Can great experts become great leaders? It's a subject that Dr Deepa Desai and I have been reflecting on recently. We thought about the skill sets that great subject matter experts have, why it's not enough for today’s Global leaders and how great leaders need to behave to be truly great. Great subject matter experts: Are relied on for the [...]
The recent Test series between England and India has given @DrDeepaDesai and I a chance to reflect on what leaders, individuals and organizations can learn from Test cricket. Why Test cricket? We think it is a useful metaphor for how leaders navigate and lead change. Created by ChatGPT5 - not a real image It requires long term thinking [...]
Resilience is a capability that is increasingly sought after as we continue to navigate through uncertainty and constant change as individuals, teams and enterprises. It allows us to: • Prevent burnout of self and others • Navigate challenges and retain talent & momentum • Embrace uncertainty: Adapt to constant change as individuals, teams and enterprises • Maintain grace under pressure: Balance competing demands and [...]
My recent posts have been about finding your purpose. People have agreed its important, but should it be the number one priority when making career decisions? A recent conversation with Trefor Munn-Venn made me pause and think. It has been many years since we spent a week together on a fabulous leadership development course (Niagara Institute) It was at a critical point [...]
One of the activities I like to do when not working is yoga. I’ve used it as a time for me to relax, switch off and keep fit. Every month Eunice Learmont BA MDA MIPW FInstPa ACILEX STEP Affiliate my fabulous instructor (pictured) introduces a new theme. Last month was “Balance is the dance – through the interplay between effort and [...]
Are you happy in your work? Are you in an organization where your individual purpose is aligned with the organizations purpose? Recently @Mike Mair and I explored our experiences in discovering, demystifying and aligning organizational purpose. We created six questions that enabled us to tell our stories: What is your purpose? Why do you do, what you do? [...]
At Biointegrates in Cambridge this month, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel on “Future Proofing Biotech: Cultivating Diversity, and Innovation for a Thriving Workforce”. The context for the discussion was set up by the excellent panels that had preceded this discussion. They discussed Collaboration, Location, AI and Funding, each of which drives the need for having a workforce [...]
The environment around us has become more uncertain. What can you do as you try and navigate and lead through change? Recently Jackie Macritchie Elisabeth (Liz) Mortimer-Cassen Jonathan Betts Dianne Lee (FTOPRA, CDir) and I discussed. We acknowledged that the situation we face is more unpredictable than ever before. We are truly living in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world where the pace of change [...]
In March I had the pleasure of working with the 2025 BIA mentees at the BioIndustry Association (BIA) BIG Women in Biotech in Cambridge. Thanks again to Dr. Kate Barclay MBE, Samantha Care, Jane Wall, Cristina Hernandez Vazquez and the team for organising. Great to have Emma Thorp and Sophia Mowla leading concurrent workshops on energy and values. Why is [...]
Is self-reflection as an individual, team or organization worth it? Recently Jonathan Betts, Dianne Lee, Jackie MacRitchie, Renos Savva, Elisabeth Mortimer Cassen and I met to discuss the upsides and downsides of reflection. We decided it was, and identified ways to maximise effectiveness. Upsides One of the most compelling reasons is to learn as an individual or indeed to strive [...]
