Parasites are very clever, adaptive, manipulative, and sometimes deadly creatures, as I discovered from my degree in Applied Zoology. I recently reflected on the impact of business parasites who suck the ‘blood’ out, in terms of money, energy, time, confidence, or positivity. The question is how to control them before they do too much damage. […]

In today’s world of uncertainty and escalating global tensions, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed. According to the NeuroLeadership Institute, many people are experiencing a Level 3 threat response—a heightened emotional state leading to anger and frustration. This drains mental energy, weakens decision-making, and can create a ripple effect as others mirror our reactions. We are

Memorable presentations do not happen by accident, but when you experience one, it is truly fantastic. Can you recall a memorable speech? As someone who loves watching BBC’s Professional Masterchef, it occurred to me that there are many similarities between cooking a great meal and serving up memorable presentations. Here is my take on it.

Delegation is a key skill for business leaders, fostering growth, promoting responsibility and accountability, and providing recognition. It benefits both parties: one experiences personal growth and increased authority, while the other gains more time for essential management tasks. By delegating, you free up your time to focus on high-priority activities. This practice is also crucial

Our lives are full of choices from the simplest to the most difficult. It can be what time to get up, what to wear, who to marry, what career, who to employ, when to sell the business, or where to live. The quality of these choices will determine the quality of our lives. We always

With all the rhetoric that is going on with the election, how do we decide who is a L.I.A.R. (has Leadership, Integrity, Accountability, Reliability) or just a liar. It seems acceptable nowadays to make election promises to win our votes without the commitment to achieve them, whilst blaming others when things go wrong. Of course,

Getting the most from your one-to-one meetings with your team is vitally important for business success. People need to know what is expected of them and how well they are doing. The key role of a manager is to encourage the best performance from their team and help individuals achieve their full potential. Unless you

Whether in a group or one-to-one, face-to-face, or virtual, there is a risk of unreasonable meeting behaviours. The important thing is to minimise that risk and manage difficult behaviours when they happen. People need to know what is expected of them and how they will be held accountable. “You know how disruptive some behaviours can

When things are going smoothly, it’s easy to think you are invulnerable. Life then has a habit of throwing in curved balls. These events can come in any shape, size, or velocity. It might be illness, bereavement, redundancy, bankruptcy, divorce, etc. They can happen to any of us and we find ourselves on a journey.

The Covid enquiry has shown how easily one can slip into blaming others, which achieves nothing but rancour. The dilemma is to create accountability without blame. Every business, organisation, and Government needs accountability, but without creating a blame culture. In fact, accountability should be for the positive and praiseworthy aspects as well. “When you point

Whether you are new or long term to the role of Director, understanding and balancing the responsibilities can be tricky. On a recent workshop, Directors from various businesses looked at the dilemmas they face and sought solutions, as well as recognising the positive aspects of the role. Despite the diversity of businesses, from hospitality, landscaping,

Overcoming the fear of managing performance is something managers face. The key role of a manager is to get the job done to the required standard, by determining and managing performance. This can be a worry for many when it comes to dealing with under performers. The minimum performance you allow is the maximum you

Communication is still one of the biggest issues in the workplace, despite the fact we have been doing it since birth, in one form or another. Effective communication is paramount, because it is the key skill for relationship building and people management. Yet many problems exist in businesses due to a lack of or poor

The concept of culture being the linchpin came from an exceptional Director and loyal customer, Oliver Hemson, Tony Benger Landscapes. I would like to share his thoughts with you. These were inspired by the book ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari. This book contains a lot of vital information about human behaviour that applies to business and

Being able to maximise potential energy is critical for your business. You know how often there is not enough time to do everything, which means your energy is stretched to the limit. This impacts on the business, your team and productivity. It is important to recognise the importance of human energy, the inhibitors, and the