Field Notes

What Triggers You? As leaders, how we handle situations in full view of others can have grave or unintended consequences. Last week, I observed how two clients were triggered by situations and how important it is for such leaders to understand their triggers and how to manage themselves appropriately in…

This month, a dear friend and I had the privilege of visiting David Hockney’s exhibition: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) in London’s The Lightroom. One of Hockney’s most famous and innovative ideas was his use of “joiners” or photo collages. He would take multiple photographs of a…

As the beautiful lawn tennis courts of Wimbledon bristle with excitement this week, I had the privilege of seeing Billie Jean King at CHIEF’s In the Hot Seat interview a week ago, where she shared with us what tennis has taught her. One of the greatest tennis players of all…

One of the benefits of being in the CHIEF Community is the quality of speakers they invite to their clubhouses. Last night, I was totally inspired by Amal Clooney, Human Rights Advocate. Here are some of the key messages that I took away from her session with us. I hope…

Summer provides us with precious opportunities to spend time with those we love. We may be spending more time working from home and have more meals with our family than we did pre-Covid, but how much attention and time are we really giving them? One of the most powerful gifts…

Twenty years ago, 17 software engineers went on a skiing holiday. When they weren’t on the slopes, they shared their frustrations about the way software was being developed at the time. To address these, they came up with a Manifesto for Agile Software Development for faster delivery, greater responsiveness and…

Everyone agrees that leaders today need to embody vision, energy, authority, and strategic direction. But truly inspirational leaders possess something more – in fact, four distinct qualities. They are able to: Balance sensing with transmitting. They don’t just transmit messages regardless of the context or the climatic conditions. They sniff…

Many senior teams are being restructured during the current crisis.  The stakes are high. The risks are considerable. Ensuring teams are aligned from the outset is crucial. Studies show that about 80% of aviation accidents occurred when it was the first time the crew flew together. Mistakes in operating theatres…

People have trouble making lasting changes. Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit talks about the importance of developing new habits. Much of the advice offered recommends that we change who we are in the process. But what we need is to understand the science behind lasting change and then create…