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Category: Leadership Development

  • International Women’s Day – A Celebration of Female Leadership

    On the 8th March to celebrate International Women’s day perhaps it is appropriate give credit to the many female Heads of State, CEO’s, Owners and Mothers.   How interesting that the world has a strong representation of female leaders, 22 countries in total including  Denmark, Poland, Bangladesh, Lithuania, Brazil and Norway.   This is quite a sizeable representation of women in top leadership positions, some in countries that are culturally showing more masculine than feminine qualities. (Hofstede)  It is irrelevant what you think about them, but the fact is these female leaders are running governments and countries in what can only be termed a very troubled and challenging period, including Teresa May who is grappling with the turmoil created by Brexit.   Angela Merkel holding strong as the German Chancellor who has  just been re-elected (with some help from her friends), and Norway Erna Solberg who has been Prime Minister since 2013.

    What are the principle characteristics of female leadership?  Can we characterize these principles and definitively separate them from the principles of male leadership?  Unlikely, because styles of leadership differ amongst men and women equally depending on education, experience, courage, individuality, stamina and so on.  However, when looking at women and men, there are differences and when women bring these differences into play we might see different characteristics, many of which come naturally to women.

    Female characteristics:

    • Intuitive and sensitive emotional intelligence
    • Ability to sense the emotion behind something as well as see the facts – therefore make decisions on both factual and emotional levels
    • Patience and tolerance
    • Ability to forgive and let go
    • Quiet drive, stamina and courage
    • Ability to multi task therefore being able to think about, understand and action different points with ease
    • Ability to release own emotions to relieve tension and break stress often through crying.  As well as breaking the tension in a situation.
    • Happy to be out of the limelight and just get on with the job

    In this list I am not saying that men do not have some of these characteristics, I am saying that these characteristics are more common in women in general, but particularly in female leaders.

    What does this all mean?  Are we moving into a time when female leadership is more appropriate for the challenges we face in today’s world – starvation, homelessness, loneliness, escalation in chronic disease, environmental damage on a huge scale, greed by the few who want to monopolize the many, to name but a few?

    I don’t know the answer to this, but I do know the questions:  How much longer can we, as human beings go on living in an environment that we are determined to destroy, removing the right to heritage for generations to come?

    How long can we continue to ignore, flush over, minimize the impacts of large industrial farming whether fishing, dairy, crop or animal farming on human health. Not to mention the pain caused to the animals themselves and the impact on waterways, air and the earth?

    How long can we go on not listening to, or covering up the detrimental impact of processing foods on our health and the health of our children, leading to escalation in chronic disease, obesity and stress, all of which we see in most of the English speaking world, with other countries not far behind having adopted a Western diet?

    Lets celebrate all our female leaders and leadership, not only on this day, but everyday whether Heads of State, Heads of Companies, Company Owners or Mothers.  Perhaps it is our leadership that will turn the ship to become more caring and responsible about how we live, what we live for and what we leave behind?

  • Emergence of female leadership

    How interesting that the world is opening up to female leaders.  It is irrelevant what you think about them, but the fact is we see more female leaders stepping forward to run countries in what can only be termed a very troubled and challenging period.  Hilary Clinton in the USA – will she become the next president?  Teresa May slipping through in the turmoil created by Brexit and Angela Merkel holding strong in Germany as the German Chancellor.  Then the Prime Ministers of Thailand, Denmark, Iceland, Australia, Bangledesh and Trinidad and Tabogo are all women, as are the Presidents of Lithuania, Liberia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil and Finland.  Quite a sizeable representation of women in top leadership positions, very often in countries that are culturally showing more masculine than feminine qualities. (Hofstede)

    What are the principle characteristics of female leadership?  Can we characterize these principles and definitively separate them from the principles of male leadership?  Unlikely because styles of leadership differ amongst men and women equally depending on education, experience, courage, individuality, stamina and so on.  However, when looking at women and men, there are differences and when women bring these differences into play we might see different characteristics, which most women have naturally.

    Female characteristics:

    • Intuitive and sensitive emotional intelligence
    • Ability to sense the emotion behind something as well as see the facts – therefore make decisions on both factual and emotional levels
    • Patience and tolerance
    • Ability to forgive and let go
    • Quiet drive, stamina and courage
    • Ability to multi task therefore being able to think about, understand and action different points with ease
    • Ability to release own emotions to relieve tension and break stress often through crying.  As well as breaking the tension in a situation.
    • Happy to be out of the limelight and just get on with the job

    In this list I am not saying that men do not have some of these characteristics, I am saying that these characteristics are more common in women in general, but particularly in female leaders.

    What does this all mean?  Are we moving into a time when female leadership is more appropriate for the challenges we face in today’s world – starvation, homelessness, loneliness, escalation in chronic disease, environmental damage on a huge scale, greed by the few who want to monopolize the many, to name but a few?

    I don’t know the answer to this, but I do know the questions:  How much longer can we, as human beings go on living in an environment that we are determined to destroy, removing the right to heritage for generations to come?

    How long can we continue to ignore, flush over, minimize the impacts of large industrial farming whether it be fishing, dairy, crop or animal farming on human health, not to mention the pain caused to the animals themselves and the impact on waterways, air and the earth?

    How long can we go on not listening to, or covering up the impact of processing on our foods, whether additives or nutrients removed to create something that is so far from what nature intended it gives no nutritious value and creates a build up of toxins leading to escalation in chronic disease, obesity and stress which we see in most of the English speaking world, with other countries fast behind once they adopt a Western diet?

    How much longer are we going to ignore the greed of large corporations that only have one goal in mind, lack integrity and do not care about the negative impact whether on humans, animals, birds, insects or bees?

    Perhaps it is female leadership that will turn the ship to become more caring and responsible about how we live, what we live for and what we leave behind?  I hope so.

  • Emotional intelligence & self-care: the missing competence?

    Emotional intelligence & self-care: the missing competence?

    Daniel Goleman the author of “Working with Emotional Intelligence”, talks about several competencies under “Personal” and “Social” competencies – Self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation and relationship management/social skills. Perhaps it is now time in our world of intensity, fear, overwhelm and stress to add one more competence – “Self-care?”

    In our present-day world, on most corners you meet headlines referring to poor mental health, burnout, stress and overwhelm. Where are we going wrong? For the last several years we have been bombarded with external factors that have created this undercurrent of fear that continues to steadily eat away at human resilience with no sign of abating. Workload is another of the biggest factors in our daily lives to impact our physical and emotional energy resources. Feeling fearful and or overwhelmed means a sense of loss of control. When we are not feeling in control due to the “unknown” – Covid, inflation, petrol prices etc as well as due to impending deadlines, sheer volume of work and a lack of appreciation we leak energy just like a tyre on your car with a slow puncture, that over time leads into a downward spiral until you are literally “flat”. Eventually resulting in poor health as the endocrine system tries hard to rectify the constant onslaught of “fight and flight” reactions.

    What is Self-care?

    Considering “Self-care” from the point of view of Emotional Intelligence, in my opinion it is a combination of “self-awareness” and “self-regulation”. In other words, the ability to listen to yourself and observe a change in reactions to everyday issues, such as being less patient, overly aggressive in your manner, moody and lacking joy, and then to tune into yourself and pay more attention to these changes to understand the real cause. Having understood the cause, whatever that might be to then put in place some actions to self-regulate. In other words, to “manage one’s internal states, impulses and resources” so that your thoughts, actions and overall behaviour no longer drain energy.

    In order to recognise when things are becoming too much “Self- care” goes a little deeper than self-regulation. It requires taking the foot of the pedal, putting practices in place that regulate work-volumes and deadlines to a point where you are stretched, but not over stretched as to over-stimulate the “fight and flight” response, taking down-time and generally assisting your internal physical and mental mechanisms to return to a state of homeostasis. In short-term circumstances when it is temporarily not possible to take your foot off the pedal to put several actions in place that positively support your energy system, for example:

    Pause, breathe deeply for 3 in and out breaths – always ensuring the out-breath is longer than the in-breath. In this way you slow down your emotional reactions and bring an inner calm to the situation. Using this technique in the moment is very useful when your response would otherwise have been reactive and reckless.

    Create space and time for yourself every day – During this time, which might only be 10-20 minutes a day, stay away from digital distractions and invest time in yourself walking, meditating and generally connecting with yourself. Taking time out creates the space in which to assess, evaluate and tune into your thoughts and emotions around different situations. For effective investment of time:

    • Avoid being distracted by messages, calls and other regular interruptions
    • If weather permits go out for some fresh air and if it doesn’t go out for some fresh air
    • Breathe deeply 3-4 times before tuning into your surroundings, the smells, sights and sound
    • Tune into yourself to acknowledge how you are feeling. Allow any negative feelings to manifest, acknowledge them and then let them g
    • Acknowledge the learning these feelings and emotions have given you and move on from that place.

    “Creating space for yourself on a daily basis, helps to regulate daily stresses and create that breathing space in order to “see” your emotional triggers.

    Respect your personal capacity – say “No” when you know it is one thing too much. Talk to someone when you feel overwhelmed and stressed. They will likely be able to see the “wood for the trees” and help find the way out.

    Keep your diet nutritionally rich – Avoid wheat and wheat-based foods. Wheat affects the brain as well as the body, causing stress to the digestive system and ultimately the brain as the two are inextricably linked through the gut-brain axis. If you want to get maximum energy from what you eat choose foods that support effective digestion and an agile mind:

    • Eat the rainbow on a daily basis in fruit and vegetable
    • Eat brain foods – oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, and salmo
    • Chose healthy fats full of omega 3 and 6 – avocado, olive oil and coconut oi
    • Eat good quality protein – grass-fed meat, fish, eggs, and protein from things such as whole grains, sesame seeds (humus), beans and legumes.

    Read my blog about the effect of what we eat has on our minds

    Keep hydrated – when not drinking enough water your body becomes stressed and therefore any additional external stressors accelerate the negative impact on how you feel. Keep a glass of water close by to sip on throughout the day. Aim to drink a minimum of 8 glasses daily.

    Avoid all energy drinks and caffeine – they all serve to dehydrate the body as well as overall increasing the drain on your energy. Before reaching for that caffeine boost, drink a glass of water first and then observe how you feel.

    Long term regulation of mind and body through “Self-care”

    Taking a longer term view on “Self-care” means that you put daily and weekly practices in place to ensure a consistent and constant source of energy to meet demanding periods in your life, which let’s face it we all have. Adopting this kind of practice helps in keeping your mind positive and agile and your body full of energy.

    As we are all unique, practices will differ from person-to-person. In order to find the right practices for you, ask yourself the following questions:

    • What brings me joy
    • What do I love doing
    • Who inspires me so that I want to spend more time in their energy
    • How can I nourish the whole of myself?

    In answering these questions, you begin to identify what activities will help you to switch off from whatever overwhelm, stress and negativity you are facing. In our lives there is abundance of joy, we just have to stop to see it. Is your real passion in baking, cycling, fishing, gardening or walking? How can you build more of this into your weekly routine? What kind of people bring you inspiration? Who are they and how can you see or speak to them as part of your week?

    When I think of personal “self-care” and nourishment, I think of several things:

    • Sitting on top of a hill or by a river and taking in the view emptying my head of circulating thoughts and conversation
    • Taking an afternoon powernap. 10-20 minutes of “switch off” in peace and quie
    • Switching off connectivity and walking outsid
    • Cuddling up on the sofa with a good boo
    • Spending time with an anima
    • Wholesome foods, heart-warming soups, casseroles and stew
    • A long relaxing bath with essential oils.

    These might not be ways in which you prefer to nourish yourself, but whatever it is that nourishes you, how can you take at least 30 minutes each week to create that time for yourself?

    Defined simply, “Self-care” is: Knowing one’s internal sources of energy and how to build a consistent flow through:

     

    Emotional awareness

    Awareness of one’s emotions and their effects on levels of energy

    Physical awareness

    Awareness of one’s daily load and the effects on mental and physical energy levels

    Respecting your personal capacity

    Recognising when everything is too much and putting practices in place to reduce overwhelm

    Positivity

    Maintaining a positive inner and outer dialogue that is positive and constructive

    Self-control

    Managing disruptive emotions and impulses through proactive behaviour

    Self-nourishment

    Taking regular time to nourish oneself to top-up the energy tank

     

    Reference: Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman

     

     

  • Employee Engagement

    Employee engagement is a workplace approach resulting in the right conditions for all members of an organisation to give of their best each day.  It means they are committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, with an enhanced sense of their personal well-being.

    The 2018 Glint report on the “State of Employee Engagement” states that most participants believe that less than 70% of their employees are engaged’ and that “over 90% believe there is solid evidence linking engagement to performance.”

    Engagement has an impact on a number of performance indicators including product quality, customer service and productivity.  It is logical therefore to extend the thought that poor engagement whilst affecting performance in terms of productivity and profitability will also have a direct link to absenteeism and sickness which is likely higher when there is no engagement.  When looking at MIND figures in relation to mental ill health and sickness, the figures are staggering:

    • More than 1 in 5 employees have called in sick to avoid work when asked how workplace stress has affected them
    • 30% felt that they would not be able to tell their manager they felt stressed

    The second point is directly related to engagement or non-engagement of employees due to negligent or ineffective leadership.

    Engaging employees in their work, the company culture and values is the responsibility of leaders within each organisation. In other words – creating the right environment, building trust, nurturing relationships, and being transparent.  Leadership behaviour is itself driven by the organisational culture and company values.  The old saying of “the fish stinks from the head down” adequately sums up the need within an organisation to ensure senior management lead by example and roll down company values, ensuring they are manifested throughout the organisation.

    Engagement can be measured in different ways.  However, to be effective it is likely that the process is continuous and uses a combination of ways, such as:

    • Formal employee surveys – will get the feedback that is needed to lead to relevant change, so long as employees feel safe to answer openly.
    • Exit interviews – taking the time to really find out why an employee is leaving is critical to reflecting on what can be done better, whilst also providing feedback about the environment and culture to the manager of the person who is leaving.
    • One-to-ones with managers – Work very well when there is an atmosphere of trust.  Without trust, it may bring limited results.
    • Customer satisfaction ratings – The customer is the one who truly bears the brunt of poor employee engagement, experiencing poorly motivated service people, with a “don’t care” attitude. Thus, hearing about their experiences is a very important gauge whilst also providing pointers for improvement.
    • Employee productivity – measured in different ways, is a valuable measurement of employee engagement.  Low productivity very often reflects low engagement and vica versa.

    How can managers and leaders influence engagement levels?

    Again there is no one answer, there are several answers and in reality a combination of different actions are needed to positively influence employee engagement:

    • Give employees the chance to do quality work
    • Maintain a positive work culture
    • Listen carefully to employee feedback
    • Communicate clear expectations to employees
    • Encourage employee collaboration
    • Build a trusting environment through being fair
    • Give positive feedback and praise employees for their performance
    • Train and coach

    It makes sense that employee engagement is part of the core business strategy. Engagement on a consistent basis will pay dividends in increasing productivity, thus profitability. The work place will be a happier place to be and consequently increase pride in doing quality work and serving customers, as well as succeeding in achieving department and company goals.

     

    References:

    The State of Employee Engagement 2018 HR.com

    Managing for Sustainable Employee Engagement, CIPD

    https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-bank/employee-engagement

    https://www.Mind.org.uk

  • Enthusiasm – a leadership characteristic

    “I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.” Queen Elizabeth II

    One of my clients some years ago, on arrival in England, with very little knowledge of English was told by one of his friends, “In order to be successful at getting a job you need to show enthusiasm”. What’s this “enthusiasm he thought?” and went away to find out.

    Dictionary.com defines “enthusiasm” as “Absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; a lively interest”.  “Keen interest, excitement.”

    The word “enthusiasm” comes from Greek, meaning possessed by God’s essence, divine influence, inspiration. It has a history of being “confined to religious inspiration or intense religious fervor or emotion”.  In the 16th and 17th centuries there were several Protestant sects who were called “Enthusiasts”.  After the Glorious Revolution between 1688-1689 the reigning king, James II was replaced with the joint monarchy of his protestant daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William of Orange. This was the point in British history when parliamentary supremacy was established over the crown, thus beginning the path to a parliamentary democracy.  “Enthusiasts” become a term of advocacy for any political or religious cause in public, a form of fanaticism.  It was this level of enthusiasm that was seen as the cause of the English Civil War in 1700, and all the related atrocities.  Consequently, Royal Society Bylaws stipulated that any person discussing religion or politics at a Society meeting was to be summarily ejected for being an “enthusiast”.

    What was my client’s friend saying?  Skills are not enough, they are not the only thing that employers look for when recruiting to fill a vacant position.  Enthusiasm is no substitute for experience, intelligence or skills, but when added to these qualities enthusiasm creates the difference between you and the next person.

    Enthusiasm as a leader is a person who is driven by his or her passion to excel at what they do.  Enthusiasm fuels achievement both of the leader him or herself as well as individuals in the team and the team as whole. Enthusiasm drives self-confidence, a positive outlook, and a contagious atmosphere that others want to be part of, and are sad to leave.

    Enthusiasm is a choice, you choose to either express it about something or not.  However, when choosing to express enthusiasm you reap the benefits of personal success of loyalty from others, a passion in others to follow you, drive, commitment and achievement.

    Donald Trump in a recent speech said:

    “We have to straighten out our country; we have to make our country great again, and we need energy and enthusiasm.”

    Are there any downsides to enthusiasm or is it all positive?  Having a passion and following that passion with enthusiasm is positive, however the down side of this might be that enthusiasm for a cause, might warp judgment, thus leading into a situation that is undesirable, perhaps unproductive and even down right ignorant, until it is too late to see what we have created, where we have ended up, and more importantly that we did not listen to those around us and blindly steamed ahead, putting both ourselves and others at risk.

    Let me leave you with one more thought, a quote from Bo Bennett, a businessman:

    “Faked enthusiasm is worse than bad acting – it is bad acting with the intent to deceive.”

  • 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

    #leadershipdevelopment #managementtrainingcourses #Leadershiptrainingoxfordshire #Hospitalityleadership

  • 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.

  • Have our Government forgotten how to Collaborate?

    With all the chaos in the world and the never ending devastating and horrifying news, I believe it is time to re-visit the importance of authentic leadership. Most of our world leaders, whether prime ministers, presidents or M.P’s seem hell bent on dividing nations globally as well as locally. It doesn’t take much to find the subjects that are being used to create this great divide whether we think about ULEZ (Ultra low emission zone) climate change, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, covid or any other vaccination, limitation on freedom of speech etc, the list goes on. In this blog I don’t intend to go down the rabbit hole of why this might be, and why several governments seem to only have one goal in mind and that is the destruction of individuals, groups, countries, cities and nations, but rather focus on leadership and the key characteristic and skill that is needed to bring us all back together to be more accepting of each other irrelevant of how you identify yourself, what your beliefs and opinions are and what your nationality or religion might be. All this is irrelevant when we choose to come from a place of kindness, unconditional love and collaboration.

    What is collaboration? “Collaboration is a joint effort of multiple individuals or work groups to accomplish a task or project.” Within an organization, collaboration typically involves the ability of two or more people to view and contribute to documents, work processes and procedures, or other content through a structured and organised approach. In other words, if we don’t work together, companies will not function well, employees will be dissatisfied and unfulfilled, probably leaving for sunnier prospects due to day-to-day chaos caused by a lack of leadership that brings about collaboration and teamwork and encourages a win-win output by sitting down in a group to address issues whether that is conflict, things not going to plan, processes and procedures that are not fit for purpose and so on. Seldom if ever, in my multiple years of employment in front line and management positions have I experienced a lack of collaboration when a proactive leader has realised the need to increase communication and collaboration and therefore has encouraged this to happen through appropriate leadership.

    The next question might be; Do we need a leader to drive collaboration? Actually not, if we all make an individual decision to collaborate with others whether that is a work colleague, peer, boss or when we are out and about shopping, driving, eating and drinking, or on public transport. Every single one of us can decide through self-leadership to positively collaborate to get the issue in hand resolved or the task accomplished and in so doing will avoid the need to jump the queue, treat a fellow driver with contempt, the waiter with annoyance because things are not as fast as we think they should be or verbally attack the human who finally takes our call after several minutes of being asked by the robotic bot why we are calling, venting our frustration and annoyance at being reduced to sub-human.

    The bottom line – how can you improve collaboration and show small acts of kindness to others in your everyday life which not only makes their day, but also yours as you realise what this does for others and how you feel at being able to show that kindness and collaborate with them to achieve a particular outcome that works for both parties.

    Back to leadership and our leadership structures. In the workplace, and let’s face it government of a country is no different, just a large organisation that has a specific goal of serving the community that it governs for the best outcome for all and the nation as a whole. Examples of collaboration might include communication, conflict management and resolution, understanding through a willingness to listen, questioning to understand other points of view and problem solving in a team. It is similar to teamwork, however collaboration has no hierarchy, even though someone might be nominated to organise the collaborative process. In collaboration everyone is equal. Everyone has equal right to share their opinion and be listened to respectfully, challenge others about their opinion in a polite manner while communicating together for the common good to achieve the goal. Collaboration skills are vital for a company’s very existence as well as growth and development. Governments are no different.

    According to J. Ibeh Agbanyim in his book the “The Five Principles of Collaboration: Applying Trust, Respect, Willingness, Empowerment, and Effective Communication to Human Relationships is the foundation to effective collaboration.” When using these skills as a checklist it is not difficult to identify what is missing from our governments and world leaders today. Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” We seem to have come a long way from Churchill’s comment. I’m sure he wasn’t referring to what our world leaders are giving today, even though he served as Prime Minister during the second world war.

    Don’t sit back in your comfort zone and ignore what is going on, unless of course you are satisfied with your country’s leadership and the leadership in those unelected organisations that seek to control our lives such as the World Health Organisation, World Economic Forum and the like and the only people they are interested in collaborating with are themselves. We can all choose to collaborate with each other and show our fellow humans kindness and unconditional love. In other words, don’t wait for someone to lead you, lead yourself to a place where you want to be and encourage others to do the same. In this way as we each throw a pebble into the pool of water, soon that pool will become the ocean. An ocean of collaboration and kindness.

     

    “Extend a hand whether or not you know it shall be grasped.”

    – Ryunosuke Satoro, the Japanese father of short stories.

  • Are Your Company Values Laminated or Lived?

    Recently I attended the Health and Wellbeing @Work Expo at the NEC in Birmingham. Among the many good speakers was Dr Gian Power OBE who asked the question: “Are your company values laminated or lived?”

    This question resonated strongly. Sadly, I can reel off a list of companies who proudly display their values for all to see—beautifully designed posters in reception, polished statements on their website—yet forget to roll them down through the organisation to those who deliver to your customers, every day. Even more importantly, they fail to use them to shape how colleagues support one another and the message your company consistently gives out, causing a disconnect in the minds and actions of employees and customers.

    Why do We have Values?

    At their best, organisational values are not marketing slogans; they are decision-making tools. They guide how leaders lead, how managers manage, and how teams collaborate. They define how things are done when policies or procedures don’t provide the full answer.

    For leadership teams, values are designed to act as a strategic compass. They help determine priorities, shape behaviours during periods of change, and create consistency across departments, locations and leadership styles.

    For managers, they offer a framework for everyday choices—how to deal with a difficult situation, how to balance performance and wellbeing, how to respond when pressures increase.

    For employees, they provide clarity and psychological safety. When not clear and genuinely practised, people understand what is expected of them and how they will be treated. They are the bedrock.

    Without this alignment, values remain decorative or as Gian Power said “laminated” and left on a shelf somewhere, never to see the light of day. With it, they become operational, providing consistency for everyone to work with and by and to build connection with customers creating an understanding of what can be expected and delivered.

    Who do Values Serve?

    Values should serve three critical audiences simultaneously.

    1.    Your people.

    Employees want to know what kind of organisation they work for. Values signal what behaviours are encouraged, what is rewarded, and what is unacceptable. When people see leaders modelling values consistently, trust grows.

    2.    Your customers.

    Customers experience your values through every interaction with your organisation. Whether it is responsiveness, integrity, innovation or care, values influence how your people show up when representing your brand.

    3.    Your leadership team.

    For directors and senior leaders, values act as a shared reference point. They align leadership behaviour, help maintain consistency across functions, and support culture during periods of growth, restructuring or uncertainty.

    When values serve all three audiences, they become a cultural operating system, not just a communications exercise.

    What Benefit do Values Bring to your Company, Individuals and Teams?

    When values move from laminated statements to lived behaviours, the impact can be significant.

    For the organisation, values strengthen culture and brand credibility. They help attract and retain talent, particularly in a labour market where people increasingly choose employers whose values align with their own. They also support clearer decision-making during challenging moments—when commercial pressure might otherwise override long-term principles.

    For leaders and managers, values provide a practical leadership framework. They help guide performance conversations, shape recognition and reward, and provide a consistent lens for managing difficult situations.

    For teams, shared values create cohesion. They reduce ambiguity about expectations, support respectful collaboration, and strengthen accountability. When teams understand not just what they are expected to deliver but how they are expected to behave, performance and wellbeing does not compete, but reinforces one another other.

    The Real Question for Leaders

    Many organisations already have well-written values. The challenge is rarely the wording—it is the translation into behaviour. Ask yourself:

    •    Do leaders visibly model the values in everyday decisions?

    •    Are they embedded in recruitment, onboarding and performance discussions?

    •    Do managers feel confident using them to guide conversations and decision-making?

    •    Are values recognised and rewarded in practice, not just in principle?

    If the answer to any of these questions is uncertain, then values may still be closer to laminated than lived.

    For HR and L&D leaders in particular, this presents an opportunity. Culture does not change through posters or presentations; it changes through consistent leadership behaviour, aligned systems training programmes and daily conversations. Ultimately, employees rarely remember the values written on a wall. They remember the values demonstrated in the moments that mattered.

    Bringing Values to Life 

    Let’s consider the values of a well-known British company, no names – Safety and Security, Excellence, Caring and Open-Mindedness, supported by commitments to sustainability and diversity.

    Safety and Security

    Safety and security is demonstrated when employees actively protect the wellbeing of colleagues, customers and the organisation. Examples of day-to-day behaviours include:

    •    Following safety procedures consistently, even when under pressure or working to tight deadlines.

    •    Speaking up when something doesn’t feel safe, whether it’s a faulty piece of equipment, a potential risk to a colleague, or a process that could cause harm.

    •    Protecting sensitive information, ensuring customer data, company systems and confidential discussions are handled appropriately.

    When employees feel confident to prioritise safety and raise concerns early, organisations reduce risk and strengthen trust across teams.

    Excellence

    Excellence is not only about outstanding results; it is about the consistent pursuit of high standards and continuous improvement. Employees demonstrate excellence when they:

    •    Take pride in the quality of their work, checking accuracy and completeness before handing work over to others.

    •    Look for ways to improve processes, suggesting more efficient ways of working or better ways to serve customers.

    •    Prepare thoroughly for meetings, projects or customer interactions, ensuring they bring worth rather than simply attending.

    •    Learn from feedback, seeing mistakes or challenges as opportunities to improve rather than something to avoid.

    Excellence becomes part of the culture when people feel responsible not just for completing tasks, but for continually raising the standard of how work is done.

    Caring 

    A caring culture is visible in how employees treat colleagues, customers and partners. In practice this might look like:

    •    Supporting colleagues during busy periods, offering help rather than focusing only on individual workloads.

    •    Listening with empathy, particularly when someone is facing personal challenges or workplace pressures.

    •    Recognising the contributions of others, celebrating achievements and acknowledging effort across teams.

    •    Considering the impact of decisions on people, not just processes or results.

    When caring becomes embedded in everyday behaviour, organisations create environments where people feel respected, empowered and more willing to contribute their best work.

    Open-Mindedness

    Open-minded organisations encourage curiosity, new ideas and different perspectives. Employees demonstrate this value by:

    •    Welcoming new ideas from colleagues, regardless of seniority or department.

    •    Being willing to adapt, especially when processes change or new technologies are introduced.

    •    Listening to different viewpoints, even when they challenge existing assumptions.

    •    Learning from other teams, backgrounds or experiences to improve how work is approached.

    Open-mindedness helps organisations remain agile and innovative, particularly in rapidly changing markets.

    For leaders, HR and L&D professionals, the key question is not simply “Do we have values?” but “Can our people recognise what those values look like in action?”

    When employees understand how values translate into daily behaviours — in conversations, decisions and teamwork — they stop being statements on a wall and become the way the organisation works everyday building trust not only in the workforce, but also in customer loyalty. 

    Interested in a conversation with Green Key  Contact rachel@greenkeypersonaldevelopment.com or book a call https://calendly.com/greenkey/pd-consultation-meeting?month=2026-03

    #leadershipdevelopment, #leadershipmindset #empoweredemployees #customercommunication