4 min read
Set your own direction
The unhelpful pressure of a master plan Navigation needs a starting point Get perspective on your past Set your future compass Take the next right...
Career (2)
6 min read
Pay yourself first
Why you need to pay yourself first My experiment with sequencing Useful strategies for your life An important disclaimer. Why You Need to Pay...
5 min read
You don't know how great you can be: expand your possibilities
My first business was cleaning houses at 17 Me, aged 18, with my baby daughter
8 min read
How to get better at making mistakes
In late 2019, I interviewed a Mayor on stage at a conference in Australia. His Council had done some seriously impressive work, and they were...
4 min read
What to do before you quit your job to start a business
What should you do before leaving your job to start your own consulting business? What boxes do you need to tick, and how much money do you need in...
2 min read
Why people are opting out of corporate bullshit
I only lasted four years as an employee. I loved the work I was doing (strategic planning and policy in local government) and wanted to keep doing...
1 min read
Two questions to understand yourself differently
What would you do for free? What are your favourite household jobs? A useful reminder, in case you're doubting yourself What I'd do for free I've...
2 min read
5 career mistakes everyone (from junior to executive) should avoid
A few years ago, I asked a group of public sector executives one simple question: “What are the biggest mistakes you've made in your career?”
3 min read
How to care about your job again
If you've woken up today with a sense of dread about what awaits you at your desk, you're not alone. A 2019 Gallup poll found that out of the world's...
2 min read
Own your outcast status
How it started I left my job as a policy analyst and strategic planner in 2014. I'd been so excited by that job—for lots of reasons. I was the first...
5 min read
Boundaries, burnout, business and #bigrantenergy
I've been ranting my wee head off lately, and it's been an utter delight. I'm trying to channel that energy into pushing as much helpful goodness as...
7 min read
Stop being nice: 7 reasons why your niceness is dangerous
I have a confession to make: I'm suspicious of nice people.
2 min read
It's just work: how to put work into perspective
On Sunday night, I went to check my calendar for the week. I knew I had a bit on, but I wasn't too worried. Until I got to Thursday. At that point,...
1 min read
Get out of the weeds you love
Do you miss the "real work"? The 'paradox of leadership', according to Greg McKeown, is that as we advance in seniority, we can become so overwhelmed...
2 min read
First things first: prioritise progress
I’ve been a productivity nerd since day one. So much so, that I spent the summer between my first and second year at university reading books about...
1 min read
Public sector leadership: connect to outcomes
Have you ever caught the show Undercover Boss? It’s just the kind of brilliant mind-numbing reality TV you need for a sick day in bed – which is how...
2 min read
New years resolution hack: aim for habits
Man, do I love the smell of a fresh year. Crispy new stationery, damp summer evenings, long days and warm nights. It’s hard not to feel excited about...
2 min read
Know your job and do it well
At a conference I attended earlier this year, Matt Church told a story about leadership and team work, using a powerful story about a basketball...