When Procrastination Shows Up as Indecision in Leadership
Last week, during a coaching session, a senior leader said something that, at first glance, sounded entirely reasonable: “I’m not avoiding the decision - I’m just being careful.” And they meant it. This was someone thoughtful, diligent, and highly capable. A leader...
Why Your Most Capable People Still Need Reassurance
Reassurance-seeking is rarely labelled as a confidence issue at work. More often, it’s interpreted as diligence, collaboration, or care. But when confidence depends on external validation, it quietly shapes behaviour in ways leaders don’t always see - and often...
Control at Work: When Anxiety Wears a Smart Outfit
In high-performing environments, control is rarely questioned. In fact, it’s often quietly praised. The people who are most controlled are frequently described as diligent, reliable, detail-oriented, or as having “strong ownership.” They anticipate problems,...
How Comparison Undermines Confidence and Performance in Your Team
If you manage or develop people, you’ve probably seen it: capable employees who don’t speak up, high-potential team members who hold back, and talented people who seem less confident than their ability suggests. What’s often driving this isn’t a lack of skill or...
Confidence at Work: Why Pausing Early Prevents Burn-Out Later
At the end of last year, I launched The Confidence Breakthrough - a book, an online course and a set of cards designed to help professionals build confidence at work from the inside out. It’s been exciting, meaningful work. It’s also forced me to look closely at...
If January Motivation Feels Hard, Your Team Isn’t Lazy – Here’s What Leaders Are Missing
January often raises quiet concerns for leaders: you’ve set fresh goals, you’ve reset priorities and you’re ready to start strong. But instead of renewed energy, you notice something else: people seem quieter people seem quieter decision-making slows confidence...
Why ‘New Year Motivation’ Often Backfires and What High-Potential Employees Actually Need Instead
January is full of good intentions in the workplace. Fresh goals, new performance targets and renewed pressure to ‘start strong.’ And yet, by February, many leaders notice the same pattern: confidence dips engagement softens capable employees become quieter, more...
When Confidence Is Lacking: A Case Study on How Low Confidence Quietly Damages Team Performance
Most leaders don’t realise how low confidence at work shows up in hidden, disruptive ways, and yet according to research from Harvard Business Review, low confidence plays a significant role in workplace performance. It hides itself inside difficult behaviour,...
Festive Indulgence or Emotional Overload? How Leaders Tell the Difference
Every December, workplaces shift into a familiar rhythm. Client lunches get longer. Office kitchens overflow with chocolates and gifted wine. Snacks appear everywhere you look. Team dinners, after-work drinks and “go on, just one more” moments fill the calendar. Most...
Why Managers Need to Ask the Question Everyone Avoids: “How Does That Make You Feel?”
Have you ever left a meeting certain everyone was aligned - only to get a message later where one colleague praises your idea… while another is quietly fuming? Most leaders assume this is personality, poor communication, or ‘office dynamics.’ But it’s not. What you’re...