Uncategorized

“…not capable of change”

by

3 weeks ago I wrapped up 2 cohorts for the 8-week leadership training. One gentleman was, how shall we say… resistant. According to him: He was ‘not capable of change’. He ‘didn’t need training anyway’. He thought, “I am who I am”. Great. I love a challenge 😏 **Cracks knuckles** And you know what – I GOT HIM. Before the 8 weeks began, his Lion was getting him into trouble. Even though the Ant is his top animal influencer, it was his Lion vulnerabilities that caused communication problems. He was a wild Lion. Loudly asserting with total ‘it’s my way or the highway’ directness. So you better believe me when I say the entire group had to scoop their jaws … Read more

If everyone had this…

by

Yesterday was an emotional day for me. It was the anniversary of my Mum’s death and her birthday. That’s right, Mum held out so we’d only have to face one mega-hard day each year instead of two. She was good like that. Thanks, Mum. It’s been 29 years since her battle with cancer. And it’s years like this when I struggle. Years when I have so much to tell her… Delivered training to a beer company in Miami?! She would have LOVED that! Travelled to Zimbabwe to support The Catalyst Foundation?! She’d have been so proud. Her grandkids travelling the world becoming all-around brilliant adults?! She’d be such an adoring Nana. As always, it had me thinking about a few … Read more

The inner critic

by

What’s that inner critic telling you these days? Have you stopped to think about it recently? Well, multiple cohorts have just finished Week 4 of the 8-week Leadership Programme and the inner critic was one of the hot topics of discussion. BIG TAKEAWAY: Everyone has that little voice that pipes up to tell us we’re ‘not good enough’. No matter how senior, experienced, or advanced you are in your leadership position… that inner voice can get LOUD. We have a lovely mix of seniority levels in these latest cohorts. From fresh-out-of-the-box leaders to those who’ve spent many years, if not decades, moving up the ranks. And what shocked less experienced leaders most was hearing how senior leaders also struggle with … Read more

One month ago, I left Africa

by

Exactly one month ago today, I got on a plane to leave Zimbabwe. I got my last glimpse of the Harare sunset. (You haven’t seen a sunset until you’ve seen an African sunset, IMHO) For those of you who’ve seen me since my return – and experienced my LET ME TELL YOU EVERYTHING verbal diarrhoea – then, yes, I’m still talking about it! And likely will for a while. #SorryNotSorry For my regular readers who knew I was going, you might wonder why I haven’t been blah-ing on about it. What can I say… **Deep breathe** There’s been a lot of processing, percolating, and rather humongous internal shifts since my return. I knew it would be amazing and I was … Read more

Chuffing great news to share!

by

Can I tell you something rather delicious? The Training Rock (that’s us) is fully booked until May. YUM! But fear not, if leadership training is on the agenda for 2024, now is the best time to get the ball rolling. Because when your leaders thrive, so does your business. Here’s how we can help you this year: #1. Team Leadership Programme Invest in your leadership team and watch your organisation thrive. Put your full leadership team through an 8-week battle-tested training tailored to your organisation’s values and goals.  Empower your people to lead themselves first, build trust with their team, create a culture that people WANT to be a part of and ultimately achieve better results for your business. “We … Read more

Christmas Tension?

by

Be honest, who’s been annoying you this Christmas? You’re there, trying to get into the spirit of the season, and someone undoubtedly makes you seethe with irritation. Maybe it’s your nagging Aunt. Maybe it’s your aloof partner. Maybe it’s your demanding kids. Maybe it’s your intrusive boss. Maybe it’s your depressing neighbour. Maybe it’s your worrying sister. There’s so much potential for some festive friction. Throw alcohol into the mix and you’ve got yourself a recipe for some spicy situations. Boozy Lions can become very direct and throw themselves into confrontation (which they thoroughly enjoy). Put them face-to-boozy-face with a Hedgehog, who gets a little more sensitive with every glass of port, and they can feel like they’re being personally … Read more

Oh Boris!

by

  If there is one thing you can count on from Boris Johnson, it’s a bumbling array of lies and a complete denial of the truth. How fabulous. Unfortunately, 2020 was a year when our country needed a leader who could guide us through a time of utter chaos most will never forget. What we had to settle for was something totally different. No matter which political party you support – this is not going to be a political debate, promise – one thing cannot be denied… The Tories have lied through their teeth throughout the current Covid-19 Inquiry. Now, imagine being thrust into a burning spotlight, a country of eyes clamped on you, knowing all too well that you royally messed … Read more

What do mushrooms have to do with leadership?

by

Strangely, mushrooms grow best in the dark. Fungi feed off the darkness, using it to sprout, grow and multiply. And what do mushrooms have to do with leadership? Like mushrooms, conflict also grows and multiplies when left in the dark – not the darkness of a damp cupboard, but more the metaphorical darkness of your silence. You see, conflict thrives in your avoidance of it. It feeds off your inner monologue (it’s ok – you’re not the only one who argues with colleagues in your head). And it risks exploding into a mushroom cloud of rage if not brought into the light (especially if you tell Freddy in Finance and Helen in HR about it while you’re avoiding actually addressing … Read more

T is for Trust

by

At The Training Rock, we talk a lot about TRUST. And no, the capital letters are not for dramatic effect. For us, TRUST is an Acronym: And the first T stands for: T – Talk to the right person  The simple rule here is: Talk to the person you’re talking about. Go on, be honest, how many times have you been at the coffee machine talking about what Susie said to Deirdre and how wrong she was about… bla bla….. In the meantime, Susie is talking to Gary about what you said and when Gary explains what Susie thought to Deirdre then the brown stuff hits the fan. Am I right? Worse still, when you’re in conflict with Barry, rather than … Read more

Let’s face it

by

What’s your default response when faced with conflict? I’m talking about those potentially uncomfortable conversations which can make our stomachs churn. I tend to see three themes (all with their associated variations) when faced with one of those chats which makes your mouth go dry and sends your imagination into overdrive about how it might go. Avoid it altogether – Ostrich anyone? You know, head firmly in the sand with the ‘if I ignore it, it will magically disappear’ approach. Spoiler alert – it won’t. Pass it on for someone else to deal with – that might be your leader, a colleague or those poor folk in HR who tend to get lumbered with all the stuff nobody else wants … Read more

Powered by CookieAdmin