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Stuck leading when all you wanted was to build something great?

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Myers-Briggs is horoscopes for smart people

Hi Reader, Your team-building retreat astrologer has arrived "I'm sorry Sarah from Accounting, but Mercury is in retrograde AND you're an ISFP, so clearly you can't handle the quarterly reports this month." Myers-Briggs is horoscopes for people who think they're too smart for horoscopes. The research is clear. MBTI has about as much scientific validity as reading tea leaves. Stein & Swan demolished it beautifully: 🔹 It's based on Carl Jung's theories (which, spoiler alert, weren't exactly...

your job vs. your gift

Hi Reader, I have a weird question for you. If the world ended tomorrow and you found yourself at the gates of the last functioning community on earth... What would you tell them you bring to the table? Not your job title. Not your technical skills. Not your industry expertise. What essence of you would actually matter to a group of humans trying to rebuild? I've been asking this question to leaders for months. The answers always surprise them: "I'd help people remember their worth." "I'd...

why everyone comes to you for the answers

Hi Reader, Are you accidentally crushing your team’s potential? Here's the thing about good intentions: They can be your biggest leadership blind spot. You hire brilliant people. You want them to succeed. But somehow, your team keeps coming to you for answers instead of bringing solutions. Sound familiar? Liz Wiseman's research in Multipliers reveals a uncomfortable truth: leaders with the best intentions often suppress their team's intelligence without realising it. You're not trying to...

You can’t motivate your team

Hi Reader, I'm constantly asked: "How do I motivate my team?" Here's the uncomfortable truth: You can't. You can't inject motivation into people like a vitamin booster. You've either hired motivated people, or you haven't. But let's dig deeper.. because this isn't about giving up. It's about understanding what you actually control. Motivation = You + Them The "YOU" Side (what's actually in your control) Your responsibility is creating the conditions where motivation can thrive: 🔹 Are you...

"It's easier if I just do it myself" (until it isn't)

Hi Reader, Quick gut-check: In the last 30 days, how many times have you said "It's easier if I just do it myself"? No shame. Most brilliant, overextended leaders I work with say this constantly. It feels efficient. Until one day you're working at 4AM because "no one else will catch this," or sitting in your car too exhausted to walk into your own house. This isn't about efficiency. It's about control. And control becomes a prison. I had a client running a 50-person consultancy. Brilliant...

The “genius leader” myth is costing you more than you think

Hi Reader, We love to idolise leaders like Steve Jobs. And there is much to admire. April 2010 Times cover - he was on the cover of TImes 8x! His brilliance. The vision. The billion-dollar empire. But there’s another side to that story. His teams burnt out from 90-hour weeks. His command control style of leadership meant that departments paralysed, waiting for his approval. Great talent left because of the culture he created. And yet to talk about him as the visionary we need more of. What’s...

the time I almost got fired for being right

Hey Reader, Picture this: It’s the late 90s. South Africa. I’m 24 and freshly minted in program management, convinced I’m God’s gift to transformation projects. (I was not.) I’m working on a massive change initiative. Millions of Rands on the line, execs everywhere, and more ego than EQ in the room. And what does young, confident me do? I go around telling everyone why the program is doomed. Everyone except, you know… the person actually in charge. I was technically right. The plan had flaws....

"Can we talk Monday?"

Hi Reader, Nothing says ‘I might get fired’ like a vague meeting invite on a Friday afternoon. You know the one:“Can we talk Monday?” The intention could be completely innocent but for many of us, that one-liner triggers a weekend of spiralling. I know because I used to be that leader. And I’ve worked with dozens more who had no idea their casual “quick chat” was sparking full-blown anxiety in their teams. That’s the thing about stepping into leadership. Your words carry more weight than you...

struggling to hire? This might be why.

Hi Reader, "We just can't find the right people!" I hear this a lot from accidental leaders. The problem isn’t the market. It’s not even the job description. It’s you. You’re not hiring, you’re searching for a mini-me—and it’s sabotaging your growth. · Senior developer candidates? "Not technical enough." · Seasoned project managers? "Won't understand our complexity." · Experienced team leads? "Lack the domain expertise." You’re not hiring for talent—you’re hiring for comfort. I did the same...

“I’ve got this.”

Hi Reader, Quick q: What’s the hardest part of high-stakes conversations at work? 👉 Come vote over on Linkedin. (And if your brain replays those conversations at 3am—you're not alone.) "I'm handling it." "Just need to push through." "This is what I’m paid for!" After 13 years coaching, I can't count how many times I've heard these words - usually right before someone mentions their migraines, insomnia, or that relentless anxiety they can't shake. Here's what I want us to talk about: Your...

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