“I’m very good at my job.”
"I’m very good at my job." What happens when you read that? Do you find it inspiring? Do you think: good for him, just saying that out loud!Or do you feel discomfort? Annoyance? Does [...]
If I were CEO…
“If I were CEO, I would make coaching mandatory.” A friend said that to me recently. She believes this because, with her extensive work experience, she sees that almost everyone nowadays tries to perform under [...]
Congratulations!
Got promoted? Congratulations – your learning curve starts all over again It’s one of the biggest pitfalls within organisations: we promote talented people based on their success in their current role. Until they end up [...]
Mid-Year Review
It’s performance review season again...And sometimes you hear the exact same feedback as last year. Just before summer break, many organizations are in the midst of these rounds of discussions, the mid-year reviews. Of course, [...]
Could you be a bit more visible?
It is one of the most common requests in the business world. Managers and directors regularly hear this comment during performance reviews. It sounds straightforward, but in practice it often leaves people confused. Because what [...]
He’s really got a problem
It was said during a meeting in which someone had stormed out of the room in anger just moments earlier. The familiar pattern of interpretation immediately took hold in the room: unprofessional, completely unacceptable, he [...]
Micromanagement
For many leaders, micromanagement feels like a noble pursuit of perfection. Some don’t realise they’re doing it. Others do realise, but simply can’t help themselves. Micromanagement often stems from a sense of commitment, responsibility or [...]
Sorry, it took longer than expected…
‘Sorry, it took longer than expected’... and just like that, your half-hour becomes a quarter of an hour. Someone has carefully prepared for an important meeting with their manager. After some back-and-forth scheduling, they manage [...]
Constantly on the defensive
Some working relationships constantly put you on the defensive. And that’s no coincidence. I once worked with a manager who made me feel constantly on the defensive. It was as if I was already 1-0 [...]
A single drop from the North Sea says it all
A saying that has always stayed with me: If you take a single drop from the North Sea and analyse it, you will know the composition of the entire sea. That idea is surprisingly applicable [...]