Sparking Leadership

Conflict has a bad rep but it's not actually a bad thing. In fact, when managed well, it’s one of the clearest signs of a high-performing #team. But, that only holds true when leaders handle it with care and structure. The first step in managing #conflict is to recognize it Conflict escalates in predictable stages - from mild tension to open confrontation. Knowing when and how to step in makes a big difference in the outcome. Have a look at the below presentation to see how t

If you're a fractional/ interim/ consultant leader - or thinking of becoming one, then this is for you. Interim leadership role usually look like this: You’re brought in to make an impact fast, but the clock starts ticking the moment you arrive. The unspoken expectation is “deliver transformation, but don’t break anything.” That creates a strange tension: you must move decisively without the benefit of long-term trust or deep organizational context. The four biggest challenge

No leader enters a role hoping to fire people. Yet at some point, every leader faces it. Sometimes because #performance is not improving or because the business changes and budgets shrink. Either way, involuntary exits test not only your leadership skills but also your integrity. This is part 2 of a two-part series. Check out last week's post for part 1 on voluntary exits. Performance based exits ✔️Step 1: Understand the legal background Performance management must sit on a s

Few things test a leader more than watching a valued team member walk out the door. This is part 1 of a two-part series - today we focus on voluntary exits (i.e. a team member hands you their notice). Next week we’ll tackle the equally challenging involuntary exits. 🔎Spot the early signs No leader can control someone else’s #career choices, but, you can tune into the signals that someone might be considering a #change: Drop in engagement or curiosity Reduced participation in

Everyone talks about “investing in people.” But when it comes to actual learning and development, too many leaders tick a box and move on. Maybe you have a learning budget or maybe your #team even attended a workshop last year. That's a great start but not a real investment. Especially not when McKinsey’s research shows that demand for advanced #tech #skills could rise by almost 90% by 2030. And it’s not just technical know-how but social, emotional, and critical thinking ski

I once worked with an engineering team lead in a #tech scale-up who, after three successful years leading a team, decided to pivot back into a DevOps role. He cared deeply about his people, but he missed building things. The more his leadership responsibilities grew, the further he drifted from hands-on technical #work. And like many first-time leaders, he had no real mentorship or formal training - he was simply “the most senior engineer” and his still young start-up at the

Most people only think about personal branding when they’re job hunting or promoting a business. But your brand is bigger than that. I'm sure you’ve heard the classic line: a brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. In other words, your reputation. Philosopher Gloria Origgi even calls reputation a form of currency. And like any currency, you either manage it wisely or let it lose value. Regardless of how important your reputation is as a leader, I'm de

Every #hiring decision feels urgent. Which is why many leaders skip the first, most important question: Where should I look? Inside the...

Disclaimer: the purpose of this post is NOT to stress you out but to prepare you. You can keep reading, it's safe (and optimistic!) For...

By now, you’re probably sick of reading about AI. I am too. Most of the content about AI is either written by AI or written by someone trying to convince you it’s the second coming of electricity. Revolutionary as it is, I want to explore a slightly different angle and something far more personal: the moral choices leaders face when deciding where AI belongs in their day-to-day #work. AI is great at certain things. Summarizing a meeting transcript so you can focus on listenin

It’s August, and while many companies are in a quiet #hiring lull, this is a perfect time to play offense on retention. We spent last...

As I head off for a summer break, I'm taking a moment to reflect on a year in leadership that has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. It’s been a year of guiding teams, offering solutions, and being the steady presence everyone can count on. But in moments of quiet honesty, I'll admit there were times when my energy was completely gone. It's tempting to see this as a failure but, in reality, I was just feeling the emotional toll of constantly wearing the "leader mas

It's a buyer's market out there folks, which means that, most hiring managers (think they) can afford hiring unicorns and other mythical...

Amazon, Dell, JPMorgan Chase are only a few notable names with a strict RTO mandate in 2025. Companies around the globe are calling their...

Ah, summer. For many, it's a time for sandy toes, slightly more relaxed schedules, and... quiet reflection on their #career path. While...

Some time ago, I worked with a CEO who was obsessed with the 9-box performance grid. It's the one where you plot each employee based on...

Let’s talk about that unsettling feeling when you notice a team member who used to be a firecracker is now just… fizzling . They’re here,...

Tell me if this you: Your mind feels like a web browser with 100 tabs open You are constantly juggling dozens of urgent tasks You are...

Earlier in my leadership career, I believed that a good manager was always present. Always available, always stepping in for everyone,...

We all say we want high performers on our teams. But what is high performance? Is it about hitting targets? Working long hours? Being...