Leadership Insights

The biggest risk facing organisations right now is not technology disruption, it’s the failure to build and keep the talent required to lead through it. According to recent research, 77% of business leaders believe their organisation is not yet ready for a more digitised future. That number should concern every CEO, because it is not just a capability gap, it is an execution and competitiveness gap. We are entering a cycle where talent will determine market leaders and market

Leadership drift is one of the most dangerous yet unspoken risks inside organisations. It happens quietly over time. A capable leader becomes reactive instead of intentional. They start managing around people instead of leading through them. They hesitate to set standards, hesitate to hold people accountable and hesitate to step into the difficult conversations that progress requires. On the surface, they appear busy and in control. But beneath it, belief is leaking out of th

In today’s competitive and fast-paced workplace, productivity is often seen as a matter of systems, targets, and metrics. But one of the most overlooked, and undervalued, drivers of high performance is something far less rigid: FUN. When work is enjoyable, engagement rises. According to a 2023 Gallup study, engaged employees are 21% more productive and 17% more profitable than their disengaged counterparts, and while “fun” might seem like a soft concept, it’s a powerful cult

People don’t actually fear change. They fear sudden change, poorly explained change, and the uncertainty that comes when leaders move fast without bringing people with them. Think about it: people choose change every day. They buy new phones, move houses, take new jobs, start families. They welcome change when it feels like progress, when they can see the benefit, and when they feel in control of at least part of the journey. In business, the problem isn’t change itself, it’s

For too long, leadership has been framed as having all the answers. The image of the unshakeable, all-knowing leader is one many try to emulate. But in reality, the strongest leaders are not the ones who pretend to know everything, they are the ones who are open, vulnerable, and willing to ask for help. Asking for help does not signal weakness, it signals wisdom. It shows self-awareness, humility, and a deep respect for the expertise of others. Leaders who embrace this approa

We admire athletes for their discipline, coaching, and constant practice. Yet when it comes to leadership, we often assume skill develops naturally with experience or seniority. The truth is, great leaders require the same deliberate education and training as professionals in sport, medicine, or law. Without it, the risk is not only underperformance at work but diminished relationships at home and in the community. Four areas of education stand out as critical to leadership e

Leadership is often imagined as a series of big calls — mergers, restructures, new strategies. But in reality, the moments that define a leader’s impact are much smaller and much more frequent. Every conversation, every decision, every act of recognition leaves an imprint. Over time, these “micro moments” compound, shaping your personal brand and the culture of the organisation you lead. This is what we call micro growth . It is the discipline of making small, deliberate shif

In today’s world, leadership is being packaged and sold as if it were an online subscription. Articles, webinars, and courses promise transformation with a few clicks. But let’s be honest, you cannot learn to lead by reading any more than you can learn to swim by reading about water. Leadership is not theory, it is practice. It is tested in the heat of decision-making, in the tension of conflict, and in the pressure of accountability. True leaders are not shaped by what they

The greatest barrier many leaders face is not market forces, competitors, or even their own teams. It’s fear, and fear has a clever disguise — False Evidence Appearing Real. Too often, leaders mistake perception for truth. They convince themselves they don’t have the right people, enough resources, or sufficient authority to make change happen. They tell themselves timing isn’t right, or the risks are too high. This is not strategy. This is fear, wrapped in logic, paralysing

I am honoured to share that I have been formally awarded the title of Industry Professor® (P. INDPA) by the Industry Professor Association. This recognition represents more than a personal achievement. It acknowledges over three decades of dedication to helping leaders and organisations transform capability, culture, and performance on a global scale. The title reflects the Association’s recognition of my industry experience, endorsements, and commitment to developing leaders

In business and leadership, mistakes are inevitable. Yet too many leaders treat a wrong step as a career-ending disaster rather than what it really is, an opportunity to learn, adapt, and emerge stronger. Think about your GPS. When you take a wrong turn, it doesn’t berate you or flash red warning lights. It simply recalculates and guides you toward a new path forward. That’s the mindset extraordinary leaders adopt when they miss a target or make a misstep. Research from Harva

For decades, corporate leadership has been romanticised as the realm of the visionary, the person with the big idea, the bold plan, and the inspirational rhetoric to rally the troops. But in today’s business landscape, vision without execution is not just ineffective, it is dangerous. The market is moving faster than at any time in history. McKinsey research shows that organisations with top-quartile execution capability achieve up to 60 percent higher total shareholder retur

In the wild, lions are known for their strength. But it’s not muscle that makes them apex predators, it’s teamwork. A pride of lions doesn’t survive on raw power alone. They coordinate, they communicate, and they trust. When lions hunt, each has a role, and when they execute together, they win. In business, the same principle holds. Yet too many leadership teams operate more like lone wolves than a pride. Departments chase separate goals. Information is hoarded. Priorities cl

According to McKinsey, organisations that make decisions quickly and execute effectively are twice as likely to outperform their peers on revenue growth and profitability. Yet in many businesses, decision paralysis has become the norm, masked as collaboration, caution, or compliance. At RDL, we see it for what it is: a failure of leadership. The signs are everywhere. Projects stall waiting for sign-off, teams escalate small issues because no one feels empowered to decide, lea

In nature, even the smallest creatures can reflect the biggest truths about human behaviour. One fascinating example is the “circle of limitation” phenomenon observed in ants. Draw a simple circle around an ant using a ballpoint pen, and you’ll notice something strange: the ant often won’t cross the line. Despite having the physical ability to step over it, the ant becomes psychologically confined, trapped by a barrier that doesn’t actually exist. It’s a powerful metaphor for

In elite sport, there’s a term often thrown around: short-term memory loss . It doesn’t refer to a medical condition, it’s a mindset. The best athletes, from tennis players to quarterbacks, don’t ruminate on missed shots or dropped passes. They reset. Fast. Their focus is on the next play, not the last mistake. Great leaders operate the same way. Leadership today isn’t about perfection. It’s about progression. The speed at which industries shift, technologies evolve, and expe

In business, as in fishing, success rarely happens by accident. You don’t catch the fish you want by dropping a random line and hoping for the best. You study the conditions. You choose the right bait. You cast in the right place. Strategic leadership is no different. Too often, businesses operate with outdated strategies, vague goals, or unclear positioning, then wonder why results are elusive. It’s the equivalent of fishing in the wrong spot, with the wrong gear, at the wro

In business, as in sport, the best leaders aren’t the ones who avoid mistakes. They’re the ones who own them, reset quickly, and guide their team forward with purpose. It’s not the last missed shot that defines your momentum. It’s the next play. Research from McKinsey shows that companies with leaders who maintain forward focus after a setback outperform their competitors by up to 30% over three years. The differentiator isn’t perfection, it’s recovery. Not just tactical, but

In every healthy beehive, there’s a small but vital group of experienced workers known as scout bees. While they usually make up just 5% of the forager population, their role is critical. When a swarm prepares to move on, it’s the scout bees who venture into the unknown, searching for cracks, knotholes, and cavities that could become the next home. Without them, the swarm would drift aimlessly and eventually die out. Businesses aren’t all that different. Without the equivalen

In today’s competitive and fast-paced workplace, productivity is often seen as a matter of systems, targets, and metrics. But one of the most overlooked, and undervalued, drivers of high performance is something far less rigid: FUN . When work is enjoyable, engagement rises. According to a 2023 Gallup study, engaged employees are 21% more productive and 17% more profitable than their disengaged counterparts, and while “fun” might seem like a soft concept, it’s a powerful cul