This YouTube video introduces the five levels of leadership skill development:

Leadership Development: The 5 Stages

Wherever you are on your leadership journey, whether you are just leading yourself or managing thousands of people, there is always room for growth and improvement. In this video, I introduce a competency framework to support leaders in their leadership development as well as the five foundational competencies that relate to each level.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

Leadership Skills: The Five-Level Competency Framework

This YouTube video introduces the a easy to remember question technique:

Critical Thinking: Asking The Right Questions

This questioning technique is based on the 7 main interrogative words in the English language. It is called The Right Questions approach, and the idea developed from the training I received as a Bomb Disposal Officer.

The question technique is a communication technique that helps us with decision-making which in turn helps with:

• Logical and critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Setting and achieving goals
• Strategy and vision setting
• Prioritisation and planning

This is because decision-making underpins so many other skills.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

What are The Right Questions to Ask?

This YouTube video introduces the personal network and who you need for an effective team:

The Roles Needed for Effective Networks and Teams

You want to start a grand venture. You are in the driving seat ready to go. But, who do you want on the bus with you?

Organisations expert Jim Collins poses this question in the bestselling book Good to Great. I love this analogy as it is a picture we can all identify with. For instance, whether we are off on a family holiday, a team excursion or an expedition, we can empathise with checking off to see that we have the right people in the vehicle.

The same goes for whatever goal we want to achieve. There are various approaches to building a team or network, but here is an example using 10 key roles that are crucial to an effective group. The roles are explained in the video.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

How to Create a Powerful Personal Network

This YouTube video introduces the theory and :

How to Manage Risks

Everything we do has an element of risk. We might decide to act or to do nothing but both options carry risk. Therefore assessing, and managing risk is an important part of completing our goals. This is how you can use this tool to identify, assess and manage the key risks that you face. Risk management can become very detailed and complex but the essentials are simple. We need to:

• Identify the risks

• Assess the risks

• And mitigate the risks.

By doing this we can create a basic risk management strategy for any task.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

A Simple Approach to Risk Assessment

This YouTube video introduces The Quest, a journey to purpose and success:

How to Find Greater Purpose and Success in Life

Do you want to find clarity, direction, and purpose in life? The Quest is an immersive online personal development course, designed to help you break through barriers and achieve the success and balance you’ve been seeking. You’ll embark on a journey that empowers you to:

• Define your ideal career and vocation

• Develop deep self-awareness and emotional intelligence

• Improve decision-making and to master planning for change

• Set clear, actionable goals for personal and professional growth

• Achieve balance and harmony between work and life

• Overcome limiting beliefs, conquer fears, and manage stress

• Build resilience, boost confidence, and strengthen mental health

• Align your finances and priorities for long-term success

• Master time management and maximise productivity

• Enhance and enrich your personal relationships

You can take the first steps on The Quest for free. Just sign up by following this link, and you can access the first lessons and tools before you make any purchases.

For more information, follow the link:

The Quest: Sign Up

https://therightquestions.thinkific.com/enrollments

This YouTube video introduces the idea of creating your own personal brand:

Your Purpose, Brand and Slogan

If you could sum up your life purpose in a statement on a t-shirt, what would it say? What do you tell people when they ask you what you are about? What is your life purpose and how would you sum it up?

When we talk about ourselves, we frequently share details such as what we do for a living, what we are studying, where we live or where we are from. But even though those things give some clues to who we are, they don’t necessarily reveal our principles, dreams, or life purpose. Our personal brand can bring all those elements together and help to communicate what we are about.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

How to Create a Catchy Personal Slogan and Brand

This YouTube video looks at our priorities through examining how we use time and money:

Working Out What You Value Most

What are your priorities in life? How does the way you use your time and money reflect your values? We all have things we prioritise, whether we recognise them or not.

Even if we think we know what we value, it is good to reflect on our actions to see how well our ideas and behaviours align. A good way to examine a priority is to look at the evidence of how we spend our time and money. It is effectively an audit of our schedule and finances.

This is because, as journalist and author Germany Kent points out: “A person’s actions will ALWAYS tell you what their priorities are. People spend their time, money, and energy on what’s important to them.” This video helps you analyse how you spend your time and money and how they reflect what you prioritise.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

What are Your Life Priorities?

This YouTube video introduces the twelve steps of the Hero’s Journey:

The 12-Step Story Arc

The Hero’s Journey is a structured story arc, and common template, used by storytellers, from authors of ancient mythology through to Hollywood screenwriters. If you think of tales of heroes, be that Odysseus or Luke Skywalker, Perseus or Katniss Everdeen, you can see the underlying similarities. A 17-step structure was proposed by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949) and this was refined into a 12-step process by Christopher Vogler in The Writers Journey (2007). This video covers the full twelve steps of the hero’s journey with some examples from well-known stories, taken from books and movies.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

The Hero’s Journey

In any organization, leadership is not just about managing teams or making executive decisions; it’s also about influencing stakeholders and leading up. That is true even more so when you are working alone or have no team to delegate to.

“Leading up” refers to the ability to influence those above you, either in a formal organizational hierarchy, or in more general business and life interactions. Whether it’s your direct manager, a client, a recruiter, or just someone more influential than you, being able to lead up is essential.

Mastering this skill is crucial for career growth, business development, and driving organizational success. This article explores the importance of leading up, strategies to influence stakeholders, and best practices for establishing credibility and trust.

What Does It Mean to Lead Up?

Leading up is about proactively contributing to decision-making, providing valuable insights, and positively influencing the direction of an organization, even when you are not in a formal leadership position. It involves understanding your stakeholder or leaders’ goals, priorities, and challenges and aligning your contributions to support them effectively.

Being able to lead up successfully means earning trust, communicating effectively, and positioning yourself as a strategic partner who adds value to their organisation.

The Importance of Leading Up and Influencing Stakeholders

Here are some reasons why leading up is so important:

1. Career Growth and Professional Development

Demonstrating leadership beyond your job role or title can help you gain recognition, promotions, and new opportunities. Leaders appreciate employees who take the initiative and contribute to broader organisational goals. External stakeholders want proactive partners who can help them solve problems, so helping is the best way to get more business.

2. Enhanced Decision-Making

Influencing stakeholders ensures that your insights, expertise, and recommendations are considered in decision-making processes. This can lead to better strategic decisions and improved outcomes for the organisation.

I have been in various roles where stakeholder engagement has been vital to ensuring effective decision-making. It takes time to build relationships and align others to a shared direction. For example, in these sorts of situations, I will invest a lot of time with individual decision-makers before going into a group setting where the choice is expected to be made.

3. Improved Relationships with Senior Leaders

Building trust and rapport with higher-ups fosters a collaborative work environment. Strong relationships with key stakeholders can also provide mentorship and open doors to career advancement.

Generally, the people up the chain are just like you, just with a bit more experience or particular skills. The best senior leaders and stakeholders encourage input and challenge from their team. It is increasingly common to have reverse coaching and mentoring in place where a senior person will actively seek the perspective of someone in a lower position.

4. Driving Organisational Change

Many employees have great ideas but struggle to get buy-in from decision-makers. Leading up effectively can help you drive change, secure resources, and implement innovative solutions.

One of my favourite examples of this was David Sterling, founder of the Special Air Service (SAS) in World War Two. He hopped his way into a military HQ on crutches, dodged staff and barged into a General’s office to get his idea across. It was a highly risky strategy but one that paid off, as in this case, he was demonstrating just the sort of daring that his team was going to be known for. As a result, he was permitted to form the SAS.

Strategies for Leading Up and Influencing Stakeholders

1. Understand Your Leaders’ Priorities and Challenges

To influence decision-makers, you need to understand what matters most to them. Research their goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to tailor your communication and contributions accordingly.

• Study company reports, strategy documents, and meeting notes.
• Ask insightful questions to understand their biggest challenges.
• Align your work with their key initiatives to demonstrate value.

2. Communicate Effectively and with Confidence

Senior leaders are often pressed for time, so clear, concise, and compelling communication is essential.

• Use data-driven insights to support your recommendations.
• Present ideas with clarity and confidence.
• Adapt your communication style based on the stakeholder’s preferences (e.g., some leaders prefer high-level summaries, while others want detailed reports).

3. Develop a Strategic Mindset

Thinking strategically means considering the bigger picture and aligning your ideas with long-term business objectives.

• Always connect your proposals to broader company goals.
• Identify risks and opportunities before presenting an idea.
• Showcase how your suggestions can improve efficiency, revenue, or customer satisfaction.

4. Build Credibility and Trust

Credibility is key to influencing stakeholders. If leaders trust your judgment and expertise, they will be more likely to consider your ideas.

• Deliver high-quality work consistently.
• Follow through on commitments and deadlines.
• Stay informed about industry trends and business developments.

5. Be Proactive and Solution-Oriented

Instead of simply pointing out problems, come prepared with potential solutions. Senior leaders value employees who take initiative and provide actionable recommendations.

• Identify issues before they escalate.
• Present well-thought-out solutions backed by data.
• Offer to take ownership of implementing solutions where possible.

6. Manage Up Effectively

Managing up involves making your manager’s job easier while ensuring that your contributions align with their expectations.

• Anticipate your manager’s needs and provide support before they ask.
• Keep them informed without overwhelming them with unnecessary details.
• Offer insights that help them make informed decisions.

7. Leverage Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Emotional intelligence is a crucial factor in influencing others and building strong professional relationships.

• Practice active listening to understand different perspectives.
• Be empathetic and recognize the challenges senior leaders face.
• Adapt your approach based on the personalities and preferences of key stakeholders.

8. Foster a Collaborative Approach

Building alliances with other teams and departments can strengthen your influence.

• Engage cross-functional teams to support your initiatives.
• Collaborate with peers to present unified recommendations.
• Position yourself as a team player rather than an individual contributor.

9. Use Storytelling to Make an Impact

Data is essential, but storytelling can make your message more compelling and memorable.

• Share success stories that highlight the impact of your ideas.
• Use real-world examples to illustrate your points.
• Frame recommendations in a way that resonates emotionally with stakeholders.

Leadership Development: Master the Top Leadership and Life Skills

Better lead in life and work to maximise your success. Sign up and access materials for free!

Best Practices for Sustained Influence

1. Be Patient and Persistent

Influencing senior stakeholders doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to build trust and credibility.

• Keep presenting valuable insights consistently.
• Accept feedback and refine your approach accordingly.
• Demonstrate resilience and adaptability in the face of setbacks.

2. Stay Adaptable and Open to Feedback

Senior leaders appreciate employees who can adjust their approach and improve based on constructive feedback.

• Seek feedback from managers and colleagues on how to improve your influence.
• Be willing to pivot strategies if necessary.
• Show a willingness to learn and grow professionally.

3. Maintain Professionalism and Composure

Handling high-pressure situations with professionalism enhances your reputation as a reliable and composed team member.

• Stay calm and solution-focused during challenging conversations.
• Avoid emotional reactions and focus on facts.
• Demonstrate leadership through your behavior and attitude.

4. Follow Up and Show Impact

Stakeholders are more likely to support your ideas if they see tangible results.

• Track and measure the impact of implemented ideas.
• Share progress updates and successes with key stakeholders.
• Reinforce the value of your contributions through data and testimonials.

Mastering the Art of Leading Up

Leading up and influencing stakeholders is a vital skill that can accelerate your career, enhance decision-making, and drive meaningful change within an organization. By understanding leaders’ priorities, communicating effectively, building credibility, and adopting a strategic mindset, you can position yourself as a trusted advisor and thought leader. Whether you’re a working alone and managing clients, or an entry-level employee looking to make an impact with senior leaders, mastering the art of influence will set you apart and create new opportunities for growth and success.

This YouTube video introduces the idea of vocation and doing work you love:

Finding Your Vocation and Best Job

Work isn’t always fun, but most people want to do a job or career that they are passionate about, something they can enjoy, where they feel they can make a difference, all while earning some money. We all have a unique blend of skills, passions, and strengths. When these are expressed in how we spend our work time, then we have a vocation. This video looks at the Spark Tool and how it can be used to find work that you love.

For more information, follow the link to the full article:

How to Find a Job That You Love