leadership

Characteristics of leadership: how do you score?

Businesses that thrive are ones with employees that are equipped to lead themselves. Today’s rapid technological change and uncertain economy requires this. Such a mindset not only creates greater satisfaction for individuals, but benefits the organisation’s customer satisfaction, competitiveness and productivity.

Everyone is accountable for leading themselves. It is a mindset rather than a position.

Having successfully led myself in roles from payroll team lead to Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Change Director whilst juggling being a mother of five; I understand how challenging life can be and how mindset can be pivotal to success.  read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Life Lessons: 3 key lessons to appreciate your team

Life Lessons: 3 key lessons to appreciate your team

Much has been said about Theresa May over the weekend by people more eloquent than myself.  My observation is that she is having to learn some hard life lessons in a very public manner about the value of working as a team.  No matter what your political views may be, Theresa needs our compassion as she learns these lessons.

In the middle of leading a large change programme, I was unexpectedly widowed and survived that period in my life through acts of kindness at work and at home. Over night my whole value base shifted to fully recognise the importance of people.  This was not just for my husband, who sadly I had lost, but also for the value the other people in my life brought. These are the values I believe we need for innovative, creative leadership to be successful. They are ones Theresa May is having to learn very publicly – the value of a team working together, the different individual contributions team members can make and learning to listen to people. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Innovation: is your company staying ahead?

Are you and your company innovating?

Today’s dynamic marketplaces necessitate that leaders perpetually innovate to remain competitive.  Successful companies – such as Microsoft and Apple expect innovation and leadership at all levels, bringing the benefits of;

  •  improved performance
  •  innovation in everything that is done
  •  inspired teams that deliver great things.

Kill the myth that innovation is something somebody else does.

 A mindful leader is someone who embodies leadership presence by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity and compassion to reach common goals that maximize the well-being of all stakeholders. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Women: do they make good coaches?

When I started my career in IT, I was often the only woman on the team.  What I observed was that men operated differently and I had to learn to adapt to a new set of team social rules.  In my experience men are;

  • much more direct
  • may even shout at you when irritated
  • not hold a grudge afterwards.

Having a mentor to help with this learning became an imperative for me and was enormously beneficial.

If like me you are in the second half of your career, you may have ruminated on how you operate in the workplace.  Meeting up with a former manager from my youth, he reminded me how when I first worked for him I did not speak up in a group situation, even when he knew I had some good ideas.  This is not an uncommon trait in a woman at work. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Why gender equity is good

Great article from Judy Marks, CEO Siemens US about strengthening the workplace culture through gender equality.  Companies with 30% or more women in their teams are 6% more profitable.  Diversity of thought, perspectives, talent, and backgrounds that women bring is a competitive asset.  To achieve greater gender equity mentoring is important plus learning the key skill of being a great negotiator.

Read the full article for yourself at;

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-gender-equity-good-business-judy-marks read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Changing face of leadership

Changing Face of Leadership

Our world is changing as witnessed by the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump in the U.S. and Italy’s decision not to accept the proposal for reform to governance leading to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s resignation.

Mark Carney speaking in Liverpool’s John Moore University warned that people will reject free and open markets unless something is done to help those left behind by the financial crisis and globalisation.

“Globalisation is associated with low wages, insecure employment, stateless corporations and striking inequalities.” read more

By Alison Wem, ago