Why leading without purpose is just managing?

We are purpose-driven creatures.  We need to understand why we do what we do, meaning creates the motivation to do whatever it is we need to do.  Yet, often, leaders leave the purpose to chance, allowing team members to work it out for themselves.  

In this podcast Rob, Rich and Paul explore why leaders need a higher purpose, something that explains why we are doing what we are doing, to drive the team forward, to allow them to priorities resources and to know when they can say no.

This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do.  It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader. 

You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash.com

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Posted On July 29, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, The question is, Uncategorized /  

How do I create a high performing hybrid workforce?

With many organisations considering hybrid working, what does that change about the ways that we manage people?

Ricky and Paul walk through some of the key areas that managers need to consider if they are leading a team that combines working styles – office, home and various hybrid options.

In some ways, managing a team is managing a team, and where the team works should not make much difference. Yet, in other ways, mixing home workers and office workers can create some unique challenges that will require teams, and managers, to change their approach to maintain peak performance.

Photo by Jaz King on Unsplash

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Posted On July 22, 2021 By webadmin In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /  

Will a hybrid model for the workplace be as easy as it sounds?

As the pandemic lockdown hopefully draws to a close, many of us are starting to consider how will we work going forward. Will we return to the office as if nothing happened, or will many people carry on working from home?

Many organisations are considering hybrid working, splitting the working week between home and office, but is this a simple as it sounds? 

In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore some of the challenges and advantages, from power to personality, collaboration to management style; we think about what needs to happen to make this approach work for everyone.

Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash

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Posted On July 1, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /  

In what ways do senior leaders need to think differently?

Leadership roles require different cognitive skills than many of the roles we do earlier on in our careers, but often we are expected to work this out for ourselves.

In this podcast, Richard and Ricky explore what this means. What is different about the way in which senior people need to think, and what does that mean for them and the way that they work?

This podcast is the third of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.

You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them here.

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Posted On June 18, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /  

Do leaders have a natural strength or are they better at building resilience?

Leadership roles, big all-encompassing roles can be great fun, but doing them can have a big impact on your physical and mental health.

While it might look like the people who end up in these top jobs just have natural resilience. However, for many, resilience is actually part of their leadership discipline. 

In this podcast, Richard and Paul reflect on the habits and behaviours that they have seen in leaders who continually build their resilience to ensure they have the physical and mental health to deal with the demands of the role.

This podcast is the third of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.

You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them here.

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Posted On June 3, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, Resilience, The question is /  

Why do leaders need to consider the impact of their job on their personal life?

While sometimes it is hard to admit, if you have a big job, such as a senior leadership role, it does impact almost every part of your life. To operate successfully in these demanding roles, you need to be able to find a balance between work and private lives that works for you and for the others in your life. Managing this balance, and some of the conflict that naturally arises out of it is something that is often only tackled when problems arise.

Richard and Ricky explore how leaders can develop a clear understanding of their priorities (work and home) and engage their families in the decisions about how to manage the demands of their role.

This podcast is the second of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.

You can find out more about the four areas and how we use them here

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Posted On May 20, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, The question is /  

In what ways do senior leaders need to be aware of what’s happening around them?

Senior people need high levels of awareness to be able to do their jobs effectively, but what exactly does it mean to be more aware. In this podcast, Richard and Paul discuss how awareness of self, others, their organisation and the market place is different as people rise in organisations, and for those wishing to do so how they might start developing that awareness.

This podcast is the first of four podcasts considering what is required of anyone who wants to take a senior role or highly demanding job in an organisation.

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Posted On May 7, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Leadership, Podcasts, The question is /  

Why is empathy a vital leadership skill?

Do you need to understand others to be able to lead them, or is a compelling idea or vision enough?

In this podcast, Richard and Paul explore the role of empathy in our lives, talking through what empathy is, and the advantages and disadvantages of empathy to leaders. Can people who master empathy can utilise this trait to become more effective leaders?

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Posted On April 23, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Resilience, The question is /  

Why am I suddenly so critical of myself?

All of us can be hard on ourselves sometimes, but when we are under pressure, or stressed, or like right now worn out after a difficult year, sometimes our inner critic can be very harsh.

In this podcast, Richard and Rob explore why this happens and some of the things that we might be doing that with a little awareness we can take control of and change our thinking to make it more helpful and hopeful.

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Posted On March 19, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Podcasts, Resilience, The question is /