Many years ago, I read that once a company gets to £100k, that the strategies you used to get there aren’t suitable to push you up further. There’s a ceiling of skills. It’s a tough pill to swallow. All the great stuff I did, won’t work anymore!  So, you know that part of you that got sh*t done? The version of you that could take anything life threw at them, the pressure, the deadlines, the chaos, and just get on with it? Well, it does have a ceiling, unfortunately

We grew up with the idea that legacy is something you build by creating a ‘thing’. Work hard, create a unique product that goes viral. All the sacrifices are worth it if you just make a name for yourself. I’ve been reflecting on this recently as I’ve been rewriting my will and with that, having to think about what happens to my business when I die. A sobering thought.

Do you know why companies put people on gardening leave when they resign or are let go? Yes, partly because they may take or reveal sensitive information (but let’s be real, if they were going to do that likely they have already done it). Really it’s because these companies are aware of contagious emotion. One person who feels very negative about a workplace can very quickly become the source of a lot of discontent, so companies get them out quickly.  

Leadership comes from within, for anyone, whether you are a junior right at the bottom or the leader at the top, you need to understand where you fit so that you can thrive. While I understand the theory behind non-hierarchical structures, they don’t work – certainly I haven’t seen one that did (do let me know if you have one!) As one client said to me, we now have executives spending an hour photocopying when they are paid $300 an hour. 

Today I pulled someone up on their behaviour in a public post, gently but firmly. In response to a light comment I made on a topic they were discussing, they replied making huge assumptions about my knowledge and with a very aggressive tone. I simply asked them not to speak to me in such a condescending way. I didn’t get aggressive or retaliate, but just calmly placed a boundary around how I wish to be spoken to. This is still something new for me and something I’m getting used to being able to do, but so important if we want to avoid surrounding ourselves with the wrong people.  

I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership this week and what an intricate balance it is. Leadership is really not a real ‘thing’ and yet it’s a ‘thing’ that has always been around. Right back to our hunter gatherer days someone would have made the decision where we went and what we did. It’s strange that something untouchable and almost unquantifiable, is also something that changes with each person is so incredibly important to the functioning of human beings and our planet.

I’ve been surprised recently by the number of leaders, both in the news and outside of it, who think that leadership is about control. I’m not going to get into politics here, but controlling isn’t leading—it’s dictating. The problem is that most people hate conflict and lack the skill set to manage it, so instead of dealing with the actual issue (or person), they jump to impose a rule or boundary that is unnecessary. This is reactive and is often based on an old childhood fear of conflict too.

Last week I took a week off and ran away to a beautiful cottage with a friend who was also writing her book. Lost in woods and nature and listening to the change in birdsong as it got dark, we both realised how lovely it was to just be able to focus on one thing for a whole week…. So calm and relaxing

This week I had the same conversation with two of my clients. They are both struggling with a team member who they feel is deliberately being awkward. Here’s the reality, most people are tired, stressed and have a lot of emotional baggage knocking around. Most people are stuck in their own heads trying to make their way through the maze of their own life. They aren’t often thinking about you. 

A little while ago I was having a big sort out of my cabin, and all the paperwork and course notes that we all tend to hold on to! It was interesting to see how basic and simple a lot of the coursework was. I remember doing my coach training and struggling to learn some starter sentences to get us all going. I struggled to learn all the key phrases and how to hold the structure of all the things a session should include in my head whilst also listening to my clients!

"Keep calm and carry on"—remember when that phrase first popped up?

It felt clever, like the perfect antidote to our fast-paced, stress-filled world. Soon enough, it was everywhere—on mugs, posters, even underwear. Then came mindfulness, sliding into its place as the next big thing. It wasn’t just about meditation anymore; it became a brand—packaged into apps, books, and retreats that promised peace in just a few clicks.

Recently, I went on a hot air balloon flight. I’ll be honest, it was a cold November day, slightly drizzly, and I had a million things I could have filled the day with. In all honesty, I didn’t want to go, but as it was a gift, I went. I dropped off a friend on the way, and as she left the car, she said, ‘If you’re feeling moody about it, then think, what if this was the last time I ever get to do this thing?’ I immediately reframed my thinking and switched to focusing on all the wonderful photos I could take