I’ve talked recently about how boundaries can become contagious and the behaviours that can (often unintentionally) fuel burnout. I want to tie those threads together with a reminder that, in both areas, you have agency. Agency is an inner sense of ownership, your capacity to act independently and make choices that influence your day, your […]
Agency: Are You Happening to Life, Or Is Life Happening to You? Read More »
When boundaries become contagious, it can set the tone of an organisation. I’ve run a series of masterclasses lately, and I’m constantly asked: “How do I set boundaries?”, “How do I defend them?”, “How do I get others to respect my boundaries?” In one masterclass, a group described a leader they admired. What stood out
When Boundaries Become Contagious Read More »
A question for you to consider – are your behaviours contributing to the burnout of people in your organisation? It’s a powerful question to reflect on. Most leaders I work with care deeply and role-model plenty of positives, but often there are a couple of small habits that quietly send the opposite signal. How Leaders
Are Your Behaviours Contributing to Burnout in Your Organisation? Read More »
Last week was a phenomenal one – events in Nottingham, Bradford, and then Edinburgh. At one of these events, I spoke to a woman who told me the most valuable thing she does when she’s stressed or overwhelmed is to stop. Pause encourages progress. It’s not procrastination or avoidance; it’s a way to cut noise
Why We Must Pause To Progress Read More »
If you care deeply about your people, it stands to reason you’d care just as much for yourself… right? Too often, the opposite is true. Some of the most committed leaders, CEOs, CPOs, CHROs, founders, and senior managers regularly put their own wellbeing at the bottom of the list. That’s the paradox of the self-neglecting
The Paradox of the Self-Neglecting Leader Read More »
Continuing with the theme of managing overwhelm, this week, I want to share another idea that can reduce stress when you’re feeling overloaded: looking for commonality. Last week, I talked about the importance of adopting a paradox mindset. This is the ability to hold two opposing truths at once, for example, that things can be
In Divisive Times, Look for Commonality Read More »
World Mental Health Day is on the 10th of October 2025, and this year’s theme is ‘access to services – mental health in catastrophes and emergencies’. When the drumbeat of difficult news and global events starts to drown everything else out, it can feel overwhelming. This year’s theme highlights the importance of being able to
Easing Overwhelm with a Paradox Mindset This World Mental Health Day Read More »
I’m counting down to the launch of my fourth book, Sustain: Mastering the High-Performance Paradox, on the 23rd of September. It provides a fresh, practical approach to resilience, built on four pillars: Values, Identity, Community, and Resources. This post is focused on an idea from the Community pillar: the importance of focusing on the relationships
Build a Community, Starting With the Relationships Right In Front of You Read More »
As the launch of my fourth book, Sustain: Mastering the High-Performance Paradox, approaches, I wanted to share a sneak peek into one of its most important themes: resilience. Sustain is a culmination of years of work, reflection and experience, and I’m incredibly excited for its release on the 23rd of September. Before the official launch,
Sustaining Resilience: A Preview from My New Book, ‘Sustain’ Read More »
This week, when speaking at an inspiring event for student midwives – an audience full of future changemakers – I was asked the question: “What would you tell your younger self?” The answer came quickly. Not because I’ve had it prepared for years, but because I’ve been reflecting on it a lot lately. I’d tell
Identity Is a Pillar of Resilience Read More »
