As this distinction of feminine energy unfolded for me further, I realised how much I’d been limiting myself and working hard to overcompensate for innate qualities I wasn’t tapping into.

So, who is it really that’s causing the inefficiencies, the rework, the roadblocks between functions, all the unclear expectations, the wrong product going to market, the delay in delivery and customer dissatisfaction?

If you’re an over-thinker, perfectionist, relentless striver or people pleaser (which covers just about all of us), then the self-criticism is never far from the surface. Gritty little self-talk like…

Become present to what your little voice is saying. Take a breath, and let the thought soften its grip on you. Ask yourself quietly…what if I didn’t blame them this time. What if I didn’t tell that same old story this time. What if I didn’t resort to self-criticism this time.

When leaders drive their teams toward a result, without concerning themselves with how that result is being achieved, the damage to be rectified long after the result has been forgotten, is costly to everyone.

When people turn up to work every day, they come with everything that’s made them who they are to this point. Their triumphs and victories, their failures and pain points.

Leaders often focus on changing behaviour. What seems like laziness or is measured as disengagement is more the byproduct than the cause. Being curious about what’s driving the behaviour is critical to sustaining change.