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Category: Leadership and Management Training

  • Female Leadership: Leading Change Now

    On 8th March, as we mark International Women’s Day around the globe, it feels more relevant than ever to recognise the women leading at every level — from Heads of State and CEOs to founders, frontline managers and mothers. Female leadership is quietly leading the way as the world around us appears to go from one crisis situation to another. A change is needed. Are women able to live up to the needs of a changing world?

    The global picture has shifted significantly in recent years. While women still hold only around a quarter of national parliamentary seats worldwide, and fewer than 10% of countries are led by a woman Head of State or Government at any given time, representation at senior levels is slowly increasing. In the corporate world, women now hold over 10% of Fortune 500 CEO roles — the highest proportion in history — and in the UK, women occupy more than 40% of FTSE 350 board positions. Progress, while uneven, is real and perhaps even to be accelerated in the Year of the Horse and the age of Aquarius.

    Recent and current female Heads of Government and State have included leaders such as Mette Frederiksen in Denmark, Giorgia Meloni in Italy, Sheikh Hasina in Bangladesh, Ingrida Šimonytė in Lithuania, and Katrín Jakobsdóttir in Iceland. In recent years we have also seen influential leadership from figures such as Angela Merkel in Germany and Sanna Marin in Finland, who served as Prime Minister from 2019 to 2023 and became one of the world’s youngest serving heads of government, leading through the COVID-19 pandemic and complex security shifts in Europe.

    It is not about whether we agree with their politics or even like them. The fact remains: women are leading nations, steering economies, managing crises and shaping global policy during periods marked by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, climate disruption and rapid technological change.

    What are the principal characteristics of female leadership?

    Can we clearly separate “female” and “male” leadership principles? Probably not. Leadership styles vary widely among individuals, influenced by upbringing, education, experience, personality, culture and values. Courage, decisiveness, empathy and resilience are not gender-bound qualities.

    However, research consistently shows that women leaders are often associated with strengths such as:

    •    High emotional intelligence and relational awareness

    •    The ability to consider both data and human impact in decision-making

    •    Collaborative and inclusive approaches

    •    Patience and long-term thinking

    •    Resilience and quiet determination

    •    Comfort with shared credit rather than personal spotlight

    •    Strong communication and listening skills

    •    Systems thinking — balancing multiple priorities simultaneously

    This does not suggest men lack these qualities. Rather, many of these attributes are frequently socialised and strengthened in women, and when brought consciously into leadership, they can significantly influence organisational culture and performance.

    Why does this matter now?

    We are living in a time defined by complex, interconnected challenges:

    •    Climate change and environmental degradation

    •    Rising chronic disease and health inequality

    •    Economic instability and widening wealth gaps

    •    Loneliness, mental health pressures and social fragmentation

    •    Food system sustainability and public health concerns

    These are not problems that respond well to purely hierarchical or short-term thinking. They require courage, collaboration, empathy, systems awareness and long-term stewardship.

    The question is not whether female leadership is “better.” The question is whether broader, more balanced leadership — drawing on the full spectrum of human capability — is essential for the world we now inhabit.

    How long can we continue to live in ways that compromise the inheritance of future generations?

    How long can we ignore the impact of industrialised systems — in food, energy and production and on health, ecosystems and communities?

    How long can we overlook the connection between how we lead and the wellbeing of those we lead?

    How long can we blindly drive forward in disharmony with the all living beings and the environment in which we live?

    A celebration — and a responsibility.

    Let us celebrate female leadership not only on International Women’s Day, but every day — in government, in business, in communities and in homes.

    Progress is not about replacing one form of leadership with another. It is about expanding what leadership looks like. It is about ensuring talent, perspective and capability are not limited by gender.

    Perhaps it is this more inclusive, emotionally intelligent and system-aware leadership — embodied by many women and increasingly embraced by men — that will help us steer the ship toward a more responsible, sustainable and humane future.

    And perhaps the real leadership question is not who leads — but how we choose to lead, and what legacy we intend to leave behind.

    Interested in developing your leadership team? Contact rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com or book a call https://www.greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com/pages/contact

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  • Fuel Performance: Why Leaders Can’t Afford to Ignore Nutrition

    In today’s high-pressure business world, it’s easy to get on to a soapbox about healthy eating—then realise that daily realities make it far harder than it sounds. Consider the challenges leaders and employees face:

    •    Demanding jobs and deadlines that leave little time to prepare food.

    •    Back-to-back meetings that mean lunch is whatever you can grab in five minutes.

    •    Stress from the unexpected—technical glitches, urgent client requests, supply chain disruptions.

    •    Family responsibilities—school runs, after-school activities, caring for children or elderly parents.

    •    Life's unexpected curveballs.

    Add them together, and whether working from home or an on-job location, it’s no surprise many professionals rely on quick fixes to fuel the body: takeaway meals, vending machine snacks, energy drinks, or ultra-processed convenience food.

    The Business Case for Better Nutrition

    The link between nutrition, productivity, and long-term health is well established. The human brain consumes around 20% of our body’s total energy—more than any other organ. When fuelled with nutrient-rich food, we think more clearly, make better decisions, and stay resilient under pressure. Perhaps more than that we inspire others to want to do their job with a cool head, full focus, humour when needed to remove any pressure, positive feedback and  vision. When fuelled with high-sugar, heavily processed food, performance declines—often without us realising.

    Common effects of poor workplace eating habits include:

    •    Afternoon energy slumps and reduced concentration.

    •    Increased sick days due to lower immunity.

    •    Brain fog, forgetfulness, and slower problem-solving.

    •    Increased sluggishness and or irritability with colleagues and family members.

    •    Lack of positivity.

    •    Long-term risk of metabolic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes and dementia.

    A 2023 study published in The Lancet Public Health found that diets high in ultra-processed foods were linked to increased rates of cognitive decline and depression. For knowledge workers, this is not just a personal health risk—it’s a productivity risk for the whole organisation.

    The Hidden Sugar Trap

    Sugar remains a major contributor to poor health outcomes. It’s not just in cakes and sweets—many “everyday” products contain hidden sugars, from ready-made soups to salad dressings. In the UK, research from Action on Sugar (2022) revealed that over 60% of popular savoury snacks and ready meals contained unnecessary added sugar.

    This is not simply about avoiding sweet treats—it’s about awareness. If leaders want high-performing teams and be high-performing themselves, they must encourage better choices and make them easy to access in the workplace.

    How Businesses Can Support Healthy Eating

    Changing habits starts with awareness and small, achievable actions:

    •    Make water the default – Provide filtered water stations in the office and encourage regular hydration.

    •    Offer seasonal, whole foods – Fresh fruit, vegetable platters, nuts, and whole grains support sustained energy.

    •    Limit ultra-processed snacks – Replace high-sugar, high-salt vending options with healthier alternatives.

    •    Encourage mindful eating – Protect lunch breaks from meeting creep so that leaders and employees can eat without rushing.

    •    Promote healthy fats – Avocados, nuts, oily fish, and olive oil to support brain health and reduce inflammation.

    •    Educate and engage – Short workshops, webinars and events on nutrition and a healthy lifestyle can help teams make better daily decisions.

    Why This Matters for Leadership

    Leaders set the tone. A workforce running on caffeine, sugar, and adrenaline is a workforce operating well below potential. By contrast, when healthy eating is part of company culture:

    •    Creativity and focus improve.

    •    Stress resilience increases.

    •    Employee satisfaction and retention rise.

    •    Problem solving and decision making improves both in speed and quality of decision made.

    •    Mental health improves.

    •    Employees and leaders have a better work-life integration.

    Good nutrition is not just a “wellness perk” — it’s your competitive advantage. When leaders and their teams eat well, they think faster, focus longer, bounce back quicker, and bring more energy to every challenge. Nutrient dead diets drain productivity; smart nutrition fuels it. If you want sharper decisions, stronger resilience, and bigger results, start with what’s on the plate. 

    Good nutrition is not just a "wellness perk"—it’s a business performance strategy.

    References:

    Monteiro, C.A. et al. (2023). Ultra-processed food consumption and risk of cognitive decline. The Lancet Public Health.

    Action on Sugar (2022). Hidden sugars in everyday foods report.

    Harvard Business Review (2020). The Business Case for Employee Wellbeing.

  • Great Leadership – Taking Difficult Decisions

    Teresa May quoted in a recent press conference on the reaction to the Brexit plan that has just been signed by all 27 member states – “Great leadership is not about taking the easy route, it is about making difficult decisions.”  Putting Brexit aside – I hear a sigh of relief?   This quote is at the heart of what effective leaders are faced with on a regular basis – that self questioning and draw of the easy route, which we all know rarely delivers, or taking that difficult decision which one knows will meet opposition, denial, ridicule and even refusal.

    Peter F. Drucker the management guru, once said, “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”

    Making that difficult decision takes courage to stand in the face of adversity and keep moving forward, despite your inner self reminding you that there is an easier route, which may leave you unscathed, (probably not in Theresa May’s case!), but completely dissatisfied with yourself.  In other words, not living your own truth.

    Currently in South Africa enjoying the beauty of the landscape, the birds and wild life, knowing that underneath all this is a very rocky and unstable government.  The new temporary president, Cyril Ramaphosa is walking the tight rope through the land reform, and the demands of the opposition who believe it is reasonable to take away and redistribute land from farmers who have bought and worked their land, in some cases for generations, to African communities in those areas, for no compensation. Ramaphosa has looked for common ground in the negotiations and has signed off on the land reform. However, with a caveat that land cannot simply be removed from farmers, there has to be a system to request the land and process that transition, with the goal of ensuring it stays productive in supplying food for the South African people.  Did Ramaphosa take the easy route, or that difficult decision?

    Mandala walked the tightrope throughout his life, bringing liberation to the people of South Africa.  He did not stop to blame those who created the apartheid regime, he simply kept his goal in mind and moved peacefully and assertively forward towards his goal, making those decisions that had to be made despite lack of support from many his own ANC members. Eventually it all paid off with the end of apartheid, with liberation for all and a new beginning for South Africa.  Did it take courage and dedication to live his vision?  Did he have to make difficult decisions? I believe there can be no more difficult a decision to take than committing yourself to life imprisonment to serve the greater good of your people.

    Being a leader takes courage, it takes courage to make the decisions that have to be made, knowing very often that it will not please many of your followers.  However, firstly taking a decision is important, and making that decision work through a plan of action, communicating that plan to others and keeping the ship on course to overcome barriers to change, whilst inspiring followers to embrace that change, bringing about something new, different and exceptional.

    What lies ahead for Theresa May, the British government and people is going to take great courage and leadership to drive forward on the decision to leave the EU, to keep “Britain Great” and move into a new history.

  • Are your employees not performing because they are suffering from poor or lack of sleep?

    According to the National Sleep Foundation “more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month – with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more”.

    A goods nights sleep and the preparation for sleep is as important as preparing for a meeting, warming up before running a half marathon or delivering a major strategy to improve company performance.  “As many as 30 percent or more of U.S. adults are not getting enough sleep,” says Dr. Twery.   PhD, Director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.  Chronic sleep loss and sleep disorders are estimated to cost the American nation as much as $16 billion in healthcare expenses and $50 billion in lost productivity.

    The consequences can be severe. Drowsy driving, for example, is responsible for an estimated 1,500 fatalities and 40,000 nonfatal injuries each year. “It’s actually quite serious,” says Daniel Chapman, PhD., MSc, at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Drowsy driving was implicated in about 16 percent of fatal crashes and about 13 percent of crashes resulting in hospitalization.”  Dr. Chapman says sleep is as important to health as eating right and getting enough physical activity.  Furthermore, research is beginning to attribute the lack of sleep, as with poor diet and lack of physical activity, with weight gain and diabetes.

    For adults, the way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while sleeping. During sleep, the body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain physical health. On-going sleep deficiency can raise the risk for some chronic health problems, but it can also affect how well we think, react, work, learn, and interact with others. Therefore, it is realistic to think that poor sleep is going to lead to trouble making decisions, solving problems and controlling emotions, as well as an increase in mistakes which results in re-work and therefore lowered productivity.

    Sleep hygiene is one of the essential pillars to good health and personal performance whether you want to excel at sport, at your job or in some other way.   Sleep helps the brain function correctly.  During sleep the brain is preparing for the next day, by creating pathways to improve learning and remembering. Good sleep also helps us in making decisions, to be focused and creative.  When waking in the morning, the mind and body should be ready to face the day, feeling refreshed, energized and alert with no signs of brain fog, heaviness or confusion.

    On a physical level, sleep is responsible for repair of body cells as well as effective functioning of the immune system.   The immune system defends the body against foreign and harmful microbes and relies on sleep to stay healthy. On-going sleep deficiency may lead to the inability to fight common infections and therefore each time the flu or a cold goes round the work place it affects the same people who have weakened immune function and therefore unable to fight off common infections thus leading to absenteeism in the workplace, due to sickness.

    Perhaps this impacts those that drive heavy machinery and work in high-risk areas.  By nodding off” they could compromise their own safety and the safety of others, not only causing human injury, but also damage to machinery, and the building itself.

    How does the leadership in your organisation coach, educate and counsel those that may be suffering from poor sleep quality or lack of sleep?  What systems are in place to enable workers to follow a healthy lifestyle encouraging great sleep?

  • Are Your Leadership Abilities Transforming Fast Enough?

    On Tuesday I had the honour of attending WinTrade (Women in Trade) in London that was hosted by MasterCard.  The main theme was “How to embed diversity in the world of tech?”, and it was attended by entrepreneurial businesswomen from all over the world.  One of the speakers asked the question:  “What is our purpose as humans?”  This led me to thinking about leadership and the role of leaders in today’s world, whether political, business, sports or otherwise.

    As a part of the day, completely off the cuff I was asked to give a five-minute inspirational speech.  Apart from suffering from internal panic, I decided to focus on my name and say a few words about Sir Ernest Shackleton, the great Antarctic explorer.

     

    WATCH MY LEADERSHIP VIDEO HERE

     

     

    Great leadership in actionGREAT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

    Being a great leader is crucial, but are your leadership abilities transforming as fast as the times? Learn more about what it takes to be a great leader today.

    The Shackleton motto was “By endurance we conquer”.  He made two Antarctic expeditions that demonstrated this motto, although neither reached the South Pole. Never-the-less, Shackleton made history when his ship Endurance was trapped in ice, eventually crushed. As the Antarctic ice melted, the vessel sank to the bottom of the sea.

    It was through his leadership, in a situation that appeared completely hopeless, that Shackleton managed to keep the spirits of the whole team up whilst he created a strategy to get everyone to safety in three rickety lifeboats.

    The route included an open boat journey to Elephant Island, where they found little life on this piece of land that was constantly ravaged by the sea.  All the men, except five stayed hurdled under the lifeboats for months whilst Shackleton and five men sailed 800 miles to reach the island of South Georgia.

    However, on arrival, which in itself was a miracle, they found that habitation was on the other side of the island and therefore had to trek over a frozen, unchartered mountainous interior to reach the whaling station.   Shackleton did not stop to rest at the whaling station. Instead he returned with the help of the whalers to rescue the rest of the men, all of whom survived their ordeal.

    Being a great leader is crucial, but are your leadership abilities transforming as fast as the times? Learn more about what it takes to be a great leader today.

    The meaning of leadershipTHE MEANING OF LEADERSHIP

    Leadership in 1916 for Shackleton and his team was all about camaraderie, loyalty, responsibility, determination and in this expedition, optimism.  He managed to convince his men that getting out alive was possible and that this was what everyone had to focus on and work for.

    At that time in 1916 there was no technology as we know it today. No state-of-the-art sensors and radio or other communication equipment to contact fellow human beings. No navigation equipment as we know it today and no comforts of special fabrics that insulate you from the cold.

    Leadership vs technologyLEADERSHIP VS TECHNOLOGY

    Being a great leader is crucial, but are your leadership abilities transforming as fast as the times? Learn more about what it takes to be a great leader today.

    Technology has progressed enormously since 1916. Looking at the current year, 2019, we have information at lightning speed. We have all kinds of communication capabilities, including Inmarsat satellite phones if choosing to travel to such destinations as Antarctica. Our lives are full of Artificial Intelligence to assist in improving systems, processes, data transfer, data protection, deliveries, security and so on. But where is the leadership that Shackleton showed in the expedition in 2016?  Leadership is not about technology; it is about the human element.

    In today’s world it seems to me that we are searching for leaders that can carry us into a new era.  An era where current long-standing, economic systems and processes need to be challenged.  Rather than tweaking crumbling systems and processes, our leaders need to have the courage to lead transformation not only of systems and processes, but also of our approach to situations and people who might be different from ourselves.  In other words, this is very important to steering the course and to our “survival”.

    GENERATION Z

    Transformation of abilities, skills and knowledge is also needed to bring us all into the world of Generation Z, where the current level of A.I is threatening jobs as we know them and consequently lifestyles and the very security of work.

    This is the generation that is asking uncomfortable questions, coming in through their own doors and challenging the status quo. The needed change has already been identified, and some might say it is already here – it is whether we choose to review and change our leadership characteristics and style and get on board, as technology cannot do it on its own! 

     

    References:

    Shackleton’s Way, Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell

    Shackleton The Heart of the Antartci and South, Wordsworth Classic of World Literature

     

    Rachel ShackletonRachel Shackleton is an entrepreneur who owns and manages Green Key Personal Development and Green Key Health. Working with local and multinational organisations, she is a public speaker and trainer in the spheres of leadership, communication and customer excellence. She ensures sustainable productivity and profitability through healthy self-management and leadership practices, ensuring a focused and successful workforce.

  • Authentic Leadership – how important is It?

    “The authentic self is the soul made visible.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach.

    Yesterday I attended the Engage Customer Summit at the Brewery in London. Another very good day laid on by Engage Media. It was my attendance at a round table to discuss “Cultivating Loyalty and Engagement through Authentic Leadership” hosted by Jamie McKenzie, CMO at Sodexo, that initiated the thinking behind this blog. The discussion was stimulating and active with those attending sharing ideas around the questions:

    •  Are you an authentic leader?
    • What examples are there of authentic leaders?
    • Is your approach the right approach for the environment in which you are in?

    Of course, from these questions the conversation broadened and deepened around a topic that I believe to be incredibly important and something close to my heart.

    Harvard Business School Online defines authentic leadership “as a leadership style exhibited by individuals who have high standards of integrity, take responsibility for their actions, and make decisions based on principle rather than short-term success. They use their inner compasses to guide their daily actions, which enables them to earn the trust of their employees, peers, and shareholders—creating approachable work environments and boosting team performance.” https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-improve-team-performance.

    From an employee perspective, research detailed in Harvard Business Review shows “that a majority of employees believe authenticity in the workplace leads to benefits such as:

    • Better relationships with colleagues
    • Higher levels of trust
    • Greater productivity
    • A more positive working environment

    For any leader who is aiming to make a lasting impact on the companies in which they work, investing time and effort into becoming an authentic leader can be extremely valuable, not only for them as individuals, but also those that they lead, the organisation as a whole and finally the shareholders.

    Points that came out of the discussion yesterday is that an authentic leader demonstrates:

    • Openness to share and to recognise the contribution of others, demonstrating how much they are valued
    • Trusting of others and build trust in all relationships
    • Consistent in their behaviour
    • Connect on the “shop floor” and walk their talk
    • Supportive of others, spotlighting strengths that individuals can build on rather than weakness that need strengthening
    • Possess a high level of emotional intelligence

    On the other hand, Harvard highlights the characteristics of an authentic leader as:

    • Committed to bettering themselves
    • Cultivate self-awareness
    • Disciplined
    • Are mission-driven
    • Inspire faith and build relationships of trust

    From these definitions and the discussion yesterday, I think we can define an authentic leader, as someone who comes from a place of inner strength, in other words they stand in their own power, and because of this are not afraid to show vulnerability, to reveal their weaknesses and to allow and enable someone else to fill the gap, recognising that you don’t need to be good at everything as true teamwork allows for individual potential to shine through at these moments and to rally round the mission, purpose and goals, while enjoying the benefits of working as a team.

    Authenticity is respecting and valuing others for what they contribute and letting them know that their contribution is appreciated through support and genuine recognition. If things go wrong, being fair and open to learn from mistakes and use these situations as growth opportunities. The result – highly motivated individuals who give their best, enjoy what they do, feel fulfilled and perform to the best of their ability having a direct impact on levels of productivity, trusting and open relationships that share a common foundation of support, openness and positivity.

    Sir Ernest Shackleton was the example that I gave of an authentic leader. I’m sure there are more recent authentic leaders but are not in the media as they humbly go about their business. Sir Ernest Shackleton had a people-centred approach to leadership. His personal values, learned from his upbringing helped him develop a progressive style of leadership. He turned bad experiences into valuable lessons, was respectful of business competition. He broke down any traditional hierarchies, was always fair in how he dealt with his staff and established a clear order and routine so that everyone knew where they stood.

    Shackleton led by example, he never expected from his team members what he would not do himself and was always willing to help get the work done. He met regularly for one-to-one conversations to build a bond with each member of the crew. He accepted the individuality of each person and their weaknesses and was always keen to help them achieve their full potential.

    In a crisis he took the lead and worked to keep spirits high. He inspired optimism, even though sometimes he might have doubted himself and he kept “his enemies close.”  He encouraged teams to help and support each other. He was always visible and aware of possible difficulties and danger.  Above all he took responsibility for getting the whole job done, kept the big picture in sight and was always there to help others.

    Shackleton’s leadership legacy needs no further explanation.

    George Kohlrieser sums it up well: “If your starting point is that people are a cost to be minimised, your organisation might survive but it won’t thrive. If, on the other hand, you fundamentally believe that human beings are valuable and a source of goodness, a true asset not in financial terms but in their very essence, you will make your decisions with an entirely different perspective. In your attitude, in your state and in your authenticity, you will be operating as a *secure base. From that position, even difficult decisions will be understood and received with a higher degree of acceptance and appreciation. You will achieve results in a way that also elevates the contribution and value of the human beings inside your organisation.”   

    *”Secure base is a person, place, goal or object that provides a sense of protection, safety, and care and offers a source of inspiration and energy for daring exploration risking taking and seeking challenge.”

     

    References:

    George Kohlreiser, Care to Dare, 2012

    Shackleton’s Way, Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell

    https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/authentic-leadership

  • Authenticity and the New Normal

    A Guest Post by Hannah Emanuel

    In an age that demands a redefinition of ‘normal’, do we also need to redefine what it means to be ‘professional’?

    To answer this question, we must first acknowledge what our current connotations of the term ‘professionalism’. Suited and booted? Reliable? Articulate? Unemotional? The list could go on I’m sure – and would undoubtedly be somewhat different for every individual we asked.

    As offices are swapped for home studios, face to face meetings for online web-calls and synthetic shop bought sandwiches for self ‘starter’-ed sourdough, we also need to redefine what we understand the term ‘professionalism’ to encompass.

    Let’s start by exploring a new current buzzword: authenticity. Authenticity is at the heart of every successful communication, especially online. We are now required, by necessity, to bring more of our true selves to online meetings in order to try and mitigate the horribly dehumanising nature of the screen.

    True to form, corporate speak has recently stolen this term and made it the buzz word of the moment – and in so doing, its fundamental integrity has been compromised. We no longer trust the authenticity of the word ‘authentic’. To fully engage and achieve meaningful, impactful human connection, authenticity must be more than merely a buzzword, thrown around with apparent ease.

    Instead, authenticity must be clearly and uncompromisingly demonstrated through our actions, our tone of voice, our entire presentation of ourselves. It is not enough simply to demonstrate an intention to be authentic through the language we choose. It must instead be our genuine intention to engage openly and collaboratively, using the most vulnerable part of ourselves that we can muster the courage to share.

    Authenticity and the new normalWhat do we really mean then by the word authentic? And, more importantly, what is its function within our new sense of what it means to be professional?

    How authentic should you really be when working from home, joining and leading online meetings and the like? It may be more professional to have that fake background behind you, but would people be able to relate and resonate with you more if it was not there?

    To me, if we were to strip it back to its most raw, naked form, it means presenting your truest, most honest self. No performance, no mask, no armour. But there is a contradiction here that needs acknowledging. Because of course society does require us to wear masks – quite literally in these current Covid times, but also socially, from our earliest days of infancy.

    We are moulded from very early childhood to socially conform. We learn quickly who it is – and isn’t – appropriate to have a tantrum in front of. And this lesson lasts all the way to adulthood – it’s in our bones. So by being ‘authentic’, by being our true selves, does this mean we allow others to see when we are completely overwhelmed by emotion, just as we would have done in infancy? Well no, clearly not – I doubt any framing of the word professionalism would encompass such high levels of emotional freedom. But there is a new level of intimacy to our professional communication that wasn’t deemed acceptable or necessary before.

    Society will always tell us how far it is appropriate to go, and of course this will differ from one culture to another, but if we can begin to open ourselves up enough for others to see in, allow them a window into what makes us vulnerable, then I believe this is true authenticity. And it is powerfully effective.

    In practical terms, what does this really mean or look like online? Unsurprisingly it’s many things; a softening of the physical image we present, the language we choose and the tone with which we speak it, the use of a genuine rather than a virtual background.

    I’d always advocate a truthful background to a virtual one. A pile of dirty laundry might be best hidden, but a glimpse into your home life is at the very least a talking point – a little window into who you are behind the suit (if indeed you are still choosing to wear one) – and at best it can offer an insight into a part of you that we can connect with on a human level.

    Whether it’s the banjo hanging on the wall behind you, or the ‘make it at home’ mojito mix adorning your new lockdown DIY bar, show me; it’s authentic. Not buzz word, lip service authentic, but disarmingly and charmingly authentic. It’s an insight into who you truly are. And you know what? If it’s offered genuinely and with generosity, then that – quite simply – is enough.

     

    Hannah Emanuel

    In the Room Training

    Professional coach and actor

  • Building Empathy Centric Leadership

    Empathy, one of the characteristics or we might say building blocks of emotional intelligence, is an essential skill of any leader. When lacking empathy employees feel unheard, undervalued and often frustrated about an apparent lack of understanding of the challenges in any job role or for any difficulties they might be experiencing outside of their working lives, and customers less inclined to entrusting loyalty with your enterprise.

    Having a developed sense of empathy enables you to sense what is happening and how someone is feeling without them having to actually tell you. In groups a leader is able to use the same sense to feel potential areas of struggle, conflict and "holding back" of information, opinions, thoughts and ideas to maximise on the moment and open discussion. Empathy enables responses that take into consideration non-verbal cues whilst sharing openly without contradicting your own thoughts and feelings. Fostering rapport through being empathetic and showing empathy to others are key characteristics of building effective relationships, which is the very foundation to effective leadership and perhaps even business success.

    What is empathy? Empathy is not sympathy it is the ability to experience the moment in response to a customer, colleague, employee, or family member in a manner that “connects” directly to that person, sharing briefly the emotions that the person might be feeling without taking them on yourself. It has an impact on those involved in that moment as well as a longer lasting impact through building a relationship of trust. A positive customer experience makes the difference between a customer becoming loyal or choosing to go elsewhere. In most cases there are plenty of “elsewhere” companies ready to serve customers who have had a poor or even bad experience with any particular service offering. In the current labour market, it is not just the external customer who might choose to go elsewhere, but employees, also.

    The 2020 NTT Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report stated that, “Companies who focus on a customer/employee centricity see a 92% increase in customer loyalty with an 84% uplift in revenue and a 79% margin in costs saved. 

    More recent data (March 2024 in an article by Cheyenna Eversoll Duggan “The empathy advantage: Using customer data to personalise marketing,” stated:

    • 68% of customers expect brands to demonstrate empathy, but only 37% of customers say brands generally demonstrate empathy.
    • 68% of customers will spend more money with a brand that understands them and treats them like an individual.
    • 66% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, but only 34% of companies generally treat customers as unique individuals.

    Empathy is the linchpin to delivering excellence in customer service both for customers and service providers. Equipping leaders through the development of emotional intelligence and the skills of showing empathy is no longer questionable in terms of importance to business performance, or even optional, but essential. 

    Empathy is an essential aspect of emotional intelligence (Daniel Goldman). Being empathetic and showing empathy has two steps, firstly picking up on others' feelings and secondly responding to those feelings and emotions while interacting with them. Not everyone tells you how they are feeling, even if you ask, but with heightened sensitivity you are able to pick up on emotions and respond if needed, with empathy. Becoming more in tune with the non-verbal and verbal cues that others' are sending increases abilities to respond empathetically. The key competencies within empathy according to Daniel Goleman (Working with Emotional Intelligence) are:

    • Sense others' feelings and perspectives 
    • Take an active interest in others' concerns
    • Sense others' development needs and support their development
    • Anticipate, recognise and meet customers' needs 
    • Read emotional undercurrents and power relationships
    • Cultivate and build opportunities through different kinds of people.

    Judith Orloff once said, “Empathy is the medicine the world needs.” This statement sums up the reason why we need this important skill to foster the growing need for businesses to encourage empathy centricity in their organisation and work culture both internally and externally. 

    AI is a major part of providing service to customers, often helping filter and channel callers in the right direction to get them the appropriate help speedily, however the ability to sense and understand feelings, concerns and perspectives of others through intuition is not yet something that AI can do, in fact it is the biggest challenge for  further development of AI. Palming off your customers to an AI assistant may not build the customer loyalty you are seeking for your business, therefore investing in employee development in this area and equipping leaders with the skill of understanding sensitive situations and responding with empathy are still for now essential to the success of any business.

     

    References

    Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman (1999)

    The Language of Emotional Intelligence, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D, Jaelline Jaffee, Ph.D

    https://services.global.ntt/en-us/insights/2020-global-cx-benchmarking-report#

     

     

  • 5 Steps to Drive Employee Engagement

    We might ask the question who is responsible for engagement of employees and their development? On the one hand that responsibility can be given to line managers and on the other to employees themselves. Or you might take the other tack of putting the responsibility firmly on the shoulders of Human Resources or Learning and Development specialists. Perhaps the answer lies with all parties taking their fair share of creating, ensuring and committing to engaging for the purpose of driving development and ultimately performance of the individual, team and organisation?

    Personal development, unlike a Michelin star, goes with the individual wherever he or she goes, it does not stay with the organisation that was instrumental in instigating that development. Therefore, you might ask: “What is the point of developing employees if they are going to leave anyway?” Believe it or not I still hear this question far too often! If every organisation and individual is actively engaged in personal development which at the time benefits the organisation in which they are working, then when they leave, the replacement if from outside the organisation will also have a certain level of professionalism, knowledge and skills in their sphere of expertise. Consequently, circulating individuals who are inspired to learn and to engage in their own personal development will not only give to and benefit their new employer, but also keep that employer on their toes to provide further opportunities for development and growth. But as we all know, growth and development do not come without engagement.

    Breaking this down – engagement in the workplace means the absence of presenteeism. It means employees who embrace their role and their responsibilities within that role and are motivated and committed emotionally by what they are doing as well as the opportunities and challenges that present within the role, as well as opportunities to take on other roles whether in the short or long term. As Kevin Kruse, Founder+CEO of www.LEADx.org, wrote in Forbes Daily “Employee engagement is the emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.”

    “This emotional commitment means engaged employees actually care about their work and their company. They don’t work just for a salary, or just for the next promotion, but work on behalf of the organization’s goals.” Invariably this means that an engaged employee will go that extra mile if needed, they will step in willingly during difficult times, work overtime without being asked and generally hold the interest of the company at the forefront of what they do in their role.

    According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace Report, 2021, “only 21% of employees are engaged at work. Even outside of work, only a third of the people making up our organizations feel like they are thriving.  This low engagement isn’t an overhyped narrative — Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy nearly 8 trillion USD.”

    McKinsey surveyed over 13,000 workers across the globe for their Great Attrition, Great Attraction 2.0 report, with 45% of respondents having quit or planning to quit over the past year. The top five reasons for quitting show clearly that the inability to retain talent is a direct result of high job demand that is “supported” by inadequate, uncaring and poor leadership that is compounded by inadequate compensation and lack of opportunities for development:

    • Lack of career development and advancement: 41%
    • Inadequate total compensation: 36%
    • Uncaring and uninspiring leaders: 34%
    • Lack of meaningful work: 31%
    • Unsustainable expectations: 29%

    Perhaps there is a hesitancy amongst HR professionals and top leadership to hire in this current climate with the expectation that the UK and perhaps the world, is facing a recession. Surely then if this is true, retention through active engagement has to be the answer? What are some of the ways that employee retention and engagement can be improved? In no order of importance as they are all interconnected, but together make a huge difference to how employees feel and how emotionally engaged they are within their role and the organisation as a whole:

    1. Engage managers and develop leaders

    If managers are not satisfied with what they are doing, it is unlikely that they will inspire others. Start with manager engagement and develop their commitment through knowing their needs, providing support and offering development to support their personal goals as well as the goals of the organisation.  Effective leaders require autonomy. If your organisation expects leadership to follow a set of rules without questioning, without application of personal knowledge and skill, combined with extreme pressure to deliver, perhaps it is not leadership that you are requiring?

     2. Show interest by following up regularly with employees

    There is a big difference between a bot or robot and a human. Humans require recognition for who they are and what they contribute. All managers and leaders should know their team members and be able to relate to them on a personal basis as well as job-related basis. This shows they have a personal interest in the welfare of their team members and show that they are valued. Employees who do not get the necessary recognition to feel valued for their contribution will most certainly look elsewhere.

     3. Give positive feedback and recognise improvement

    It is so easy to see and find someone doing something wrong – in fact is it human nature to notice what is not right as opposed to what is right. Find employees and team members doing things right, recognise their improvements, however small, to encourage more of the same behaviour. Employees who feel valued will undoubtedly become engaged.

     4. Listen to your employees

    Listening is the greatest gift one individual can give another. Managers, peers and colleagues who are unable to truly listen to others are missing out on the opportunity to show interest, connect emotionally, respond to thoughts, ideas and suggestions and demonstrate that they value their input whether implemented or not. Listening empathetically helps build emotional connection which in turn builds trust and confidence in one another.

     5. Plan for career development and advancement

    As seen in the McKinsey survey 41% of employees lacked engagement and left their organisations in search of a position elsewhere because of lack of career development and opportunity. 31% because of lack of meaningful work. Not everyone wants to become General Director, CEO or Group HR Director.  It is human nature to want to improve ourselves and if an organisation, department or team is unable to provide adequate opportunity to learn new skills and gain new knowledge, experience different roles, grow the level of responsibility and increase autonomy, then seriously the leadership of that organisation needs to look in the mirror and question themselves honestly and openly as to why employees are lacking engagement and worse still looking elsewhere for new positions.

    The responsibility for employee engagement falls squarely on the shoulders of leadership within each organisation to develop a culture that truly cares for their workforce, wants and aims to have each employee grow hand in hand with the organisation.  But, more importantly ultimately wants their employees to drive the success of the organisation.

    References:

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/06/22/employee-engagement-what-and-why/?sh=148639287f37

    https://advise.gallup.com/employee-engagement?campaignid=18945816141&adgroupid=143633586437&adid=635680356857&gclid=CjwKCAjwiOCgBhAgEiwAjv5whMr9eXpYipo3ReeMZSr36ar2DHLyVLxPP25QkECaGmhj8d-0DILhGBoC_iUQAvD_BwE

    https://www.lumapps.com/resources/white-papers/attract-engage-retain-the-employee-experience-advantage/

  • 5 Ways to Create a Great Customer Experience

    Great customer service and a great customer experience is the foundation to any business.  It does not matter whether you are in the frontline serving customers or not.  Any member of a team is always either serving the customer directly or serving someone who is serving the customer.  The Ritz-Carlton company motto perfectly sums this up “We are ladies and gentlemen, serving ladies and gentlemen.”  In other words, there is no difference between the real guest coming from outside and buying products and services and an internal guest – a fellow team member.  Offering a level of service that wow’s the customer has to come from every corner and every level of the company.  It is like an orchestra, everyone has to play their part, in time, to the correct standard to present a well-orchestrated piece of music that creates maximum enjoyment for each and every audience member.  When the orchestra is playing well customers want more of the same and will bring friends along with them, thus organically growing your business.

    It is normal and natural that customers will be annoyed when a product or service does not meet their expectations. However, the way it is handled will either build loyalty to the brand and company, or completely destroy that relationship, losing that customer and potentially several more depending on who they tell.  In today’s world in most situations the customer has a choice, if they do not get what they are seeking in the holistic sense with you, they will go elsewhere.

    5 ways to create a great customer experienceCustomers who love your company, not because necessarily the product is the very best, but because your personnel know the customer and make them feel individual and welcome in each and every interaction, irrelevant of who serves them.  Customers who receive this level of service will always be loyal, giving you whatever business they can within their remit.  Not only that, if something slips in the product, when the service is consistently exceptional, and the mistake addressed in the same manner, they will in most cases overlook the product issues and give a second chance to allow you to get it right. This is the foundation to a strong and loyal customer base.

    Just as important, personnel who enjoy working with customers get so much more with each interaction, which increases their level of job satisfaction ultimately leading to an inspired happy and joyful workforce who want to be at work and who in turn share this joy with everyone else in their lives, including your customers.

    We have all had times either in a store, or online, when we’ve had a very poor customer experience. Since the onset of Corona virus, sadly these experiences are increasing, individual staff members very often hiding behind the phrase “Because of Covid we cannot do……….” it is incredible what the onset of Covid has enabled companies to get away with?  I have heard the excuses of “I can’t send a rescue truck, (to collect a car that has broken down), because of Covid”, “Because of Covid chicken is off the menu.” In my local supermarket when asking for the customary coffee, the response was “We have not been serving coffee since Covid.” Interesting that I can buy a coffee in Costa, Starbucks, and the many other coffee shops and wagons, but coffee in the supermarket, which by the way, I serve myself by putting a cup under the machine and pressing the button, cannot be supplied because of Covid?  Previously a member of the team would clean the machine, therefore there is no extra manning requirement here!

    Do these companies, honestly think that their customers are so misinformed as to accept these and many other excuses used to hide behind and cover up the real issue of either staff shortages, poor training, lack of leadership or using Covid as an excuse to reduce manning levels?  Surely now, more than ever is the time to make customer service a priority?

    WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN PUT IN PLACE TO GIVE THE CUSTOMER A GREAT EXPERIENCE?

    The following 5 things are for me the foundation to creating a great customer experience over and over for each and every customer that builds a loyal customer base which in turn results in a happier, healthier workforce who share a willingness to do a good job for you, all of which translates into decreased absenteeism and increased profitability:

    BE GENUINE WITH ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS

    Of course, we all want to front our company in a positive and successful light.  However, that does not stop every employee being genuine and showing the unique person that they are and using those qualities to serve customers, intuitively linking with customer feelings and emotions and responding in an appropriate manner.  Having service standards is of course important, but only to the point that they do not create robots. As far as I am aware, no one wants to be served by a robot?  Admit mistakes, accept them, apologise genuinely and find the best solution to correct the situation.

    WORK WITH AND THROUGH YOUR PERSONNEL

    Train all team members about the importance of the customer, both internal and external, and give them the autonomy to be individual and shine in each and every customer interaction, going that extra mile not because they were told to, but because they want to.  Provide the parameters to empower them to take things into their own hands to support their customers.  When they do go that extra mile, support them and give praise and recognition. Share each example as an inspiration and form of encouragement for other team members. 

    My logistics manager, without any direction from me, used to call the customers randomly simply to say “Hello, and ask how they are.”  I had no idea about this until one day one of my customers told me how much they enjoy the calls from Andre.  On enquiring what the calls were about I was informed “Oh, just about saying hello!”  I grew several inches from the pride that I felt at that moment.

    LIVE AND SHARE THE COMPANY VALUES

    Ensure that each and every team member understands how to apply company values in their day-to-day life so that the values live, and there is no disconnect between what the company publishes and what is actually adopted in practice.  Ask employees to share what these values mean for them as well as giving examples of how they might apply them through their work. Encourage them to do just that to make the words come to life and have meaning and consistency for internal and external customers alike. 

     Employees who feel a part of and are able to align their own values with the company are more self-confident, feel connected to the overall team, and more comfortable in taking steps that perhaps before they would not have done without this knowledge.

    FIND YOUR TEAM MEMBERS DOING SOMETHING WELL

    It is human nature to be quick to see the negative, what has not been done, what was done poorly, being late, missing deadlines, shoddy work and so on.  Noticing the small things as well as the large things done well and giving the recognition each and every person in your team deserves, goes a very long way to building a positive, loyal team and strong company culture.  In my book, there is no such thing as a bad employee, only bad management!

    LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND “WALK YOUR TALK”

    Get out there on the front line and be with your personnel. Get feedback from your them on what is working well, what is not and how they think it can be improved.  Where suggestions are reasonable, act on them and make it known to other team members whose idea it was and why it is being implemented. For suggestions not implemented give an explanation so that the person does not think you are simply paying “lip-service” or doing a tick-box exercise in simply asking the question, with no intention of doing anything about the response. Talk to your customers, showing every employee that the customer is important and that you are not afraid to communicate with them and to hear what they have to say, whether good or bad.

    In 30 odd years of working with customers in restaurants, hotels, my own companies and as a trainer of customer service, of course there are many other things that I can add to this list, but starting here will create a very strong foundation.  In the words of Tony Hsieh now retired CEO of Zappos, “Customer service shouldn’t just be a department, it should be the entire company.”

     

    NEED HELP WITH YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS? TRY OUR CUSTOMER FOCUSSED COMMUNICATION E-LEARNING COURSE!