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The 13 Counterfeits of Trust

The 13 Counterfeits of Trust

Every one of Covey's 13 trust behaviours has a forgery. Not an opposite — a forgery, which is far more dangerous, because an opposite is easy to spot. Here's what your best behaviour turns into when you're under load, and why you're the last person who'll notice.

13 Behaviours of High-Trust Leaders

13 Behaviours of High-Trust Leaders

There is one thing that, removed from a team, destroys it. Trust. Not strategy, not talent, not the org chart. Here are Covey’s thirteen behaviours that build it — refreshed with the research behind them, a corrected attribution, and one behaviour I’d now write differently after ten years.

5 Keys to Holding Great Coaching Conversations

5 Keys to Holding Great Coaching Conversations

If you have been avoiding holding a coaching or performance conversation, then grab a coffee and enjoy this week's blog. One of the most powerful motivators at work is to feel that you are progressing and contributing to meaningful work. What separates highly effective leaders from average ones is their recognition of the power of coaching. So build our confidence and lead well!

Why do we tolerate porcupines in the workplace?

Why do we tolerate porcupines in the workplace?

Nobody likes a porcupine, so why do we let them stay? Nine steps to move their behaviour up — or move them off the team. Revised August 2026, because tip nine used to tell you to shrug off a bullying claim.

Feedback; An Elephant or a Gift?

Feedback; An Elephant or a Gift?

Feedback is a gift. It says so on a poster somewhere in your building. So why does almost everybody flinch when they hear the word? Because most of what arrives labelled as a gift is an elephant: large, unasked for, impossible to return. A gift is chosen for the person receiving it. An elephant is chosen for the person giving it. One question, asked before you open your mouth, tells you which one you are holding.

The Keys to Holding Great Coaching Conversations

The Keys to Holding Great Coaching Conversations

Someone is not delivering. Before you ask a single good question, work out which of three problems you are actually looking at, because coaching the wrong one makes it worse.