Tag Archive for: growth mindset

The Pause That Leads

I meet lots of different people.
A term I frequently hear them use is “𝐈’𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲”.
In fact, I hear it every day, many times over.
More recently however, I have started to hear a new phrase surface.
“𝑪𝒓𝒂𝒛𝒚 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒚”.
It seems busyness has reached a new level.
Is that you? How did it get this way?
It’s not wrong to get tired, or stressed or anxious, or even feel overwhelmed.
It not wrong to go through seasons where it feels like you are managing chaos, rather than moving with purpose…
Every one of us will pass through periods of complexity in our lives – it happens.
Those times when work simply accelerates, responsibilities layer on top of one another and our capacity to hold on to everything can feel like too much.
The question isn’t “Why am I feeling this way?”
A better question may be “What is this feeling trying to teach me?”
In leadership, we often speak about resilience, agility and capacity.
Yet before we know it, as expectations shift, demands increase and projects multiply, we aren’t leading anymore, we’re simply absorbing.
That’s when we need to slow down and take some time to think.
Take time to acknowledge the pressure, to set boundaries and choose presence over speed, creating a space not only for ourselves to breathe and reset, but also others too.
Its my experience that these seasons of “crazy busy” don’t define us, they simply 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆 us.
Those times will pass, they always do.
We all need to slow down a little more, take some time to breathe, reset our boundaries and take some moments to recalibrate.
By taking some time to pause long enough and notice what’s happening within us, we can lead the way not from a point of exhaustion, but from a position of clarity and confidence.
As we do so, we give others the permission to do the same.
So, take that pause today, even a small one and let it steady you.
Let it bring you back to yourself, with a clearer mind, a calmer heart and a renewed sense of purpose.
What one shift would help you lead the way with more clarity and less chaos?

Lighter Hearts, Better Days…

I meet a lot of people.
Lots.
Politely they’ll ask me, “How are you?”
Over the years, I have tried many different responses…
You know the type…
“Good”… “fine”… “alright”… perhaps even an occasional “great”… “superb” or even “brilliant!”
You have probably tried a few of these yourself.
When I ask the question myself, regularly I get very similar replies.
Some years ago, dear friends gifted me a book written by George Durrant, entitled “My Best day so far.”
Of all the responses I now love to give is “its my best day so far…”
Listen out for it, when I meet you next.
It got me thinking however…
Recently in many facilitated workshops, at the very start of our sessions together, we slow down and check in with attendees asking them how they are feeling, to bring some clarity to their thinking.
We share a “feelings wheel” and ask them to consider how they are really doing as we begin the programme.
Over these last few months, I have heard many responses, including “excited, nervous, curious, anxious, enthusiastic etc…”
In the conversations that follow it’s clear that many arrive with light and buoyant hearts, whilst others are much heavier, often after a long day of travel.
What I’m learning is this: a light heart in leadership isn’t accidental, it’s chosen.
And more often than not, I’ve discovered it’s shaped by simple habits that quietly reveal themselves as we work together.
When we start with that kind of openness, groups breathe easier and conversations deepen.
I’ve learned that’s the best part of checking in with one another, it gives us permission to show up honestly and offers a gentle reminder that we don’t have to navigate the day with a heavy heart.
In fact, if we choose it to be, it really could be “my best day so far…”
What helps your own heart stay buoyant, even on the heavy days?

Shared Purpose, Individual Paths

This week I’ve been delivering to a senior group on the new Lead the Way programme with Aviva in Perth.
As the pace of delivery picks up for me, I’m starting to see the programme in a slightly different way, from the inside out.
More people are coming through the learning centre, more conversations are happening, and each session adds a deeper layer to my understanding of the learning outcomes.
What hit me most this week, is how different every group feels, even when the content is identical.
My co-facilitators and I often use the same stories, the same themes, and similar ways of framing ideas.
Yet the reactions and insights keep shifting. A point that sparks debate in one room lands quietly in another. And a topic that feels simple one day becomes the heart of a long discussion the next.
No two programmes ever seem to unfold in the same way.
Yesterday, I also noticed a few balloons from last week’s launch are still in the learning centre. They share the same space and purpose, but each one has its own colour and shape. A simple reminder that even with a shared programme, every person brings something different to the room.
It is a clear reminder that every person attending is unique.
Each delegate brings their own mix of experience, questions, confidence, and expectations. It also means that our approach as facilitators can never be that one size fits all.
The content doesn’t shift, but everyone brings it to life in their own way.
We have to notice what each participant needs, respond to the moment, and make space for each participant to think for themselves.
For me, leadership and coaching follow similar patterns.
Leadership begins with meeting people where they are.
Coaching grows from listening, adapting, and supporting the next step that fits them.
With every session, the more I see what matters most.
Content helps, but it is not the heart of the experience. The heart is seeing each person one by one, as they really are. That is where learning starts. That is where leadership grows.
How would your leadership change if you slowed down long enough to understand what each person needs?

The Slowless Society

Earlier this week, a nasty bug forced me to slow down and spend a couple of days in bed.
On the upside, it allowed me some time to think.
And I realised something once more…
In our modern world, everything around us is designed for speed, at full throttle: fast answers, fast success, fast solutions, fast change, fast communications and fast paced results!
All in an instant!
Our phones, computers and tablets buzz constantly with the latest message and update – my own devices were merrily beeping around me.
Faster and faster and faster.
More scrolling, less living.
We live in what I’m now calling a 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚.
I turned to one of my favourite scriptures for grounding – Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God”.
Yet in our world there is a strong allergy towards stillness.
More noise, less His voice.
Hurry grows; clarity goes, whilst complexity swirls around us.
We’ve moved from that older “microwave mentality or mindset” to something I fear is far more pervasive.
Simply stated, it is the belief that everything meaningful in life should arrive instantly, without delay, without effort, and certainly without patience.
But my experience is that the soul doesn’t work at microwave speed.
Neither does growth.
Nor discipleship, leadership, healing, or even wisdom.
All of these require time.
And time is one of the greatest gifts we are given, but one that we so rarely honour.
Our Slowless Society pushes us to hurry, to rush, to skip the process, and to become frustrated when life doesn’t heat up in 60 seconds.
It was good to be forced to slow down and be still.
My realisation was this…
Speed steals what stillness reveals.
It’s not about speed, it’s about intention.
What might stillness reveal if I made space for it today?

Reflections from the Edge

Yesterday, I was co-facilitating a leadership session in Perth with my colleague Sophie Edmond.
Early in the session, we were talking about past leadership programmes the participants had attended.
As stories were shared, a favourite poem by Christopher Logue came to mind.
I recited it as best I could to the group and then after finding it again online, wrote it up on a flipchart…
𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It’s too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and he pushed,
And they 𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒘.
Afterwards, I noticed a few puzzled expressions around the room.
I took some time to explain my thoughts.

From comfort to stretch zone

When asked to be a leader, it can often bring us right to the very edge of our comfort zone.
It can also challenge our capability, of what we think we can handle.
And yet, here they were, leaders from all walks of life, and different parts of the Aviva organisation, showing up with curiosity, openness, and the courage to start stretching their wings.
Yes, there was hesitation.
Yes, there was fear.
But there was also a real willingness to grow, to take risks, to learn and to move into their stretch zones.
Through my lifetime, I have learned that leadership is oftentimes about pushing past our fears.
Sometimes it’s about holding the space while others get ready.
But time and again, it’s about standing at the edge with your people… encouraging, challenging, supporting and knowing when to move forward together.
That’s what I witnessed in Perth yesterday.
Leaders on the edge.
Some nervous. Some unsure. But all leaning in.
Not just ready to learn, but ready to lead others to the edge, to fly… and beyond.
I can’t wait to be back with them all today and encourage a little more!
What are you doing and how are you helping others to find their wings?

A different kind of tired

I’ve had a great, but exhausting week!

At the start of the new leadership programme – Lead the Way, with Aviva in Perth, there’s a familiar pattern emerging.

People arrive mid-afternoon, often after an early start and a long journey.

They mostly arrive with a little travel tiredness, having transitioned from back-to-back meetings into something unknown.

After all, they’ve just stepped away from the buzz of their day jobs, where decisions are constant and time is tight.

So, we slow them down.

It’s one of the quiet, yet very special gifts of this programme: two full days where they’re not doing the day job, rather, they’re encouraged to think differently.

Reflecting.

Paying attention to themselves and others in ways they usually don’t have time for.

A New Tired

And yet by the end of those two days, my discovery this week is they’re still tired, just in a completely other way.

It’s not the tiredness of logistics or deadlines.

It’s the stretch that comes from working with new models, testing fresh ideas, and forming new connections, not only in their minds, but with each other too.

It takes a great deal of effort to tune into those emotions, to have honest conversations, and explore their own leadership habits.

It’s also the kind of tired that comes from meaningful work.

And somewhere in all that effort, I have witnessed many who start to see a shift in mindset.

A quiet clarity.

The occasional Aha moment where something lands differently and opens up in a new way.

It’s not always comfortable, but it is purposeful. And for many, it’s long overdue.

So yes, they do leave tired.

But it’s a good tired, for each of them.

A stretched, thoughtful, worthwhile kind of tired.

And from what I’ve seen, it’s the kind that stays with you.

When was the last time you were stretched in a way that felt meaningful?

New. Uncomfortable. Stretching.

Yesterday was my first time running the new Lead the Way leadership programme for Aviva in Perth.
I’d worked with my co-facilitator Jane many times online over the last 26 days, but this was the first time we had actually met in person.
So right from the start, I was feeling that mix of excitement and a wee bit of nerves too…
And I wasn’t the only one!
As delegates started arriving, there was a quiet tension in the waiting area.
A subtle mix of anticipation, nerves, and curiosity.
Uncomfortable, yes. But that’s often where the good stuff starts to happen.
Jane and I were definitely in the stretch zone too. After all we were delivering this session live together for the first time.
There’s always a bit of uncertainty when you’re doing something new, even if you’ve prepared.
Life has taught me for sure, that growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone!
Early on in the session, we invited each delegate to pause and simply notice what they were feeling.
Not to fix it or fight it – just to notice.
There’s real power in staying present, in leaning into the awkward, uncertain, or emotionally charged moments and I have learned its essential for growth, but not easy for everyone.
We talked about how useful it is to stay with those tricky emotions rather than brushing them aside.
In leadership and in life too, I know that discomfort can show up right before something meaningful happens.
That ability of noticing without reacting is key when you’re leading teams too.
It can help you understand your own reactions and allows you to empathise with the emotions of your team.
By the end of the day, everyone had started to explore their own leadership style with more honest feelings.
There was more openness, more self-awareness, and definitely a bit more ease in the room too.
It was a solid start and a good reminder that discomfort isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong.
Most of the time, it means you’re right where you need to be.
Day 2 – here we come!
What helps you stay grounded when things feel uncertain?

Foiled Again!

This week, like last, I’ve been quietly observing the new leadership programmes at Aviva in Perth.
But there’s another, less formal, daily challenge I face alongside my fellow facilitators, and it comes wrapped in foil!
Every morning, the catering team lays out a display of Tunnock’s finest: tea cakes, snowballs, caramel logs, and my personal favourite – caramel wafers.
It’s an iconic Scottish institution after all, a proud family-run business.
And here’s the problem.
Because while the visiting delegates (currently mostly from England) dig in, (its hospitality after all and a wee taste of Scotland), I find myself staring at the table, having a little internal leadership moment.
It’s a daily test of self-discipline.
It sounds silly, right? It’s just a biscuit!
But self-discipline is one of the most underrated traits of great leadership for anyone who wants to lead the way.
It’s about the choices we make when no one’s watching, especially the small ones. And those small choices can all add up.
I must admit to having failed once or twice last week.
If I can’t say no to a caramel wafer at the next break, how will I hold a boundary under pressure?
How will I stay committed to the long-term over the easy win?
How will I model the kind of leadership I expect from others?
The truth is simply this, self-discipline isn’t about denying joy, rather It’s about directing it.
Choosing long-term growth over short-term gratification.
Building habits that make future decisions easier.
And in leadership, those habits ripple out, that can shape culture, model behaviours and build trust.
So, this week, I’ve started to leave left the Tunnock’s on the table.
Not because I don’t love them (I really do), but because I love what I’m building more, and that starts with leading myself.
I think I’ll keep a wee eye on my fellow facilitators too!
Or am I the only one facing this regular test?
Besides… they’ll still be there next week. Probably. Maybe. 😉
What small habit could you build this week that reflects the kind of leader you want to be?

Back in the Flow

After many years of working for myself, stepping into a bustling office with over 1,200 people has been quite a shift, not just in the environment itself, but in the new rhythm for me of travelling most days to Perth.

The pace of corporate life has returned to my life, and it is relentless!

Processes, procedures, and meetings stack up fast in my inbox and Teams.

Decisions are a constant, with priorities shifting continuously.

There is also a buzz, excitement and energy in the air too.

But amid all that motion, I’ve noticed there’s something more subtle happening.

Yesterday, I began observing a new leadership programme here at Aviva’s Perth office, a listed building built in the late 1970’s as an HQ for General Accident, with beautiful Japanese style gardens.

The Power of the Pause

As I watched people arrive, settle, and begin to engage, what stood out wasn’t just the structure of the sessions, it was the power of pausing.

In a corporate setting where everything runs at full tilt, it was fascinating to see people start to slow down and take some time to think.

To truly listen and engage.

To be and to stay present with each other.

It reminded me that effective leadership isn’t just about drive, oftentimes it’s much more about depth.

And sometimes, the most valuable progress happens when people stop rushing long enough to think clearly, connect genuinely, and reflect honestly.

Many were curious.

Others a little vulnerable.

Many were considering, maybe for the first time in a while, what kind of leader they really want to be and what was there why.

Rolling up my sleeves and getting stuck in has been both energising and tiring!

There’s momentum here, and excitement about what’s ahead and we’ve just begun the journey, as have I.

There’s also a hunger to lead the way.

But there’s also wisdom in making time to find some quiet space in the noise of corporate life, for thought, for perspective, for growth and importantly for slowing down.

It’s in the quietness there, in the thinking time, and in being fully present, that I can already see many finding their strength.

What might shift if you gave yourself more time to think and to pause more often?

The crazy side of leadership

Having a BYU student come stay with us, has brought out our younger thinking again, and on Saturday, we decided to do something fun together.
Monic, Amilya and I spent the afternoon at Adventure Island crazy golf.
It was a fun hour, full of laughter, silly obstacles, and some interesting putting techniques!
Both Monic and Amilya even managed to get a hole in 1…!
Monic emerged as the victor with the lowest score, I was second, and Amilya took third spot.
But truthfully, the real joy wasn’t in the positions, it was in the hilarity of it all, somehow, I even managed to miss scoring one hole altogether. 😆
Learning is all around us, and reflecting afterwards, two simple leadership lessons stood out.

Lessons Learned

Firstly, like life, the course was full of twists and turns.
Crazy golf is deliberately designed to throw you off balance.
Just when you think you’ve got a straight shot to the hole, a hidden slope, an awkward obstacle, or some weird random bounce or twist, changes everything.
Leadership is no different.
Plans rarely play out in straight forward, predictable ways.
Obstacles crop up, a few spanners are thrown in the works, things shift unexpectedly, and what looks simple suddenly becomes really complex.
Yet it’s my experience, that good leaders don’t get upset, they simply adapt, laugh at the obstacles, and keep moving forward.
Secondly, celebrate each other’s wins.
On Saturday, we kept a scorecard, but at the end, what mattered was cheering one another on.
Monic’s victory became a fun celebration for us all.
There were several high fives and congratulations offered on the course.
In teams and organisations, many times I’ve witnessed leaders who celebrate others’ successes create an environment where people feel recognised and valued.
That spirit of encouragement can lead to even more motivation and trust than any personal award could.

So, whether on a putting green filled with pirate-ship obstacles or in the middle of a leadership challenge at work, remember to expect the twists, and cheer loudly when others succeed.

In the end, it isn’t just about the score, it’s really about the experience you create together.
What “crazy golf” moments are shaping your leadership right now?