Embrace Your Change.

13/05/2026

A recent study found that a significant number of managers would actually prefer not to manage people at all. Not because they lack ambition, but because of what the role has become. Research shared by Workplace Insight highlights that 79% of managers say people management is emotionally draining, while 74% feel the workload behind the role isn’t fully understood.

When you look at the reality of modern management, it’s not hard to see why. Many people are promoted because they’re strong individual contributors, then expected to take on leadership responsibilities that include wellbeing, conflict, communication, development and delivery, often without the time, training or support to do it well.

If fewer people want to lead, the long-term impact is significant. Leadership pipelines weaken, pressure builds on those already in role, and culture starts to suffer. From what I see in practice, managers are feeling stretched, underprepared and carrying a level of responsibility that often isn't openly discussed.

Leadership does demand more than the technical expertise of an Individual Contributor role. It requires emotional intelligence, self-awareness and the ability to navigate complexity with confidence, and those are all skills that can be learned and developed.

If we want people to step into leadership and stay there, we need to rethink how we support them. Not just when they’re promoted, but throughout their journey. When leaders feel equipped and supported, it doesn’t just benefit them, it transforms the experience for their teams and strengthens the organisation as a whole.

21/04/2026

There’s been a lot of talk recently about “unbossing” and “conscious unbossing,” particularly in relation to Gen Z and their apparent reluctance to step into management roles.

Articles in both The Guardian and Forbes point to similar underlying reasons. Management is widely seen as stressful, under supported and disproportionately demanding for the rewards on offer. Many younger professionals are also prioritising personal growth, skills development and autonomy over titles or hierarchy, having watched previous generations burn out in roles that asked a lot and gave little back.

What’s interesting, though, is that many organisations are responding by flattening structures and talking about “unbossing”, as if reducing hierarchy alone solves the problem. In practice, leadership doesn’t disappear when you remove layers, it just gets redistributed! Decisions still need to be made, people still need support and direction and accountability still needs to exist somewhere!

The tension I see in organisations is that managers are expected to step back while remaining accountable, and individuals are expected to step up without always having the confidence, skills or permission to do so. When that gap isn’t addressed, autonomy can get uncomfortable quickly, and leadership becomes something people actively avoid rather than aim to grow into.

If organisations want unbossing to work, the answer isn’t fewer leaders, it’s better prepared ones. That means investing in leadership development earlier, making expectations explicit, supporting people through the relational and emotional load of leadership, and allowing leadership to look different from the models many of us grew up with.

This shift isn’t really about structure. It’s about how we value leadership, how we support people into it, and whether we make it a role that feels sustainable, human and worth saying yes to.

13/04/2026

We often assume we’re good listeners simply because we’re paying attention but attention alone isn’t always enough. Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how we listen and how often conversations can fall flat if we’re not listening in the right way for the moment.

Thanks to the brilliant team at 100th Monkey, I’ve been learning about the concept of Adaptive Listening. This framework is simple but effective - it goes beyond the classic idea of active listening and invites us to flex how we listen depending on what the other person actually needs from us in that moment.

The model focuses on four listening goals - support, advance, immerse, discern - and four corresponding listening styles. Each has its place, but they only work when they match what the other person needs.

And that’s where things can start to fall down...! Not because we aren’t listening, but because we’re listening in the wrong way.

Common mismatches are:
✔️jumping into solutions when someone needs empathy
✔️offering empathy when they want direction
✔️listening deeply when a bit of challenge would help most

The real skill is noticing cues such as what’s being said and what isn’t, the pauses, tone and sometimes just asking: “What do you need from me here?”

Effective listening means adjusting our approach based on the speaker’s needs, rather than our own go-to habits and preferences. When we do it well, people feel heard and understood, they gain clarity, and conversations become genuinely productive.

Take a moment to read my latest article on adaptive listening 👂

I’ve been thinking a lot about listening recently, even more than usual. And how often we just assume we’re “good listeners” simply because we’re paying attention.

08/03/2026

I usually choose to write about inspiring female public figures on International Women's Day, but this year I wanted to make it about the inspirational women a bit closer to home, and shout about some of my absolute besties.

I met these girls when we were 11 years old, awkward, giggly, and trying to survive our first year of high school. Since then, we’ve lived in different countries, had kids, built careers, and navigated various life chapters. We’ve dipped in and out of each other’s daily lives, but they’ve always been there, emotionally, spiritually and at the end of a phone when we need each other.

This year these three crazies decided to run the Brighton Half Marathon (in the wind and rain of British Springtime of course...). In just a few months they upped their fitness, smashed their training plans, and raised a sh*t ton of money for charity.

I’ve loved watching the determination, the banter, the moaning (“WHY did we sign up for this?”), the wailing (think chafing, blistering etc.), the eye rolling… but mostly the absolute wall of support they’ve given each other every step of the way.

Ladies, you’re the bestest. You’re my heroes and you kick ass.

Happy International Women’s Day. 💛

03/03/2026

I recently came across a Forbes article that described optimism in leadership as “contagious enthusiasm”, which is a great way to think about it. I've heard many employees describe their workplaces as toxic, and often that toxicity has less to do with the work itself and more to do with the emotional climate they operate in day to day. Leaders shape that climate far more than they tend to realise.

Research shows that we naturally absorb and reflect the emotions of those around us. Stress ripples. Calm ripples. Engagement ripples. Whether intentional or not, leaders set the emotional tone, and that tone influences how the team feels.

Leadership is so much to do with your presence. The energy you bring into a room, the way you respond under pressure, and the signals you send when things do not go to plan all leave a mark.

What energy are you choosing to lead with today?

24/02/2026

I read a study this week that made me pause:

82% of American women code‑switch at work.

In this context, code‑switching means changing how you speak, behave or present yourself to be seen as “professional.”

What really struck me were the reasons women say they do it:
• 76% do it to appear more professional
• nearly 2 in 5 to express competence
• 35% to project confidence
• and 22% simply to fit in

A third of women say their “work voice” feels inauthentic, a quarter find the constant self‑editing emotionally draining, and 1 in 6 have been directly told to change how they speak.

Adapting our communication to different people is normal - we all do it. Some colleagues prefer direct, concise messages; others respond better to warmth, context or relationship‑building. Adjusting our style so we’re heard is part of effective communication. But there’s a big difference between being intentional with how you communicate… and feeling you have to edit who you are to belong.

If so many women feel they must shift who they are to be taken seriously, what are organisations unintentionally losing in authenticity, perspective and psychological safety?

As linguistics professor Kathryn Baehr Berk reminds us:
“It is perfectly natural to want to shift your speech to fit a specific social situation, but it is important for employers to remember it is up to them to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable to be themselves. … Everyone has different preferences in terms of communication.”

When have you experienced or observed code-switching - in yourself, your team, or within your organisation?

16/02/2026

Most workplace conflict doesn’t begin with an argument or a formal complaint. More often, it starts in quieter, more subtle ways – a comment that lands awkwardly, feedback that feels sharper than it was meant to, or a conversation where two people walk away with very different interpretations of what just happened.

According to research from ACAS, 44% of working age adults in the UK experienced some form of conflict at work in the past year, and more than half of those affected reported stress, anxiety or low mood as a result. Many also noticed a drop in their motivation and engagement at work. What often gets overlooked, though, is that much of this conflict isn’t wildly dramatic or overt. It starts in everyday interactions, the kinds we all have dozens of times a week, where what we mean to say doesn’t quite land in the way we expect it to.

Take a look at my recent blog on the topic of workplace conflict, which will hopefully provide some practical advice on managing situations that may occur 👉

Most workplace conflict doesn’t begin with an argument or a formal complaint. More often, it starts in quieter, more subtle ways – a comment that lands awkwardly, feedback that feels sharper than it was meant to, or a conversation where two people walk away with very different interpretations of...

11/02/2026

Every year, just before we break up for Christmas, I share a reflection worksheet with my clients. It's a way to intentionally close one chapter before stepping into the next, and helps create the clarity that’s so useful as we move forward.

I know we’re now well into 2026… but it’s never too late to pause, reflect, and decide what you actually want this year to feel like. If you haven’t done your end‑of‑year reflection yet, don’t worry, your future self will still thank you for starting today! 😜

1️⃣ If 2026 is going to be an amazing year, what would it look like/include?

2️⃣ If there was nothing holding you back, what bold move would you make in 2026?

3️⃣ What were your frustrations and disappointments last year, and how are you addressing them in 2026?

4️⃣ What are the personal qualities that you would like to develop and what difference would these make?

Give them a try and let me know how you get on!

If you'd like a full copy, drop me a message with your email address and I'll send it to you.

19/01/2026

It may be today, but I’ve been leaning into some of my favourite ways to keep the grey, wet January blues at bay. So far this month has been full of birthday celebrations, getting my roots done (very important part of self-care!) time with my favourite people, long dog walks, and plenty of cosy evenings curled up by the fire 🔥🍁🦮🫶
What about you - what brings you joy and helps you beat the January blues?

23/12/2025

And it’s that time again… the one where the dog is utterly unimpressed about being asked to wear reindeer antlers ...and in fact flat out refuses!

Wishing you a wonderful holiday season - whatever that may look like for you. Whether it’s time with family and friends or some well-deserved downtime on your own, I hope you get the chance to recharge and come back fresh for the adventures that 2026 will undoubtedly bring!

Happy holidays and see you in 2026!