So after a few months wait, the time finally arrived for a wonderful few days in London, highlighted by the honour of attending my investiture at Buckingham Palace.
Whilst I am no novice to big events, as the day began to unfold, I realised this was going to be a very personal and memorable experience for me. It immediately became even more special when receiving the warm welcome, interest, and cordiality from the Royal Household, as well as the genuine mutual respect between all award recipients that day.
I was further humbled to learn I am the last serving member of the Royal Navy ever to be awarded the QVRM from Her Majesty. It therefore became even more poignant and privileged to be recognised by our past Queen and be presented the medal from the future King. Just to add a little spice, I was then informed that I was back of the queue and the very last to be presented with an award that day!
Although spending some time in anticipation within the beautiful waiting rooms, upon being called forward to the Throne Room, I was impressed watching how engaging Prince William was with everyone. Once my award and my name were announced, and I stepped forward to receive the medal, His Highness immediately put me at ease by congratulating me on some specific personal areas of achievement and then asking questions about what I was currently doing.
My final learning came from being awestruck by the stories of other recipients from various other walks of life, who were also being honoured on the day. It was with a great sense of respect and gratitude I witnessed people in the UK who have humanity, and are quietly dedicating service to the general public, the less fortunate, or the country. They thoroughly deserved their recognition. I hope that all people currently committing their lives to the service of others, will also one day receive their just rewards.
After an extended period of uncertainty, pain, and lows, this week has certainly been one to remember ending on a high. The news is out...
I am extremely proud to be granted state honours by Her Majesty The Queen, in the annual Birthday Honours List. I look forward to receiving my medal at Buckingham Palace which be a treasured and lasting memory.
Whilst the citation states that many people in the Royal Navy have been positively impacted by my training, development, and coaching, it is not cliche to say I also believe this award reflects well on the many great people who have supported me and the quality of the teams I've been privaleged to lead and train over the years.
Today is the very last day of my 42 years of service to Queen and Country, so it is emotional to finally cut the umbilical, however receiving this award from Her Majesty is an absolute honour.
Finally, to acknowledge that I have been totally overwhelmed by the messages of congratulations flooding in from over the world, which are most appreciated. I'm humbled there's so many that I haven't been able to respond to all of them yet, but I appreciate everyone who took the time to message me at this very important stage of my life.
Now, on to the next adventure.
There is a saying that when you think things couldn't possibly get any worse, then prepare yourself, as they probably will! This has certainly seemed the case recently as I have been bombarded with unforeseen challenges. When we have disappointments and setbacks, the easiest response is to see them as failure and allow emotions to further overwhelm us. What we should accept is that failure is a by-product of development. We can then analyse and use our errors, setbacks, or defeats to learn how to bounce back and overcome future obstacles - Fail Forwards! I also remind myself that no matter how bad things get, someone somewhere is having a much worse time than myself! That is why even though we may be at a low ebb, we should still seek to find time to support others who need help. The difficulties in life should make us better, not make us bitter.
Feeling proud and privileged to achieve 42 years’ service in the Royal Navy.
In January 1980, I left Derby as an unconfident 19-year-old to join the Royal Navy, unaware of the adventures and experiences that lay ahead. I had a great deal to learn!
Now, 42 years later, as my service comes to an end, I have much to reflect on and much to be thankful for - especially the ways I have developed. Learning about core values was priceless. Though the real privilege is the quality of the people I met and worked with who supported and inspired me. I am grateful and hopefully can repay that debt by helping to coach and develop others now through At Peak.
Thank you to all who donated or supported Operation Ark. You succeeded in saving the lives of many innocent animals and deserving people by helping to evacuate them from Kabul, Afghanistan. I was overwhelmed by how many friends helped, let alone the scale of the positive response worldwide. The success of this operation serves as an example of the good that can be achieved in the face of adversity.
Today is a very important day for myself and those who have served in the Royal Navy. On this day in 1805, Admiral Horatio Nelson led his fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. From that day on the British dominated the seas and used this to do good; for example a few years later they led the abolition of slave trading across the globe.
It is a reminder that we should try to look for the good in history that shaped our present, as it may help forge a better future.
The Royal Navy core values of courage, commitment, discipline, integrity and loyalty are still relevant today, not just a handrail for leaders but guidance for everyone who is facing challenges in the modern world.
Crisis in Kabul
I have been trying to help fellow former fellow commando ‘Pen Farthing’ who is in Kabul surrounded with the Taliban 10 minutes away. He runs the Nowzad animal charity and wants to bring 98 dogs, 88 cats and 25 staff and their families out. I have sent money to help charter a cargo plane for the rescue of his team of Afghan Vets and the animals.
President Biden has said he will not increase the withdrawal window, seemingly washing his hands of most but US citizens. They have hours left before being thrown to the wolves. I know what that means for them. We are putting pressure on politicians on both sides of the Atlantic and if you wish to help to help email, text, Twitter or Facebook Boris Johnson to put pressure on to allow Nowzad staff to be rescued.
Our next dog was coming from Afghanistan - hopefully still may - but we must support this mission to help get everyone out.
One piece of good news during the recent UK Covid crisis, has been the rapid development and roll out of the new vaccines. Interestingly, there have been a number of people doubting these medications, trying to convince others that they are too risky to take. As I currently work through some large decisions in my own life, it is a useful reminder that in life we will be faced with choices that carry risk. In nature all living beings take risks, and for humans life without risk is life without challenge or reward.
When faced with problems, we often try to use intellect to make an informed decision. However when faced with complex, multiple, or perilous challenges the decision making is not so clear, so it often pays to consider the amount of risk involved. When we analyse potential rewards or gains compared to what you could lose, we can judge our risks in four ways:
Risks that you can afford to take – The consequence is acceptable or manageable. A good example of this is most people are happy to be introduced to others and make friends, despite not knowing them or where the relationship will go.
Risks that you can afford not to take – The benefits are so low that you can live without them. An example is not cashing in a pension to gamble on an investment that could bring higher returns, because it already provides sufficient income to live on.
Risks that you can’t afford to take – The outcome is unacceptable. We make this judgement when we pay home insurance premiums because we couldn’t afford the risk of paying the rebuild costs if the house were destroyed by fire.
Risks that you can’t afford not to take – The impact of doing nothing is too severe. For vulnerable people the risk of side effects of the vaccine are outweighed by the potentially severe outcome of catching the coronavirus.
Therefore risks are perceived differently by different people, and often specific to individuals. This is why we shouldn’t try to enforce personal opinion about acceptance or avoidance of risk onto others.
I have just been reminded that last New Year’s Eve, I wrote to my team saying “Next year we will certainly face change and possibly greater challenges. As role models we must embrace whatever change comes our way…” It is no surprise that this year I could repeat the same message.
One of the most important lessons the armed forces taught me, is that when you think things could not possibly get any worse, brace yourself - because they often do!
As we close out a very different year and anticipate start of the next, many people may be wanting to kick 2020 into touch and start 2021. We can be forgiven for seeing the recent progress on the vaccines optimistically; with some people hoping or believing a return to normality is in sight. I am more realistic, as the increasing difficulties due to Coronavirus over the last nine months, has brought a familiar observation to mind.
In the forces we have a saying ‘No plan survives first contact with the enemy’. Which means even the best laid plans need to change in the face of reality. So I believe the developing situation in the UK and possibly further afield, will hold a few twists and turns yet over the next months. We can expect the possibility of further changes, so we need to be resilient. As resilience is my favourite topic, I remember an impactful story I’d like to share:
As part of survival training I attended a lecture delivered by a US pilot who had been shot down in the Vietnam War and spent many years as a POW. He was starved and held in a tiny cage too small to stand upright, then repeatedly tortured, in an attempt to force a confession or anything worthy of propaganda. However, wanting to remain loyal to his country he tried to resist, but his captors inflicted injuries with such intensive pain to the point he could no longer stand it. He agreed to give information just to stop the pain, but when he was dropped from his stress position the pain eased slightly, enough for him to regain some resolve to begin spinning a web of lies to placate the interrogators. Whilst it gave some element of respite and a fragment of control, before long he was strung up and beaten again. Despite all this he still managed to endure his brutal captivity and resist giving away sensitive information for over seven years. Out of several thousand American prisoners captured, he was one of only a few hundred who survived to be released. The comment I most remember was his explanation of why most did not survive. It was due to their false optimism.
The optimists believed they would be released by Christmas, but that Christmas came and passed. Then they thoughts they would be out by the Easter, but that came and passed too. Probably in time for Fourth of July, but no. Then as the second Christmas approached and with no end in sight, those who depended upon their optimism and didn’t accept the reality of their situation, apparently lost all hope.
This story has been repeated many times over the years and has even been included in several books since, but is a very relevant lesson for our current turbulent climate. We all need hope and optimism, but not false hope. So how does this relate to us in the midst of a global pandemic?
Tighter restrictions are already in place, indicating the virus may take more fighting than we previously understood, further changes and complications may occur. By the same token, some things can also happen better than expected. It is a dynamic situation we find ourselves in today, so leaders, parents and individuals need mental and emotional resilience. This starts by not relying on everything we have planned or hoped for to happen as a certainty, and being optimistic but realistic in our thoughts and conversations. So at this New Year, if making new plans, we can aim for the best whilst still preparing for the worst. This is not pessimism, it is realism that may help keep our teams, families and friends safe and well.
The EU and the UK continue the Brexit trade deal negotiations beyond the already expired deadline. Rarely have we seen such high level leaders from major economies locked in debate for so long. But does being a high level politician make a top quality negotiator? Or are we seeing posturing and brinksmanship for marginal gains before an eleventh hour trade deal?
Statesmen have a responsibility for the interests of their people, so should declare a conclusion soon, as everyday continuing the limbo deprives all nations time to prepare for new rules, procedures and tariffs. I am no politician, but do know the options should be either deal or no deal, now. Then 450 million people can focus on the other significant issues concerning them at the current time.
Today is a significant day for the Ministry of Defence. Not only have they secured more funding for but they have secured me! Today was due to be my last day of service however I have received an extension to help with the training transformation. I feel valued and am excited to be able to contribute to such an important project whilst being able to continue developing the next generation of leaders and achievers for future Britain. I am also very fortunate to be able to pass on these skills through my coaching and development business to companies and individuals. So while I am going to be much busier than expected, I look forward to honouring all the commitments I made to help others achieve excellence. Finally, behind each successful person are many influencers, so I say thank you to everyone who took the time to recognise potential, show belief and support me to be in such a great place today.
We may think times are hard in the UK at the moment, and I’m sad we couldn’t parade today. Though times were far worse for our ancestors, I have even seen worse in my service, and there are many suffering or at risk in dangerous places across our planet this very day.
It is not about only the warriors who lay down their lives, it is even harder for families of those who have been lost. Those at home waiting for Dad, Mum, Brother, Sister, Daughter, Son, or loved one to come home.
Remembrance is not just a British commemoration, it’s also Armistice Day, Veterans Day, Anzac Day and a whole lot more for those across the world who gave the ultimate sacrifice, those who suffer still and those who are left.
No matter how hard things may seem. We must still remember them.
Whilst it may seem that the pause button has been pressed for many over the last months, the easing of lockdown restrictions and the gradual return to work may allude that life is going back to normal. What is normal though? Most experts agree that whilst the current situation regarding COVID-19 seems to have stabilised and may be improving, the possibilities of a second wave or future regional restrictions being imposed means that it is likely that implications from this crisis are not going to go away for a long time. We are heading to a new normal.
The Current Situation
We have been through months of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, this will continue as not only is the virus still alive, but we are also overlaying additional complications as we try to return to normal. Though we actually head into further uncharted territory, leaders should understand:
Environment - The world has changed significantly and whilst COVID-19 may appear to be an environmental or natural phenomena, it is actually a socially driven problem. For this reason organisations need to understand how it is affecting behaviour and the wider economic implications. We have to accept there will be a balance between social response (lockdown, isolation, distancing) and economic recovery (the rate of business operations). This balance will be perceived differently depending on where people sit on that risk continuum.
Customers - Due to the above, there will be more diversity of attitudes and actions between people, so even more potential for differences of opinion or disagreement between customers and businesses. Organisations should anticipate that customers in the new normal will expect and need to see higher standards – not just of hygiene – but also of leadership, communication and service to be able to trust their new environment. Customers will be looking for signs of these, so to rush back to business as usual and operate with flaws, will be noted by your customers and may be exposed or exploited by competitors. People will spend money on the things they either need or value, but their decisions will now be based on their perceived ability to obtain those products and services without taking unnecessary risks.
Team - Organisations should try to understand how much the stress may have affected staff; as individuals and not just the uncertainty around work, then try to minimise their additional pressures. The team will need time to adjust to the new working regimes and procedures. Trusting and giving employees a sense of being valued will help them forge their own way through the new unknown. More than anything, when employees feel supported by their organisation they will be far more resilient and loyal to their leaders and the business.
During the recent crisis I have noticed a great number of big decisions being made, many of them with significant or life changing implications. Very often we hear and expect that key decisions have been taken based on the scientific and medical evidence. However when we look further afield we can see that decisions are also having to be made without the luxury of previous experience, sometimes even despite of expert advice. If all decisions could be made solely on evidence or experience then we would not need leaders – just process managers. Complex problems may even require the courage to make initial decisions with no information, in order to probe effect and enable further decision making. Therefore a leader should utilise all support available but accept that sometimes decisions will have to be made based on limited information, so will need judgement and intuition.
The UK is on lockdown, the armed forces are already helping in the fight against the new invisible enemy called coronavirus. It is a war not a battle so is going to be marathon not a sprint, though it will feel like the pace of a sprint all the time. This is evident as the NHS, civilian key workers and armed forces - in particular the Reserves - are being mobilised. An immediate response is triggered but we see that intelligent mobilisation includes ramping up but not using up all the resources in one go. This helps put some resilience into the fight. We are still learning about the enemy so can't send everyone into the frontline straight away, there will be casualties and the need to replace them. Tough decisions for any leaders, but the overriding long term strategy has to be considered rather than throw everything into every tactical battle. As mentioned in previous articles; all leaders will make mistakes, all leaders will face adversity; good leaders need to be resilient to keep the team moving toward strategic goals.
What an interesting experience to visit Crufts at the NEC this weekend. Great to be around so many lovely dogs but I must admit to being a little uncertain about some elements of the event. To watch the arena displays was absolutely captivating and exciting. So enjoyable were the agility competitions, the RAF working dogs display and the ‘Fast Ball’ relay races which were as exciting as anything I'd seen (or participated in) at the Royal Tournament. These events showed how humans and dogs can work in harmony with each other. Those dogs were evidently having the time of their lives.
On the other hand seeing the breeders showing off their prize specimens left me with an uneasy feeling. This is not an attack on selective breeding; that is a different story altogether. It is about how thousands of dogs were penned into small areas waiting for their owners’ moment of glory. Secondly was the way in which the owners held the leads to keep the dogs’ heads raised in an obvious attempt at point scoring. I am only just learning about dog behaviour so can’t comment whether this is acceptable or not from a canine perspective. The biggest disappointment to me was the way that owners were conditioning their dogs in this way outside of the arena. They were tying their leads to specially constructed stands or gantries in order to condition them to keep their heads raised. Bad enough on its own, but is actually a terrible example of leadership. The owner is enforcing behaviour from their dog but is using mechanical restraint rather than putting in the effort themselves to encourage behaviours. I thought the basic rule of leadership is not to expect your followers to do what you can’t do yourself.
Why wait till New Year to make those changes? Everyone one else is doing the same. For individuals, maybe you could absorb a few of those new behaviours this month, so you don’t have to take on so much of a radical change in January? For business people, why not start now so you are one month ahead of the competition?
One secret to New Year resolutions, is to start early. More secrets to follow!
I recently ran a course for a small group of armed forces on building resilience, sharing what I learned from the US Marine Corps and Navy Seals. Despite most service men and women being good at it, I was surprised that no-one could define what it meant. Though it was great that they all understood what it wasn't! It isn't about winning, being strong, or not being affected by circumstances. Resilience is about how you respond positively to stress. Specifically, how you learn, reframe, reshape and move forwards. If we ask ourselves those questions when under stress, adversity or failure, we can develop to become more resilient.
Evolution tells us that those who can adapt are more likely to survive, those that do not become extinct.
The modern world is moving very quickly bringing around rapid change. Most changes move us out of our comfort zone so can induce different amounts of stress. Resilience is the ability to bounce back or to return to the previous state. This means being more able to deal with stress, by having strategies, support, coping mechanisms and being able to draw upon the emotional reserves within.
So is resilience a trait that some people are born with or can it be learned?
The UK now has a new Prime Minister, straight into an uncertain and emotional political cauldron that will quickly test leadership, unity and decision making within parliament.
Leadership should help teams from a variety of backgrounds and beliefs focus on similarities rather than differences. One trait our country's leaders should all share are our British values:
Values are beliefs or convictions that guide and direct behaviour and support purpose and vision. Core values become the deeply ingrained principles and moral codes that provide the internal compass to guide behaviour, decisions and actions.
Values are not laws – they are agreements. Political leadership in a democracy needs agreement to steer the nation to a better future.
So the spat between Donald Trump and Zadiq Khan kicks off even before the wheels of Airforce 1 touched down. Then the protests, demonstrations and disruption along with personal attacks including the baby blimp. I believe both nations uphold freedom of speech, but are personal attacks the right way to disagree or is it better to argue based on informed and considered debate with intellectual and emotional maturity?
At Peak Development was approached last year to help design and deliver a Cultural Adviser Course for the joint force Defence Cultural Specialist Unit. The course is aimed at developing experienced servicemen from across all three armed services to prepare them for operational duties abroad. There was currently no training available therefore timescales were very short for a course of this depth. The programme was designed within a few months and the first two week course has just been successfully delivered at Larkhill in Wiltshire with a further three required each year.
To be invited to help create and deliver innovative cultural training for teams from all three services is an honour and an experience few businesses get the opportunity to do. It is also refreshing that the military looked beyond its own training organisation for support and expertise. Lessons for us all!
Most leaders understand the desire to build good morale in their teams, yet many can’t define or measure it. This is because morale is an almost intangible force that can move a whole group of people to achieve a common goal – sometimes at significant personal cost – as they feel part of something greater than themselves.
Morale starts as attitudes to the job or the team. High levels of morale in individuals or teams can be witnessed by cheerfulness and confidence, especially during hardship. Collectively morale becomes much more and even defines the spirit or tone of an organisation.
You can buy a person’s time and effort, but you can’t put a price on confidence, enthusiasm, commitment, or loyalty. These things the leader has to work at to earn for the business.
Whilst many people understand what Remembrance Sunday is about, I did manage to find some additional leadership context in what turned out to be an emotional and insightful day yesterday.
First and foremost, with my 37 years' service to Queen and Country I am still humbled at the laying of wreaths. Not just by the ultimate sacrifices many service men and women have made themselves, but by the courage, strength, and dignity of the families and friends left behind.
It is therefore important to remember all those who lost their lives, were injured, or whose worlds drastically changed due to conflict. It is also poignant to consider they were ultimately at the sharp end of the decisions made by leaders at all levels.
If political and military analysts can learn from history, then so too can commercial leaders. If all bosses try to better understand how every choice they make may have an impact on the people they influence, then this alone should help to make more measured and intelligent decisions.
I used to receive plenty of feedback that I was calm in a crisis - especially in a customer facing role. I thought this was just my character so didn’t really understand how I was doing this and had difficulty coaching others to do the same. That was until one enlightening moment when dealing with a difficult customer. After the issue was resolved the lady congratulated me on my people skills, and said she could clearly see I was using the LEAPS mnemonic. I hadn’t even heard of this at the time but was fortunate that she elaborated. LEAPS she told me was:
Listen, Empathise, Analyse, Propose Solution.
A simple process, but an effective tactic for helping resolve face to face customer service challenges.
The question I am most frequently asked is how to motivate others. Another frequent question is how to motivate yourself!
If you have ever been in a high performing team you will have noticed motivation and morale figured very highly. Great leaders know how to motivate others and can encourage a team to achieve a goal, however to build and sustain a high performing team there must be high motivation and morale from within that team. The same applies to individuals, as any personal performance is also linked to the same two key elements.
Motivation is about what makes people want to work to achieve something. These can be from outside (leadership or coaching) or inside (desire and internal dialogue). Morale is more than just job satisfaction, it should be about attitude, confidence, and fighting spirit.
Irrespective of whether a group or an individual, performance has a relationship to motivation and morale. So in order to achieve high performance in any arena, we must first analyse and utilise what we need in these respects from the leader, coach and ourselves.
Calling the General Election has brought with it the usual split of opinions, taking of sides and a lot of passionate behaviour aimed at influencing other people’s decision making. We see this not just from politicians but also from their supporters. This is most evident on Facebook, where it is typical for posts to force their views on others by regurgitating unsubstantiated stories, biased opinion, or misrepresented facts to win an argument. This is common, not just in politics and Facebook, but in business and everyday life.
Obviously, strongly campaigning a single point of view may be a powerful way to sway a number of people. Though it may not be the best way to challenge rational human minds. Insulting people’s intelligence can also be counter-productive and lead to stubbornness and an even greater resolve not to be open to alternative viewpoints. Finally, telling people what to think may find a few supporters but at the same time increase opposition.
Of course it is good to be passionate about our convictions, beliefs or opinions however is it better to have a point explained rather than told. I would argue that it is sometimes better to offer both sides of an argument then explain why on balance you have come to a conclusion.
You decide…
Recent awful events in Syria led to many people holding their breath and watching how some of the world’s statesmen respond. Accusations, denials, use of force and threats seemed to be the currency of our leaders in the immeditae aftermath. The general public may not have inside information nor understand the complexities of political motivation, however many would prefer to see world leaders jointly condemning the atrocity, supporting the victims and agreeing to investigate and prevent reoccurrence. Sometimes leaders have to compromise and work with others they don’t agree with, in order to achieve the correct outcome.
Leaders are key to developing their team’s knowledge attitude and skills. They also support their people, however how do we know how to do this and more importantly, when not to?
Coaching is unlocking the potential of an individual, team or organization by helping them to maximise their performance. This is done by facilitating them to find their own way forwards rather than the coach prescribe the solution. All good leaders will use coaching.
Teaching refers to educating or giving instruction; activities that impart knowledge and skills. It is different to coaching in that you tell and show rather than ask. There are times when leaders will tell rather than ask.
Mentoring is a relationship where one person offers guidance and support to facilitate learning and development of a colleague at an appropriate stage in their career. The Mentor has usually walked the path the Mentee wishes to follow, though it may be an easier relationship if the person mentoring is not the immediate line manager.
Counselling is helping or supporting - often in a social or welfare context so usually requires specialist skills. Most leaders are not trained to enter into such areas - indeed it is often dangerous to do so - however a caring leader can refer people on to specialists.
It's not just overcoming the obstacles on the way to your goals that define you. Sometimes it's the unforeseen challenges that blind-side you as everything seems to be going well that can stop you in your tracks.
We accept and prepare for the obstacles we anticipate; the job interview, the long journey to an exotic holiday or the hard work and hours of practice that leads to personal achievement. However when something we didn’t see hits us, it can seem different and appear more challenging.
Expected hurdles are often leaped over while unexpected obstacles are tumbled over. True we may have planned and be feel able to deal with what we already foresaw, however sometimes the only difference is that our mental and emotional resolve is shaken more when the unexpected hits us.
Some people may see obstacles as bad luck, some as threats. Others may even see obstacles as a sign they cannot move forward or succeed. Some people see such obstacles as a puzzle to solve. Some see obstacles as an opportunity to grow. Depending on how we view all obstacles will determine how we react when the unexpected hits, and ultimately how we move forwards.
If you see obstacles as bad luck, the world being against you or as meaning you failed, then you are likely to be overwhelmed and stumble. You cannot control your luck but you can control how you react to it. If you see all obstacles as an opportunity to review, strengthen and continue then you will find a way – however small – to move forwards.
Character and resilience is not just about overcoming obstacles visible in the light of day, it's sometimes about dealing with the unknowns that spring out from the shadows!
All leaders will make mistakes, all leaders will face adversity; good leaders need to be resilient to keep the team moving toward strategic goals.
Resilience is the ability to bounce back or to return to the previous state. In leadership terms this means being more able to deal with stress, by having strategies, support, coping mechanisms and being able to draw upon the emotional reserves within.
Evolution tells us that those who can adapt are more likely to survive, those that do not become extinct. So too in business, the companies that are unable to adapt to competition and changing markets cease to exist. One of the reasons companies resist to adapt or to be flexible, is down to their leadership. Sometimes leaders don’t make the right decisions when times get tough, sometimes it is just fear of change or the unknown.
So is resilience a trait that some people are born with or can it be learned? Whilst some may seem to possess it naturally, it can also be acquired during exposure to challenges faced interacting with our environments for example around the family, in schools, business and life in general. It is about the lessons learned from such opportunities, by being aware and consciously reflecting as we work through stress helps build strength, however we also need coping tools, resources and support to become resilient enough to bounce back stronger than before.
Coaching can help leaders assess and build their ability to bounce back and adapt at work. It can also be the support needed to tackle the professional and personal challenges we all face in life. Strong leaders are very self-aware and seek development, so find ways to continue to build their resiliency skills.
Leicester City Football Club are now crowned champions of the Premiership defying all expectations. Winning the title by beating off the high spending clubs says a great deal about the power of leadership and team work.
Leadership is influencing others to willingly follow and to achieve more than they would normally have done. Therefore good leadership skills are essential for working with any team of people in order to accomplish their goals and the goals of the team or organisation. Money can buy talent but cannot always guarantee results, whereas leadership seems to be the differential that unleashes potential. Why?
We can buy a person’s time, we can buy a person to be at a given place. We cannot buy a person’s enthusiasm or effort, we cannot buy trust or loyalty; the leader has to work to develop these.
Once leadership is established and accepted, then common understanding and unity builds within the group so team work starts to add still further value.
Leicester City’s achievement this season proves that skilled leadership and solid team work are still the key ingredients in any recipe for success.
When recruiting or promoting it is common for the leader to set out to attract top talent and the perfect fit, however the reality on many occasions is that candidates do not meet all the desired criteria.
When taking on an employee who is under-skilled then it is implied the leader must help develop that person to acquire the necessary skills. It is possible though, that a business could intend gapping those skills because the individual brings other attributes of equal or greater value. In this case another member of the team may step up or across to successfully fill that skill gap.
A second and possibly even more important consideration alongside lack of skill is lack of 'will' - which is harder to mitigate. A leader can accept ability shortcomings if the person is keen to learn, however staff who do not have the right attitude, with enthusiasm and commitment for their own development, are unlikely to be a good fit or to contribute to business growth.
A good leader will be keen to understand both the ‘skill and will’ of potential employees.
This week the Government’s Living Wage becomes law. Generally it means that all employees aged 25 or over are legally entitled to at least £7.20 per hour. For some that means an immediate pay rise of an extra 50p per hour, however also worthy to note - this is likely to increase every year.
Forcing companies and organisations to increase their wages means they increase their costs, so they need to increase their productivity just to maintain financial status quo.
For many UK businesses, this change alone may reinforce the law of ‘survival of the fittest’. As in evolution, the companies most able to adapt and absorb change will survive and thrive, whilst those that see this as an additional cost may be lost!
If you pay the extra money for each member of staff affected by the new law, will you also invest in training to get your money’s worth? If so how?
You can direct more cash into training of affected staff. This is often a short term approach, considering how receptive lower paid staff may or not be. Additionally people naturally move roles or leave the company meaning the employer continually throws cash into a bottomless pit without necessarily getting the return on investment.
In such times, the smart decision identifies leadership as the long term productivity focus. Rather than just spend on short term specific training, the strategic leader will also invest in leadership development to influence all employees for years to come. This approach should provide at least the same immediate uplift, in addition to a more sustained improvement.
Don’t just absorb a cost to your business; ensure you review your strategy and invest wisely in leadership to ensure a long term benefit to your business.
A question I am frequently asked is “what is the difference between management and leadership?” This is also a frequent topic in many training sessions I have attended. A question that can be answered in many different ways.
One common way is to create a long list of functions or behaviours that are then debated and credited to either a manager or a leader. This approach is useful for identifying attributes and encouraging thought and debate, however to easily distinguish between a manager and a leader this way is complex as many people are both. Some people may find definitions more straight-forward to interpret, such as;
“The main difference between leaders and managers, is that leaders have people follow them while managers have people who work for them”
“You manage things, you lead people!”
Perhaps the time has come to stop asking the question or trying to define the difference between a manager and a leader, as it's more beneficial to recognise the relationship between management and leadership.
Now the football season reaches half way, focus on managers seems to intensify. Jose Mourinho has already left Chelsea, some maybe surprised, some not so. As leaders we observe football management and may congratulate ourselves on not being in such a high profile cut throat business. So are there lessons we can learn for the commercial world?
As in sport, any leadership position you hold you will be primarily judged on results; you are only as good as your last team performance. When things are going well, analysts will comment on your people skills, your strategic mind or your opportunist vision however when results decline, any chink in any facet of leadership may quickly become exposed.
Often in football the fans are the first to vocalise their displeasure. So too in business, when customers become vocal you had better listen and review your short to medium term plan and be proactive in answering their questions.
Additionally when the team itself also start to doubt, you better do something about it quickly, otherwise derision can quickly lead to division.
Managers in any field who ignore the above points and carry on regardless during bad performance, may give the impression they have run out of answers which will be scrutinised by the executives who could then feel it is a time for a clean out!
It is natural at the end of one year people want to make positive changes in their lives, so many will be making New Year resolutions. Selection of a personal goal or goals may feel intuitive and correct at the time, however as the year advances an increasing proportion of people will fail to achieve the target they themselves set. The most common reason for people failing New Years' resolutions is setting themselves unrealistic goals.
Some goals may be too demanding and are betrayed right away; whilst others may be unclear or non-specific that invite procrastination which then becomes a constant reminder of failure to do something.
Even those who pick a single goal and break this down into a series of manageable steps may enjoy some feeling of success however for most it could also result in underachievement.
When asked about my New Year resolutions, I often joke that I don’t need one resolution as I use goal setting throughout the year. Whilst this may be a tongue in cheek response, there is an essence of truth that may be helpful for leaders and managers to consider.
Imagine if one resolution you make is to review your targets every month or even every week. Yes, you can still have all the longer term aims however you also build in a contract with yourself to keep on track by reviewing your goals and plans regularly. This approach also allows you the flexibility to modify them to reflect your changing circumstances, priorities and needs.
As a leader and manager goal setting will be no stranger to you in your business world, so why not also use this skill and experience to help bring about those positive changes you desire in your personal life.
We see in today’s business world companies and organisations are continually being challenged to achieve more with less. Often the initial focus for efficiency is on cost cutting however how often is leadership identified as untapped potential? It is unreasonable for us to expect a business to grow when we don’t grow the people in the business. We don’t see this in other areas where excellence is achieved, such as with front line military units, or successful sporting teams. All rely heavily on training, coaching and leadership to develop and maintain high performance.
The basics of sound management and effective leadership such as correct goal setting, clear communication, honest developmental feedback, performance evaluation and coaching are often assumed though can actually take new managers a long time before they get them right. Training for their first leadership role is very cost efficient as it will enable to them to be more effective at the start of their management careers.
Leadership capability is often variable across medium and large organisations. Whilst individual flare of managers may not be a bad thing, inconsistency of approach from the leadership team certainly is. Leadership development across the management team sets the benchmark for all and still allows for individual progression.
An employee’s relationship with his or her direct manager is probably the most important factor in employee engagement. Respected well-trained managers help morale; the knock effect being that improved morale supports retention. Recruitment costs can be very expensive so with leadership development you are likely to keep your best leaders and the teams that work for them.
It is leadership that shapes business success, therefore leadership development should not be viewed as a cost but be seen as an investment.
At a recent business forum I was part of an encouraging debate on leadership development. Whilst the business leaders present all identified the need to take time to develop themselves, many were unsure of the best way to do so. I introduced a simple perspective on leadership training and development for managers that I will share below.
In large organisations there are often many managers, team leaders or supervisors so their effect will be felt throughout every level of the business. This makes it important that their leadership and management skills are developed sufficiently to have a positive overall effect. Here even a small positive step for all the management team will lead to widespread business improvement. In this case leadership and management training packages are often an efficient and cost effective way of getting everyone up to the same benchmark standard, from which further development can be achieved. This training still needs to be tailored to meet the company mission statement and core values, then follow up is also essential to ensure behavioural change has a positive and lasting effect on the business.
For medium sized businesses that may only have a handful of managers it is obvious that each will have a very significant impact on the business. It therefore makes sense that every manager has ongoing leadership development to get the most from their teams and to ensure the business keeps moving forwards. In this case the preferred approach may be to have bespoke leadership development that is tailored to their development needs and those of the business.
For small businesses, possibly with a single Owner, Director or MD or perhaps just a couple of managers, good leadership becomes even more intrinsic to team performance and company success. Leadership skills will be seen by and influence all within the company. Of course it may be that the key owner or manager cannot take too much time away from the business and probably doesn’t have a team that will all benefit from the same development. In this case it may be more appropriate to have private coaching sessions at a time and place of your choosing.
So in summary, leadership development is fit for all, however consideration should be given on how best it can be applied to individuals and the business.
I have the opinion that human beings are able to achieve a lot more than we think possible. I also believe that strong willpower and mental resilience are very important factors that can help immeasurably in the face of physical challenge. It was a couple of months ago I had this conversation with a triathlete who threw the gauntlet and urged me to prove it in a 110km ultra-marathon in the Lake District. A challenge I had to take up.
Well, it's all over now so a big thank you to everyone who sponsored me. It was not a straight forward affair and I learned a lot from the experience. If you would like to read how I got on then go to the resources section and look at the article 'Willpower and Resilience - A Personal Story'.
Then maybe have a think how you may challenge yourself!
In a recent article for a local newspaper, I had 300 words to explain the key differentials between management and leadership, then also give a brief overview of the leadership process. So here it is:
Management and leadership are two key components to business and organisational success, however it is often the case that many people in these roles confuse or merge the different attributes of management and leadership. British business may be sleepwalking into a leadership crisis if we fail to distinguish between management skills and the qualities of leadership.
Management is the ability to achieve objectives with the resources available (human, material, financial and time). Management skills are essential for making decisions, organising and controlling activity. Leadership is influencing others to willingly follow. Leadership skills are essential for working with people to accomplish their goals and the goals of the organisation. Clearly both management and leadership are necessary for any organisation however leadership seems to be the differential that adds value and unleashes potential. Why?
Well, we can buy a person’s time, we can buy a person to be at a given place. We cannot buy a person’s enthusiasm, we cannot buy trust or loyalty; we have to earn these. This is leadership; if managers are also leaders, their employees:
You can be a manager, but you are not a leader until your position has been “ratified” by those who follow. There are four basic functions of leadership:
How you achieve these speaks volumes about your leadership style. What is important and vindication for a leader is not what happens when you’re there, it’s what happens when you’re not there.
What are your experiences and thoughts - why not let us know through our website contact page?
I was recently asked how much I thought experience was relevant or important to becoming a good leader.
Learning about leadership happens when managers have an experience with which they can then relate to the appropriate theory or concepts. Merely having an experience is not developmental in itself, especially if the manager does not view it as an opportunity to learn. A bridge of relevance must be established between both the experience and the theory for the two to be linked. Without this bridge both elements are isolated and remain as vague memories and useless information.
I believe leadership is not learned in a classroom, neither too is it learned only through experience.
Leadership can be learned by having an experience followed by a period of reflection which questions what has worked well and what could be improved upon, this then produces informed guidance for more positive future action.
Hi welcome to At Peak,
My name is Andy Walker, owner of At Peak. I am passionate about leadership and the positive effect it has on individuals, teams and business performance. I know from experience that managers and teams are often unaware of their true potential, however if we are helped to catch a glimpse of what we can achieve we can confidently aim - and plan - to reach new heights. By developing leadership and team working we very quickly benefit from increased confidence and a positive shift towards 'peak performance'.
I have been fortunate to be involved in training, coaching and mentoring for the armed forces and the business world - learning much along the way!
I am very keen to continue sharing this experience with the wider business community, so please dont hesitate to contact me if you feel I can help you or your business in any way.