Insights

What do you do when you inherit a low performing team in your new leadership role? Last Monday, a client asked me this question 3 weeks into his first job as a #people manager. He had inherited two people. Before his first leadership meeting, he sent them detailed instructions about what to prepare. One of them came back with a presentation that my client described as lazy and low-quality. Needless to say that he was not only disappointed but also furious. In fact, he was pre

A manager used the sandwich method. His direct report walked out of the review visibly upset. They were both operating from completely different assumptions about what feedback looks like. Here is how to make sure yours actually translates in international teams.

January did not arrive gently! The world is loud, heavy, and relentless, and most teams are walking into 2026 with a low-grade sense of doom. So here is a slightly rebellious leadership idea: why not try to make work more fun? Not childish and definitely not forced. Not "everyone smile, we have pizza." Fun as a deliberate design choice that makes #work lighter, clearer, and more enjoyable. When Was the Last Time You Had Fun at Work? I'm not talking about the occasional team o

In all my years in HR, I’ve seen promotions used for the wrong reasons: to keep someone from leaving or reward long tenure that “felt right" or to make a team look stronger on paper (and the leader more successful) even when the person promoted wasn’t ready. None of this helps the employee and it certainly does not help the #team. Now, don't get me wrong - I wholeheartedly believe in development. It is one of the strongest motivators we have. It sits together with sense of pu

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

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