A simple thank-you can act as a pump primer – keeping relationships energised and flowing. This post explores how small gestures sustain the Reinventing Engine of Success in life and leadership.
Leadership Reflections
Short essays and insights on leading with integrity, clarity, and character. Grounded in real work with real people.
The Learning Flywheel: When Curiosity Becomes Capability
Discover the moment learning stops feeling like effort and starts compounding. The learning flywheel turns curiosity into capability – fast.
Mastering Leadership: Surfacing Hidden Rules to Resolve Workplace Conflict
In workplaces, what appears as ‘miscommunication’ often arises from hidden rules—unspoken assumptions that shape interactions. By surfacing these deeper influences through patient inquiry and active listening, leaders transform conflict into productive dialogue. When …
A Holiday Guide for Line Managers: Avoid the 3 Most Common Recruitment Mistakes
Recruitment mistakes can lead to costly hires. This holiday season, give yourself the gift of smarter hiring with the CFM model: Competence, Fit, and Motivation. Avoid the three common pitfalls—settling for sub-par candidates, failing to re-advertise, and mistaking co…
Building an Airline Mid-Flight: My CleanCo Adventure
Try building a plane while flying it – that’s what creating CleanCo’s HR function felt like. Starting from scratch in a high-risk, heavily unionised environment, we needed everything from basic policies to complex union agreements, all while keeping the lights on. Somet…
Turning Crisis into Collaboration: A Coal Mine’s Transformation
Two phones sat on my desk – one for lawyers, one for building an employment centre. With coal prices halved overnight and 220 jobs at stake, I asked the unions, “Which call should I make?” While other mines faced 16-week strikes, we chose collaboration over confrontatio…
The Future of HR: Where People Strategy Meets Digital Innovation
Remember when HR just meant paperwork and policies? Those days are gone. Today’s HR is where human potential meets digital innovation, where AI helps us predict workforce needs while emotional intelligence drives real connections. We’re not just managing people anymore…
The Rise of Remote Work: Balancing Productivity and Well-Being
Remote work: a blessing or a curse? As someone who’s been navigating this new world of work, I’m here to share my secrets for striking the perfect balance between productivity and well-being. From crafting a cozy workspace to avoiding burnout, we’ll explore practical st…
Managing Complex Employee Relations Issues: A Strategic Approach
Managing complex employee relations issues demands a strategic approach combining clear processes, fair implementation, and thorough documentation. In today’s evolving workplace, organisations must navigate challenges ranging from performance management to mental health…
Leading Organisational Change in a Unionised Workforce: A Strategic Approach
Managing organisational change in unionised environments demands more than standard change management approaches—it requires deep understanding of industrial relations and stakeholder dynamics. Through strategic planning, early union engagement, and transparent commun…
How to Navigate Complex Union Negotiations in High-Risk Industries
In high-risk industries, union negotiations demand more than just bargaining skills—they require a deep understanding of safety protocols, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity. When a mining company faces negotiations during a safety overhaul, or an oil r…
LEAP into Ikigai: Crafting a Life of Purpose and Fulfilment
LEAP into Ikigai: Crafting a Life of Purpose and Fulfilment
Explore how the LEAP model—Location, Environment, Aspirations, and Position—integrates with the Japanese concept of Ikigai. This comprehensive guide highlights their similarities and differences, offering p…