Pizza lunches, surveys, and inspirational posters may feel supportive, yet they do not change task clarity, decision rights, workload, or learning. Let's engage properly.

What is the difference between pausing to reflect and procrastinating? It is normal to feel anxious about the future and its uncertainty but have you ever noticed how the antidote to anxiety is action. Even one small step. This Lead with EASE Newsletter explains the behavioural activation impact on anxiety and explains some of the background to some of the most popular psychology out there.

In leadership, there is often a temptation to hold on tightly, especially when things are uncertain or money and reputation is at stake. As a founder or other leader of a growing business, I know this is a real challenge.

Perfect is the enemy of good enough but this also means imperfect and adaptable is going to have to be acceptable enough at times. Even with the best preparation and intent, people in leadership face setbacks that test their belief, their approach and emotional resilience. When that happens, what matters most is not perfection, it is proactive and critical thinking, grounded in clarity and trust.

In high-performing teams, it is easy to assume that the best people simply “handle it.” They are competent, driven, and resilient, or so it appears. Their capacity can appear almost limitless at times. However, this is exactly the time to be aware of the breaking strain of people and the potential for burnout.

In many workplaces, leadership is still equated with issuing directives, commanding and authoritarian. Sometimes this may be appropriate. However, in his research Keith Grint suggests this kind of command style, while preferred by some has led to catastrophe. Clarity is confused with control. Direction is confused with dominance. Everything becomes a crisis because someone say we do not have time to think.Or do we?

Have you ever noticed how a need for some leadership begins with a perception of uncertainty, your own and your potential followers, and those other leaders.Therefore before we take action, we must try and understand the situation we are responding to. It may be critical that we get this right first time.

When things go wrong, whether in strategy, culture, or performance, it is often labelled a failure of leadership, a catch all. However, in reality, the underlying issues are more often misaligned priorities, ineffective systems, eroded trust, or environments where individuals are unclear about what good decision-making looks like.