Photo by Vlad Hilitanu  on Unsplash What comes to mind when someone says the word ‘play’? Frivolity? Distraction? Is it a childlike quality? In a professional environment, it’s not commonly encouraged, but rather, it’s a reward for when the ‘real work’ has been completed. Between the performance reviews, productivity hacks and ‘get your head down’ attitude, play is often seen as inefficient and generally expendable. The unserious nature of play is exactly why it’s been overlo

Photo by thom masat  on Unsplash There is often a divide between the professional and intangible, especially within leadership. Tangible measures, frameworks and technical competencies and the addition of more is where most leadership development teeters, but it may be the case that in order to effectively lead, we need to sway away from the measurable and move towards that which cannot be quantified; their inner selves. Science and organisational research pokes at the idea o

Photo by Yeshi Kangrang  on Unsplash How are leaders perceived? And which metrics mean the most? Pressure from organisational structures (expectations of speed, optimisation and unbeatable KPIs) quickly becomes corrosive to real human interaction. Meeting slots are full, calendars are packed, and words are exchanged constantly; but genuine connection rarely is. Employees spending their work life in a cycle without acknowledgement is a sure case for disengagement. This begs

Photo by Richard Horvath  on Unsplash Flow state. A psychological phenomenon where our attention is so absorbed that self-consciousness fades, time distorts and action feels effortless. The perfect middle ground, the match of challenge and skill in a dynamic balance. Flow is not simply a pleasant high, it’s a measurable state associated with deeper learning, creativity and sustained performance. It is also a catalyst for creating meaning in both work and life. The professiona

Photo by Yener Ozturk  on Unsplash It is not a unique experience to feel disconnected from the person at the helm; the COVID-19 pandemic made that painfully clear for many. What if the main, undeniably effective, quality of a leader is not about ability to strategise or make amazing PowerPoint slides, but simply being present… and not physically or performatively present, but there and aware throughout upheaval, mess and chaos. When organisational structure changes, the abse

Photo by Jehyun Sung  on Unsplash What makes a great leader? Decisiveness? Strategy? Or is human-centred leadership the quality we invoke when the old answers no longer hold? We talk about leading with purpose, emotional intelligence and culture, yet leaders are almost exclusively trained in external mechanics like performance frameworks and influence models. Why, if leaders are trained to execute impersonal methods, are we surprised when burnout spreads? Or when decision m

Photo by Jonathan Gallegos  on Unsplash Person-centred coaching is, arguably, one of the pillars of the industry. It’s non-directive, non-judgemental, it’s empathetic and safe. It’s essentially the moral high ground, favouring acceptance and presence over intervention. If the client is trusted, growth will emerge organically. Sounds perfect…in theory. In practice the success of the method may be in the level of psychological maturity, something than many adults have never had

Photo by Marcus Ganahl  on Unsplash Climate change is a technical problem, right? Something that can be fixed with better technologies and smarter policies. But what about the disruption happening at a different level; our personal connection. What about those of us who are already entangled in the affairs of climate change, the reports we read that spell doom, the people who feel the weight of what’s coming and cannot unknow what they know. It is not just eco-anxiety, but a

Photo by Chris LeBoutillier  on Unsplash Technological advances paint a promising picture: a smarter, cleaner and more efficient future, but what if the very thing supposedly changing the world for the ‘better’ is draining the lifeblood of the climate fight – energy itself. Artificial intelligence is neither clean nor sustainable. It is not a weightless, frictionless entity but a costly development, paid through damage to the environment. Behind every ‘intelligent’ model is a