How do you know?

Where does your team fall on the cultural mindset continuum (e.g., fixed vs. growth mindset)?

  • How can you recognise cultural features through your organisation’s cultural artifacts?

  • How do you structure the start and end of your meetings?

  • In what ways do you praise or acknowledge your team members' contributions?

  • How do you approach situations when team members make mistakes?

  • What practices, policies, and norms do you have in place that shape your culture?

  • Are you open to discussing your organisation's culture with me?

Feel free to contact me via email for a cultural review.

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Mindset affects your resilience

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Which mindset do you have?

In her book “Mindset: How You Can Fulfil Your Potential”, Carol Dweck (author and psychologist) challenges conventional thinking by exploring the concepts of fixed and growth mindsets and how they shape our attitudes, behaviours, and outcomes. I think it’s an oversimplification to think that we can only have one mindset. Most people believe they either have a growth or fixed mindset, but research shows we possess both. At times, we operate with a fixed mindset, and at other times, we adopt a growth mindset.

““Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.””
— Bernard Baruch

Breaking patterns of behaviour

Diversity serves as a trigger as it makes people dig deeper, work harder and question themselves. There’s more conflict in these diverse groups – conflict of opinions and perspectives – and that leads to better outcomes. Don’t trust me, you can read the McKinsey & Co. reports.

i have been advised to be a little more active on LinkedIn to establish myself as a thought leader. This is my challenge for September as I have conditioned to believe that self-praise is no recommendation. I will give it a try…

““The moment you realise not everybody is going to like you is the moment you take back your power.””
— Burrellism
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Together we grow

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c/o Medium

What’s the most challenging part of your DEI job?

One of the most challenging parts is aligning individual perspectives with the broader goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. For example, I once worked with a team member who was hesitant about implementing a mentorship program aimed at supporting women in leadership roles as they were concerned it might create unfair advantages. To address this, I shared an experience where we introduced a similar program in a previous organisation, and it resulted in not only more women in leadership positions but also an overall increase in team collaboration and performance. By framing the situation with concrete outcomes, I helped them see the bigger picture. My goal is not necessarily to change their mind but to broaden their understanding of why these initiatives are important from a DEI perspective.

What is coaching?

c/o ELLE magazine

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.

We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we are striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.

Behaviour creates results

A positive mind finds opportunity in everything, while a negative mind finds faults in everything. In addition to boosting productivity and promoting teamwork, coaching for performance can also help to reduce turnover rates and improve employee satisfaction. I think that when employees feel supported and valued, they are more likely to stay with your organization for the long term. Overall, when leaders focus on coaching for performance and creating a positive work environment, it becomes a smart investment in the future of your organisation. By fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity, your organisation will attract and retain top talent, drive innovation, and build a resilient workforce that is well-equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business landscape. Don’t take my word for it, check out the research from McKinsey & Co.

You are welcome

Traditionally, diversity focuses on the usual characteristics of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. I look forward to the day when diversity also incorporates individual values, experiences, knowledge, and ideas. I think that when organisations truly understand their employees, they can effectively target their focus areas by using employee surveys to gauge how employees feel across a broad range of indicators. These indicators can include areas like inclusion, wellbeing, the safety to speak up, hybrid working, strategy and purpose, and even customer-facing interactions and collaboration. Within this framework, organisations could ask a series of specific demographic questions to better understand how different communities feel.

Understanding kindness

We can restore humanity and dignity to the workplace by empowering people to take ownership of the process. With the right approach to continuous improvement, we can cultivate the humility, courage, and creativity needed to put things in their proper place. I think the key is to start by re-examining how we view humans, both in general and within the working context.

““I’m for the truth, no matter who tells it. 
I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against. 
I’m a human being first and foremost, and as such I’m for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole.””
— Malcolm X

Attitude determines altitude

Our attitude towards both our professional and personal lives will determine how far we go in business and in life. Attitude is a choice, not a skillset. By adopting an attitude of gratitude, you'll achieve greater success in business and experience countless blessings in life. So, change your attitude and stop making excuses.

“ “It’s your attitude, not your aptitude that will determine your altitude.””
— Zig Ziglar

Explain rather than excuse

I'm focused on deliverables, not just activity, so during our knowledge work team meeting about objectives, I want to emphasise results over excuses. Few of us have had the privilege of working on high-performance teams where we're genuinely excited to go to work, and that's the kind of environment I want to foster. What about you?

“Not managing your time and making excuses are two bad habits. Don’t put them both together by claiming you ‘don’t have the time’.””
— Robert Foster Bennett

Never break the silence

The STOKeRS Model is new to me, so I did a little research and found out that it’s a coaching framework designed to facilitate effective conversations, particularly during the goal-setting phase of coaching sessions. Developed by Claire Pedrick, this model helps coaches ensure that key elements are covered during their interactions with clients.

• Subject – What should we focus on today?


•  Time – Given we have “X” minutes today, what about that do we need to focus on?


• Outcome – What would you like to be different at the end of our time together?


• Know – How will you know you have got what you need out of this time?


• Role – How are we going to do this?


•  Start – Where shall we start?

Building a new team

In any team project, the journey to success often involves navigating through distinct stages:
1st Stage: Forming, when the team members come together and start to understand each other's roles and strengths.

2nd Stage: Storming, this phase is often marked by conflicts and challenges as different opinions and working styles clash.

3rd Stage: Norming, where the team begins to resolve differences, establish norms, and work more cohesively.

4th Stage: Performing, the final stage where the team operates at its highest potential, efficiently and effectively achieving its goals.
At what stage is your team? Contact me via email if you would like some guidance on your journey.

““The only skill that will be important in the 21st century is the skill of learning new skills. Everything else will become obsolete over time.””
— Peter Drucker

Fine-tuning our minds

The words you use to frame your current situation will change your mindset and elevate your mood. A positive mindset allows you to stay open to new possibilities where others see barriers, and a positive mood will lift your spirits and attract people in your life who will help, support, or hire you. I think successful individuals in any field used positive words to frame an outcome. It's an imperfect world, and despite hours of practice and years of experience, the ball won't always bounce your way, you'll be dealt a bad hand, or an unprecedented pandemic will shift your plans. 

““We dance round in a ring and suppose,
But the secret sits in the middle and knows.””
— Robert Frost

Setting a compelling vision

As a leader, you need to maintain the right balance between distance and closeness. When giving instructions, be clear and direct about what needs to be done, and when explaining how to accomplish the tasks, be approachable and supportive. I think it's also essential to provide your team with a clear understanding of both the tasks at hand and the underlying purpose behind them. This clarity helps them see the value in their work and understand why it matters, motivating them to fully commit to the goals you set.

Build a culture of respect

Everyone has an inherent desire to feel recognised, competent, and accepted, and to be admired for their contributions. This is why it’s crucial to approach challenging feedback with careful consideration and sensitivity. I think when providing feedback, it's important to protect the "status-need" of your colleagues by directing your focus on the work or behaviour at hand, rather than making it personal. By critiquing the work and not the individual will help to engage your colleagues in a collaborative dialogue, encouraging the discovery of shared solutions which fosters a sense of partnership and teamwork.

Diversity benefits

Why is it so hard to capture the benefits of diversity?

When we meet someone new, we usually look for things we have in common with them, such as sports, TV shows, education, children, or country of origin.
Try a new challenge: the next time you're interacting with someone new who looks different from you, instead of looking for similarities, embrace your differences. Talk about what makes you unique and different from the other person. Ask them about their life, their story, and the experiences they've gone through that you can learn from. Don’t focus on how you are alike; focus on how you are different. Try this for five minutes.

I guarantee you that the environment you create will be one where differences are normal. No two individuals are the same, and you should not expect people to be just like you. I think you should expect everyone you interact with to be different. And if you can create this kind of environment in your organisations, schools, and families, you will find that the value of diversity is there for you to capture.

Make a better argument

Diverse groups have to think harder about the problem because they tend to disagree with each other and therefore, have to have better arguments. I think you can compare diverse groups to going to the gym. When you go to the gym if you stand still then nothing happens. You have to push yourself, use your muscles and then you’ll see that the pain that you feel in your muscles is going to lead to some benefits, and these are the benefits that you want. This is the same thing as diversity, the discomfort that you feel when you’re interacting with someone who looks different from you – who has a different accent than you, who’s a little harder to understand. The hard work that you’re doing will pay off.