Are we still beginners learning leadership?

Wilf Blackburn | 04 Jun 2025

Thousands of books have been written on business leadership. But when it comes to implementing their ideas, we still seem to be at the beginning of the journey.

Legal thinking belongs at the management table

Sarah Clark

Legal thinking should be a core part of effective management. Treating it as an afterthought or a clean-up operation is when things unravel.

Pay vs benefits: What really matters to employees?

Ian Nicholas

Do employees still prioritise pay, or are other benefits are now playing an equally important role in shaping job satisfaction and loyalty?

The case for connection: reclaiming the human side of work

Sonya Alexander

As artificial intelligence redefines the workplace, we risk losing touch with the very interactions that underpin effective teams and resilient organisations.

Why leaders should trust their intuition

Lynda Shaw

Leaders who balance their gut feelings with analytical thinking make faster, more authentic decisions, especially when navigating complexity in fast-paced environments.

Why neurodivergent leaders are still made to feel like outsiders

Michelle Carson

It's about time that organisations start addressing the structural realities that continue to marginalise neurodivergent professionals in the workplace.

Balancing the corporate gender tightrope

Megan Seibel

Gender inequality remains entrenched on corporate boards. So is a better understanding cognitive diversity the answer to getting more women in the boardroom?

From the archive

Morale: a moving target

Duane Dike

What we think we know about morale is probably wrong, especially the black and white notion that morale is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Like most human feelings, morale is a moving target, which is why being sensitive to its nuances is such a key skill for leaders.

Max McKeown

Recession survival strategies

Max McKeown

Right now, you need to be thinking about how you will emerge and thrive from the recession ahead of your competition. But how? To point you in the right direction, here's Max McKeown's advice on dealing with the financial crisis.

Janet Howd

Day-dream your way to a better presentation

Janet Howd

We all need help to prepare and deliver better presentations. One effective - if unexpected – way to do this is to harness the energizing power of day-dreaming.

Dan Bobinski

Entrepreneurial spirit grows among seniors

Dan Bobinski

More older people than ever are starting their own businesses. But why should this be a surprise? After all, 70 is the new 50 - and nothing beats the wisdom forged by experience.

Michael Jones

Horizontal leadership and the spaces in between

Michael Jones

Horizontal leaders don’t just think outside the box, they think outside the building, seeking answers and opportunities in the ill-defined, ambiguous spaces at the boundaries of sectors, disciplines and capabilities.

Earlier opinion

Inclusive strategies for hospitality managers

Stefano Battaglia

With international travel now accessible to an ever-growing proportion of the global population, in the hospitality sector, diversity can be a building block to a premium customer experience.

Garbage in, garbage out

David Livermore

Even the best AI tools display cultural bias. So without knowing how to write culturally intelligent AI prompts, it's easy to end up with content that is not quite right for your intended audience.

Five remote team new year's resolutions

Wayne Turmel

The new year is a great time to ask some fundamental questions about how your remote team works together and what needs to change.

Supporting mental health on remote and hybrid teams

Wayne Turmel

As a team leader, you need to be aware of the mental health of your team. So here are ten things to consider about creating and maintaining a healthy workplace environment.

Three key leadership skills for 2025

Tony Fournier

As technology evolves at breakneck speed, what are the leadership qualities that will be most critical in 2025?

Remote teams and common goals

Wayne Turmel

When your team isn’t physically co-located, how do you help everyone understand and stay focused on their common goals?

The great reset

Andrey Yashunky

Sometimes the only way to remove the fog clouding the future is a complete reset - in whatever form that might take.

Why remote work can be hard on trust

Wayne Turmel

Trust is critical to successful remote and hybrid work. But even with the best of intentions, doubt and suspicion can creep in.

Getting honest feedback as a long-distance leader

Wayne Turmel

Getting honest feedback is critical for anyone in a leadership role. But imagine how much more difficult this is when you and your team are in different physical places.

The benefits of a bucket list

Ian Child

Life’s too short not to have dreams. It doesn't matter if they are big, small, expensive or cheap, the important thing is to try to make them happen.

Parenthood and ESG

Jean-Sébastien Pelland

Becoming a parent is a life-changing event. And the realisation that our children will have to grow up in whatever world we leave behind can also have a big impact on how business leaders perceive growth and sustainability.

Hybrid work: do you want a mule or a platypus?

Wayne Turmel

Would you describe the hybrid workplace as a mule or as a platypus? Stick with me, because the question is not as crazy as it might sound.