Reflecting on my historical research papers, I find that my observations on leadership still resonate strongly in today's often cruel and challenging workplace. Leading at your best starts from the inside out.
When we think about leadership, we often focus on what we do—skills, behaviours, decisions. But sustainable leadership change begins with how we think. Mind-sets shape behaviours, and behaviours shape cultures.
In "Lead at your best", I explore five simple, practical exercises that help leaders recognise and shift the mind-sets that limit their impact:
1️⃣ Find your strengths – Moving from a deficit mindset to one grounded in strengths unlocks energy, meaning, and better performance for individuals and teams.
2️⃣ Practice the pause – Creating space between trigger and response helps leaders act intentionally rather than react defensively.
3️⃣ Forge trust – Trust grows from reliability, congruence, acceptance, and openness—and leaders build it through behaviour, not intention.
4️⃣ Choose your questions wisely – Shifting from problem-focused to solution-focused questions changes conversations, engagement, and outcomes.
5️⃣ Make time to recover – High performance isn't about working harder, but managing energy through deliberate recovery.
The core message is simple: lasting leadership change doesn't come from trying harder—it comes from seeing differently. When leaders work with their mind-sets, new behaviours emerge naturally, and cultures begin to shift.
If you're interested in leading with greater clarity, trust, and impact, this paper offers a practical place to start.