By Ian Sampson : A colleague recently described me as a new age type of leader… sensitive, caring, wanting to serve others. Does that make me a sensitive leader? Yes, and No. Good leaders use their sense, their sensitivity and their senses in being leaders in the moment. There is some debate whether the old […]
There is no fixed definition of excellence in leadership, but we all know it when we see it; when we feel it. There is a different skill set required in managing a project, than there is in leading the team and we all manage and lead in some capacity – whether it’s our children, […]
I learned a lot of my meagre organisational design and development skills through the mentorship of a great friend, Tim Dalmau. Tim has taught many of the world’s great company leaders about how cultures really work. He teaches that cultures lie deep within all organisations. They are immensely hard to alter. This is because […]
The relationship between a Chairman and a CEO is special. Great Chairs often act as a confidant, mentor, adviser, sounding board and interpreter for the CEO. Recently I had the privilege of coaching a Chairman who fulfills this role with distinction in his organisation. In some other organisations, I get to play the role that this […]
Recently I worked with a business owner, Ron, on a problem that all business owners love. We had a great coaching session and he got some great insights into the underlying issue and what steps to take next. I also got some great learnings. The first was when he asked me, a little shyly, “What, […]
In my work as a coach to CEO’s, Chairs, Directors and senior executives we often discuss what makes for a good Board applicant. Chairs are usually thinking about this from a recruitment angle, the others from being interested applicants. From a combination of study, research and personal experience here is a checklist that I […]
I’m working with a Managing Director who was facing a potential mutiny by his staff three months ago. His staff respect him immensely for his meticulous issue management but many felt afraid when he interacts with them. We’ve been working together on distinguishing the differences between two mindsets. The first is the mindset required to resolve issues […]
Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Emperors said: “ What stands in the way becomes the way.” One of the approaches I use in coaching executives and directors is to help them find obstacles (what stands in the way), to help them see what they can do next (what becomes the way). […]
By Ian Sampson You probably know that Leadership Development Programs are being questioned on several fronts for not delivering what they promise. As a former designer and manager of LDPs for large corporates, I know that while senior executives often say they want to build leadership capability, what they want even more from […]
By Ian Sampson Loneliness in decision making at the top is generally recognised as a phenomenon of modern business life. But support is rarely accessed when those at the top of an organisation feel they have to deal with complex matters, just relying on their own resources. While CEO’s, Chairs, and senior executives spend their days […]
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