Lancefield on the Line

SummaryMany of us are impatient. We’re ambitious, keen to see the spoils of success, but also a little insecure, wondering if we’re going to make it or whether a friend or colleague will get there first. So we go all in, putting in the hours, risking overwork or burnout. Or we focus on what feels easy, guaranteed or glamorous in the moment. At the same time we want to live healthier lives, more connected to our families, and friends. But it doesn’t seem possible to have it all. Or does it?Dorie Clark, the author, speaker, coach, and professor, argues that we should try a different approach. How can we create enough perspective to think about the big picture? And how can we make small, consistent steps forward that make a disproportionate impact? Dorie says that we have to be being willing to keep at them, even when they seem pointless, boring, or hard. And she should know given she practises what she preaches.She shares idea, principles and frameworks that we can apply at work and at home, as well as some fascinating stories from her own career and other professionals’ experiences. As ever, Dorie is a brilliant communicator, articulate and succinct, and a lot of fun too. More about Dorie:Dorie Clark has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50, and was recognized as the #1 Communication Coach in the world by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. Clark, a consultant and keynote speaker, teaches executive education at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, and she is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Long Game, Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out, which was named the #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine.Book: The Long Game: how to be a long-term thinker in a short-term world.Articles.Courses.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients. 

Summary:Women of color are one of the fastest-growing segments in the corporate workforce, yet often we are underrepresented—among the first, few, or only ones in a department or company. For too long, corporate structures, the social zeitgeist, and cultural conditioning have left them feeling exhausted and downtrodden, believing that in order to “fit in” and be successful, we must hide or change who they are.How can they “find, feel and forge their power in the corporate world”? Understanding the systems of delusions that pervade the system is an important start, as is shedding messages we tell ourselves (or been told by those who’ve come before us). Playing this role, acting as the role model and mentor to others, is demanding, often taking its toil on mental and physical health. Improving the representation, inclusion, and belonging of women of colour requires allies – yes, men in the powerful positions – and collective action to confront, outdated behaviours, and workplace assumptions and inertia.The book ‘The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America’ by Deepa Purushothaman sets out a manifesto for how to make sure their words are heard, our lived experiences are respected, and our contributions are finally valued.It is a powerful, shocking, substantive and story-filled book that moved me, and challenged me to step forward and help. This discussion will resonate if you are an co-worker, ally, or representative of another minority group facing similar challenges.More about Deepa:Deepa Purushothaman is a former senior partner at Deloitte, a corporate inclusion visionary and a co-founder of NFormation, a membership-based community for professional women of color, offering brave, safe, new space and helping place women of color in C-suite positions and on Boards. Check out her:Book ‘The First, the Few, the Only’: How Women of Color Can Redefine Power in Corporate America 'Profile.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients. 

Summary:Organisations are crying out for more strategic leaders. These are the people who are brave enough to make a commitment to an extraordinary path, and skilful enough to make a multitude of choices to get there. They’re able to reframe complex problems as they shape brighter futures for those around them. In conversation they stretch and support, nourish and confront in equal measure. In this podcast, Niko Canner, founder of Incandescent, speaks eloquently about their traits, mindsets, and practices of these strategic leaders. He describes how it feels t the beginning of a strategy process – the stimulation, the vulnerabilities, the mistakes, and ultimately progress towards a coherent set of choices that enables the organisation to get closer to that extraordinary path. About Niko:Niko Canner founded Incandescent in 2013. His work spans the firm’s three major areas of focus: serving as a thought partner to leaders of large enterprises on strategy, organization and innovation; advising founders on the development of their ventures; and partnering with foundations and non-profits engaged in systems change. Here’s his profile.On Human Enterprise blog - highly recommended. Beautifully written, deep, and practical too. Full of wisdom.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients.

Making a career transition is hard at the best of times. And it’s likely that more of us will make them, either by our own making or by necessity as we live longer. It can be even harder when you’ve operated at an elite level. How do you take the best bits of your performance and use them in a new field? How do you reposition yourself, recreating your brand, and establish credibility in a new space when people know you for something else? And when you have a new career and you’ve established yourself with a strong brand, and following, how do you work out which opportunities to pursue, and which ones to turn down.Matt Dawson MBE has faced these shifts in his career, and challenges. In this illuminating podcast he shares his own journey from being a Rugby World Cup winning player to a business career and media career after he retired from sport. He opens up about how it felt when making these transitions, and how he made wise decisions along the way. More on Matt:Matt Dawson MBE, is a TV and radio personality, Strategic Sales Consultant and former England Rugby Player.His Profile.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients. 

How do you master the process of changing as a professional and as a person? How do you understand where you are on the S-curve of learning? And when you do, what will you do next? Dig into exploring the possibilities in front of you, shift gear and career, or disrupt yourself once you’ve reached mastery? How to avoid the distractions that impede your progress, and focus your attention wisely?Whitney Johnson, CEO of Disruption Advisors, and the author of a brilliant book called Smart Growth: how to grow your people to grow your company, describes three phases on this S-curve of learning: launch, sweet spot, and mastery, and the six roles you play along the way: explorer, collector, accelerator, metamorph, anchor, mountaineer.It's clear that our development, our learning is a strategic exercise. We need to make choices about where we go next, who we serve, and how we win. Whitney left me optimistic about the potential of humankind to do this, armed with her insights, stories, and tools More about Whitney: Whitney Johnson is CEO of the tech-enabled talent development company Disruption Advisors. One of the top ten business thinkers in the world as named by Thinkers50, Whitney is an expert at smart growth leadership. Book 'Smart Growth: how to grow your people to grow your company'S Curve Insight Platform.Whitney Johnson profileDisrupt Yourself podcast. Grow through Disruption newsletter My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients

Summary:Take a moment and ask yourself: what do you stand for, and how do you want to show up at work? These are the two critical questions to address when you think about your identity. And if you feel a sense of belonging, a concept far richer and deeper than just inclusion, you’re going to feel that you can express your identity fully and openly. Creating the conditions for this requires deep listening to what people say, don’t say, how they express themselves, as well as the curation of great questions. Great conversations require people to leave their egos behind, and be courageous in addressing what really matters.In this discussion, Saiyyidah Zaidi, author, researcher, and coach, describes these concepts clearly and vividly, explaining why they matter so much. She draws on her experience in her own career, family life, and as a coach, and doctoratal student. This is a thoughtful, reflective conversation that left me feeling clearer about these concepts, and in awe of Saiyyidah’s drive to foster a greater sense of belonging of all people at work. More on Sayyidah:Saiyyidah Zaidi (pronounced say-ee-dah, meaning female leader) is an experienced coach, facilitator, and supervisor working internationally and across sectors. This is her:Profile.Podcast.Coaching services.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients. 

Summary:The world of business is packed full of terminology, jargon, buzzwords. I’ve probably used too much of it myself. But what do we mean by innovation, customer centricity, agility? Too often we’re not clear so we have parallel conversations, or simply people disengage leaving the important decisions to a clique or the dominant few. My guest in this podcast, Prof. Costas Markides of the LBS, is a stickler for clarity – he thinks that a lack of clarity is one of the biggest problems we have in management. We talk about the critical ‘who, what, how’ questions of strategy, what it takes to win over peoples’ hearts and minds when you’re looking to effect organisational change – he also talks how distributed, autonomous organisations really work. And, importantly, how leaders can turn their intent, their thoughts and words, into action. He concludes by sharing how we measures his own success, and impact, in his research and teaching. More on Costas:Professor Costas Markides is recognised as one of the world’s foremost experts on strategy and innovation. An internationally acclaimed teacher and conference speaker, Professor Markides has researched the topics of strategic innovation, business model innovation, diversification and international acquisitions.His book "Organizing for the New Normal: Prepare Your Company for the Journey of Continuous Disruption".Costas' profile.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients 

Being competent, solid, committed isn't enough in extraordinary times - of ambiguity, complexity and uncertainty. Impact players do far more than these typical contributors. They:1.     Do the job that’s needed2.     Step up, step back3.     Finish stronger4.     Ask and adjust5.     Make work lightThey have a healthy disregard for rules, although are savvy enough on how to garner support. Focusing their attention on what truly matters means they don't need to over-work. And they find ways to solve complex problems whilst others get flustered or ask for help. They're open to guidance, happy to share the limelight, and committed to serving others. They're remarkable people. Liz Wiseman has studied these impact players from a wide range of organisations, understanding their mindests, habits, and practices. She shares the highlights of the book she's written on the subject, along with some fascinating stories of inspirational people.More about Liz:Her BioImpact Players book.Impact Players resources (practices, guide).Diagnostics.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. : You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients. 

Summary:Look around you in the worlds of business and politics. Think of leaders and organisations you admire. Or those that disappoint you. How honest are they in their intentions, and actions? How purposeful are they? In his book 'To Be Honest: Lead with the power of purpose, truth, and justice' Ron Carucci argues that these three elements are fundamental to an organisation's performance and positioning.  He  tackles how to eliminate the cultural conditions that prompt otherwise honest people to distort the truth and behave unfairly.He shows that "When these factors are absent or ineffective, the organizational conditions compel employees to choose dishonesty and self-interest. But when done well, the organization is 16 times more likely to have people tell the truth, behave fairly and serve a greater good." The book is based on fifteen years of research, and more than 3,000 interviews, mined for insights using IBM Watson. And it's packed full of riveting and remarkable stories from the world of business and beyond, including FARC terrorists in Columbia, the cave rescue in Thailand, the leadership of New Zealand during the pandemic, restorative justice from tribal rituals in the Congo, and how two companies – Patagonia and DuPont – took different approaches when they realized their products were poisoning people.  More on Ron:Ron has a thirty-year track record helping executives tackle challenges of strategy, organization, and leadership — from start-ups to Fortune 10s, non-profits to heads-of-state, turn-arounds to new markets and strategies, overhauling leadership and culture to re-designing for growth. With experience in more than 25 countries on 4 continents, he helps organizations articulate strategies that lead to accelerated growth, and then designs programs to execute those strategies. LinkedIn profile.Navalent bio.To Be Honest book.HBR articles.My resources: Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox: If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. : You can also find me here: LinkedIn Twitter Personal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients.

For too long, strategy has been conceived and designed behind closed doors, at the top table. For leaders to invite others to contribute is often seen as a sign of weakness, diminishing the leaders’ stature, authority, and control. However, the reality is that leaders often find it difficult to develop imaginative ideas on their own, shackled as they are by their conventional wisdom and groupthink. It's no wonder that many fail.  Opening up the strategy process through contests, crowdsourcing, communities generates better ideas, more realistic plans, and more effective execution than a traditional, closed approach. We shouldn’t confuse an open strategy process with a free-for-all. There are important nuances of when, how and by how much to open-up the process. Leaders must act forcefully (sometimes unilaterally) to frame the strategic question, choose whom to involve, establish the rules and incentives of engagement, select the platform for participation, and, ultimately, take the decisions. Professors Christian Stadler and Julia Hautz, two of the four authors of the book ‘Open Strategy: Mastering Disruption outside the C-suite’, describe how to do open strategy skilfully and why it matters.More about Christian and Julia:Their book, and resources.Their profiles - Christian, Julia.My resources:Sign up to my Flashes+Sparks for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox:If you're not subscribed already and do subscribe to my youtube channel where you can watch the conversation. :You can also find me here:LinkedInTwitterPersonal website, which includes more examples of my work, the services I offer and testimonials from clients.