2 min read
Disagreement needs dignity
I had a positive social media experience this week (...I know right?!). Someone with a large public following had posted an open question about a...
Leadership (5)
1 min read
4 ways to move fast without breaking things
Hi, I'm Alicia McKay, a serial fast-moving thing-breaker. It's one of my best qualities - I execute ideas quickly and fix them as I go. I'm often on...
4 min read
How to define leadership in the real world
Leadership is all the rage, but if you're sick of swimming in buzzwords, you might find yourself asking what it really means. Read on for a real...
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.
1 min read
How to make your problems useful
There's no way to avoid problems, I'm afraid. Problems are like cockroaches and glitter: even when the world ends, they'll still be there.
2 min read
How to be a strategist: 3 things to do today
I've been thinking again about how to answer the dreaded BBQ question - you know, the one: "So, what do you do for work?"
End Like You Mean to Continue
Welcome to another Wednesday Wisdom. Every week, I share with you what I'm thinking about life, work, and leadership. This week we're talking about...
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,...
3 min read
Always be a beginner
On Saturday, I went to my first creative writing workshop. I walked in fairly confident. I've published two books (non-fiction), and I write daily. I...
2 min read
How to be kinder: a learner's perspective
I'm not always a very kind person. Not because I'm not good or generous, or because I don't care about others, but because my natural style is pretty...
2 min read
Intangible Assets: Create business value that lasts
I was listening to the radio this morning when a soundbite caught my attention - a business expert talking about "intangible assets." I've been using...
1 min read
Do, Then Decide
What are you tangled up in knots about right now? I bet you've got a decision weighing on you. Whether it's a job offer, a location change, a...
2 min read
Success Hack: Networking with the right people
The company you keep matters. When you're surrounded by smokers, you're more likely to be a smoker. When your friends are successful at work, you're...
1 min read
Your real value is converting uncertainty
Nobody knows what they're doing. Nobody. We're all winging it. Every time we face a problem, we dig through mental filing cabinets and muscle memory....
2 min read
Upgrade Your Worries: Reduce anxiety about your life choices
Welcome to another Wednesday Wisdom. Every week, I share with you what I'm thinking about life, work, and leadership. This week we're talking about...
5 min read
How to lead when you're worried
It’s a worrying time to be in charge. How can you be a successful leader when you're worried about the future? We live in a time of unprecedented...
2 min read
Obsessions: The perfect way to avoid things
I'm kind of intense, once I get *into* something. This time last year, I got into houseplants. It started with 6, and just a few weeks later, I had...
1 min read
How to become a CEO
We caught up on some of our Google analytics last week, and there was a surprising nugget in there. One of the most common search terms that brought...
1 min read
How to become a CEO
We caught up on some of our Google analytics last week, and there was a surprising nugget in there. One of the most common search terms that brought...
8 min read
5 secrets of successful CEOs
Want to become a CEO but can’t keep up with your current workload, much less anything else? Wondering how they do it, how you can get there, and how...
1 min read
Learning in Lockdown: Use crisis to develop new skills
I always have my best ideas on a plane. It's not great in lockdown, I'll admit, but there's something about putting myself in a different situation...
2 min read
The benefits of getting bored: get unstuck
I like making and discovering new things. It's a bit of a problem because as soon as I've made something, I'm bored with it and looking for something...
2 min read
The Benefits of Getting Bored: Get unstuck
I really like making and discovering new things. It's a bit of a problem, because as soon as I've made something, I'm bored with it and looking for...
3 min read
Leading through change: the power of language
“Words create worlds” - JONATHAN FRANZEN Two years ago, I conducted a personal experiment after reading James Clear's Atomic Habits. To be more...