I’ve always believed that for most small to medium businesses, even a small increase in structure, like 10%, can lead to disproportionately better results. Here’s how 10% gets you so much more.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between working “in” the business and working “on” it. The time you spend doing your job vs growing the business. It’s not easy to draw a clear line between what’s important and what’s not. Our brains tend to default to the path of least resistance. If one option looks easier or clearer, it will choose it. That’s why if you don’t make the important work easy to start, your brain will ignore it.
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The corporate graveyard is littered with the skeletons of Enterprise Resource Planning rollouts that went horribly wrong. The idea was that the ERP system would drive companies to re-engineer their processes and thereby transform, but it almost never happened. The main reason was that clients tried to customise the program to their processes rather than the other way around. But there’s a better way.
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Business cadence keeps operations smooth, teams engaged, and momentum strong. A steady rhythm in marketing, sales, and finance prevents burnout and chaos. Company culture is the foundation—enabling adaptability, collaboration, and productivity. Without it, businesses stall.
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The DEI debate is split—some push affirmative action, others reject it as ‘woke’, but one thing is for sure. DEI is evolving. While corporate diversity programs may fade, good workplaces built on strong values will always exist. A good manager focuses on what matters: how well someone does their job, not race, gender, or identity. Whether DEI stays or goes, strong leadership and fair workplaces will always win.
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Great listening often involves stepping away, reflecting on what was said, and returning later to deepen the dialogue. This approach shifts the focus from immediate reactions to considered responses. Communication is about so much more than talking and listening. It’s about two human beings connecting. The kind of connection that turns surface-level conversations into moments of clarity, collaboration, and shared purpose.
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Some things are meant to be done with subtlety and finesse, and some are best played really loud. They sound okay if we constrain them for fear of what others might think, but they only sound truly awesome when you pump the volume up way past 10.
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Reflecting on the Jenny Lawson book, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things. The stories unravel her journey with depression, marriage, and life in a quirky and funny way. Among the stories is a beautiful anecdote that gave me a phrase that’s been echoing in my head ever since, ‘easier, but not better’
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Ever wondered how so many incompetent men get to the top?
McKinsey researched the question of what propels people to the top. Gender was one of the strongest predictors. Qualities such as empathy, self-awareness, integrity and humility are not rated as highly as overconfidence and narcissism, and competence didn't even come into the picture
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Purpose has replaced mission statement, but it’s still important to have both a vision and a purpose. When so many people talk about purpose-driven businesses, it’s fair to wonder about the difference between purpose. I take a very simple approach: the vision is our business goal. In our case, we want to provide the best leadership development in the world.
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Ever caught yourself thinking, “What are we doing here? Why are we here?” It’s more than just boredom – it’s a red flag for toxic culture and poor leadership. If your team is stuck in monotony, it’s time to rethink your approach. Learn how to reignite curiosity and engagement, transforming mundane tasks into opportunities for development.
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Discover strategies for retaining star performers and reducing turnover. Dr. Mike shares insights on effective coaching and management. Read more at The Breakthrough Co.
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Unleash the potential of your managers with our Active Manager Program, designed for immediate impact. By focusing on core leadership skills, it helps managers save time and drive business improvement, addressing underlying issues like high turnover and team stress.
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Dr Mike explains what a breakthrough is and how valuable they are for managers. He explores how when a whole group of managers are experiencing them, the effect is literally transformational for the entire business.
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Leadership teams in the productive sector are facing a tough challenge: walking the tightrope of how to keep our teams firing on all cylinders without burning them out.
Let’s talk how your people can be more productive with less resources using AI as an example.
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Anyone who can demonstrate a financial Return on Investment on leadership development is making it up.
Anyone who asks to see the ROI on leadership development is asking the wrong question.