accredited and highly renowned Motivational Maps® programme. Empowering yourself to have a better understanding of what drives you is key to ensuring great results for your company. And especially now, in our post-Covid...
As we return to our workplaces, things will be very different during the second half of the year. The way that we work is different, and this significant change has the potential to be problematic for your team. Whether your team are continuing to work from home, or...
The impact of the coronavirus on our lives has been significant; One example is the way we now view working at home versus the office. Interestingly many organisations have quickly turned their operations virtual - something which might have seemed impossible before...
Before we get into developing your ideal agile virtual team culture, it’s worth thinking about what exactly we mean by ‘agile’. An agile team is a cross-functional group of individuals that have the necessary people and skills to produce a successful outcome. It’s...
Despite all talk of equality in the 21st century, you don’t have to cast around very far to see gender bias still at work across many companies. A recent Forbes article stated that our unconscious biases are significantly holding women back - Harvard’s global online...
Motivation as a topic is a common area for discussions I have with clients across the globe. It normally centres around: The lack of motivation in a team How to re-engage teams through motivation How to establish a culture of motivation How to identify different...
Being given feedback, both motivational and developmental is something I consistently hear team members say they want more of from managers. Likewise, managers frequently tell me they realise they don't give enough feedback. So what’s stopping them; or maybe that’s...
Developing a team of loyal employees is critical for many of the leaders I speak to. In honesty, both are connected, which I’ll come onto. As I sit writing this, it’s half term in the UK, and I’m spending time with family and friends and reflecting on some of the...
Throughout my career, I have worked with over a thousand people managers and talked with several hundred more. If there is one phrase I have seen managers react to with what looks to me like a ‘heart sink’ moment it’s ‘performance management’. Over recent years we...
Happy and engaged employees are more productive. I know, it’s not exactly rocket science is it? However, a rushed deadline or far too many things on your to-do list means that the ‘wellbeing’ of your team members is de-prioritised. Suddenly the many benefits of...
In my last article, I talked about the different types of conflict managers can experience and how prevention is better than cure when it comes to dealing with conflict in your team. Something I have noticed when I discuss this topic with clients and participants on...
I recently mentioned in an article that one of the most significant challenges leaders talk about, is being ‘time short’. The following week I had a number of conversations about other common challenges leaders are facing today. There was a resounding consensus on...
Leading virtual teams? A topical subject in 2018. It is fascinating to see how our online world has developed. According to the history books, Skype launched fifteen years ago, and it used to be quite novel to talk to a colleague in Asia while looking at a counter...
Whether you are a first-time manager or experienced and have a new team, there is always so many things to think about and do. Like me, you may have come across one of those books in the airport with a catchy title; your First 30 or First 90 days as a manager and...
I was having dinner with an old friend recently, and we were talking about some of her challenges at work having taken over an established yet underperforming team. This isn’t a new situation to my friend as she has a reputation for being able to take underperforming...
In my experience as a leader within blue chip organisations and over the last 10 years as an external learning and development professional, one of the most significant challenges I see managers have is around delegation. However, I am in no doubt that delegation is...
In my previous blog post, I shared some surprising data about employee engagement in the US and UK. It is a well-known fact that an engaged employee is a happy employee. Similarly, a happy employee is a motivated and productive employee. It’s concerning to know that...
It is a well-known fact that an engaged employee is a happy employee. Similarly, a happy employee is a motivated and productive employee. It is somewhat of a shock then to discover that research in the UK and US reveals that employee engagement is just 25% and 30%...
Managing underperformance is a part of the management process that not all managers enjoy! While many grasp the nettle and tackle the issue before it becomes bigger, others avoid it for as long as they can and sometimes until it becomes a significant and...
I am about to make a statement that might ruffle a few feathers. Do you make ‘judgements’ about your team and their performance? I suspect you do. It’s a common trait amongst many leaders. Understanding your employees and their style is one technique to help the...
Team communication strategies are vital to developing a productive team. It’s that simple (and that powerful), yet a huge number of teams in workplaces all around this globe still find themselves operating in a confused and inefficient manner due to poor communication...
New year and new start? Here is something that summarises the essence of our leadership programmes. It is a mindset shift that works. Enjoy!
With so many of us returning to work after our summer holidays refreshed and full of energy, it’s a good idea to use this momentum to refocus and accelerate into action to finish the year strong. And September is a fantastic time to create an action plan for the final...
As a manager, the key to your success lies in how well you can influence your team. However, you will often have to adapt your management strategy to the different traits of Gen Y, Gen X, and Baby Boomer generation employees. Typical Gen Y Characteristics…and...
During the recent economic challenges, trust took a battering in the corporate world. Even when the market rebounded, trust levels have not necessarily regained their previous level. One might even say the levels of trust between employee and employer are in crisis,...
Getting people to say yes is not as easy as simply asking for something. Even when you’re the boss it can be difficult to influence your team members to agree to certain requests- and you know that you’ll just create resentment if you issue constant orders or even...
The power to positively influence our colleagues’ behaviour is one of the signs of a great leader, yet it’s not always easy to do. This is particularly true for the manager of a virtual team, who doesn’t always get to see their team on a daily basis. Which is why it’s...
It’s a great feeling when your ideas are heard, discussed, and acted upon. It brings you credit, raising both your professional reputation and self-worth. Meetings are therefore the perfect opportunity to show your creativity, as well as raise any concerns. On the...
No matter how competent the individuals involved are, a virtual team will not perform at its true potential unless there is a core of trust between the players. As a manager of a virtual team, you have a wonderful challenge in front of you: creating trust without...
