Wednesday Wisdom

18 July 2019Strike while the iron is hotKeep change momentum moving, if you want people to continue to care. 11 July 2019Change is instead of, not as well asChange can't be extra, we’re already at maximum capacity. Real change needs to be conversion, not addition. 6 July 2019All change is people changeWhether you’re driving technology change, process change, service delivery change, or any other kind of shift, we need people to come on the journey, and we need to make it possible for them to make ideas real. 30 May 2019Is strategy the future of work?ATMs did not spell the end for bank tellers, and machines are unlikely to spell the end for strategists. The demand for jobs with critical analysis, meaning-making and leadership skills is predicted to skyrocket. 17 May 2019Earn trust: engaging for changeWhen it comes to rolling out change, courting is the key. We can't go straight to total commitment and participation without earning our way along. 4 April 2019Say no nicely: challenging conversationsSetting priorities and following through requires us to say no to things - but that can be hard. Here's some helpful advice to say no, nicely. 27 February 2019You have plenty of time - it's space you needYou've already lost 8 hours, one more won't help. Try making space instead. 15 February 2019You can do anything, but not everythingSetting focused priorities is hard work. Here are three useful tips. 8 February 2019The past is a foreign country: moving on from failuresThere is a right and a wrong way to handle project failures – one builds trust, the other breeds resentment. Move on from project failure the right way. 2 February 2019The public service has citizens, not customersBusinesses always focus on the needs of customers. But real public sector leadership puts the needs of the broader citizenry ahead of the individual. 24 January 2019Public sector leadership: connect to outcomesWhat public sector leaders can learn from Undercover Boss about staying connected to outcomes. 10 January 2019Navigating the layer of crazyThe public sector is a tough gig. Inside: tips to cope with the crazy. 3 January 2019New Years Resolution Hack: Aim for habitsFocus on a single issue or behaviour to create better habits faster. 21 December 2018The importance of timingHave you ever underestimated the importance of timing and suffered the consequences? Timing matters more than you think. 5 December 2018The devil you know: tips for leading through uncertaintyI'm going to let you in on a secret: people aren't actually afraid of change. They're afraid of loss. 25 October 2018Embrace your inner rebelHave you been silencing tricky questions, brave ideas or a gnawing feeling in your gut? It could be time to embrace your inner rebel. 5 October 2018Prioritise recovery for successTime and space to rest, recover and reflect is critical for us to adapt to change. We simply don’t value it highly enough. 26 September 2018The habit is the resultThe habits that are required to successfully achieve a big goal are often more rewarding than the goal itself. Make the habit the result. 6 September 2018Know your job and do it well (and let others do the same)Allow yourself to be awesome,  and you empower others to do the same 23 August 2018What got you here won't get you thereSmart people and organisations tend to know what to do - they need to know what to stop. What got you here won't get you there.