Efficiency is a word echoing in every leader’s ears. “Do more with less.” “Achieve targets faster.” “Bring the project in ahead of time and within budget”

 Leaders are being driven to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the stated aims of optimising, accelerating decision-making, automating, and building leaner teams. 

On the surface, those seem like good objectives, but the danger lies in the fact that efficiency pursued without judgment will quietly shape behaviour, culture, and risk, often for the worse.

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AI will continue to change how work gets done. It is a given.

What is not a given is leaders surrendering judgment, ethics, and humanity in the process. Leaders have a choice.

It is not a battle between AI and EI. It is not a competition. The purpose of EI is to direct AI.

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Bullying will stop when the system around the bully makes their behaviour impossible. Leaders, HR or employees alone may not stop it. But when there is an ecosystem of safety, risk, compliance, collective voice, courageous middle leaders, a board that understands cultural risk and external oversight, the epidemic can be stopped.

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Many of you contacted me about your experiences with workplace bullying. What became clear is that bullying has evolved into a new form. It is no longer about name-calling, shouting, and explosive outbursts. Instead, it is much more subtle, psychological, and insidious.

You used words like toxic, fear, control, sabotage, sanction, dysfunctional, ostracism, coercion and systemic.

Leadership bullying is the new workplace epidemic. Its impact on trust, well-being, engagement, and performance is devastating. In 2026, we must work to eradicate it

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Too many leaders still direct — but modern leadership is about providing direction, not control.

In this newsletter, I explore why command-and-control no longer works, how “Turn the Ship Around” proves empowerment transforms performance, and why clarity, guardrails, and trust create teams that think, act, and innovate.

When leaders let go of directing, the magic happens.

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Clarity is the cornerstone of effective leadership.
When leaders communicate purpose, expectations, and direction clearly, teams gain confidence, make better decisions, and perform with greater ownership.

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Did the AWS RTO mandate drive senior engineers to leave and thus exacerbate the AWS outage?

Will employers revisit their hybrid work policies now that Westpac Bank has been ordered by the Fair Work Commission Australia to allow an employee to work from home permanently?

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I was hearing great things from people who had participated in Lego Serious Play (LSP) sessions. What they were saying certainly whetted my appetite whilst a few colleagues overseas were having great success as LSP facilitators.

For these reasons, I thought I would become a Lego® Serious Play® Certified Change Facilitator. As a seasoned facilitator, this would add another valuable tool to my toolkit.

What I had not prepared myself for was the powerful impact it could have.

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Leadership must be about what only humans can do.

This is about leading with emotional intelligence, providing purpose and meaning, being authentic, curious, and courageous. It means being adaptive and having a growth mindset. It is about having empathy, honesty, and humility. It is about connection and collaboration.

It means being prepared to unlearn and relearn what it means to be an effective leader in today's world.

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This newsletter explores the latest research and realities of return-to-office mandates versus true workplace flexibility. From trust and outcomes to manager burnout and the mandate reality gap, the evidence is clear: flexibility works. Discover how organisations that treat flexibility as a competitive advantage are growing faster, retaining talent, and outperforming peers.

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I have just concluded my series of newsletters about using the ADKAR model (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement) to help with your adoption of AI.

In a most timely manner, I then came across research by BCG called AI At Work. Its subtitle is Momentum Builds, But Gaps Remain.

The research surveyed 10,635 frontline employees, managers and leaders across 11 countries.

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In my last newsletter, we explored the knowledge needed to engage with AI, how it can save you time, spark creativity, and future-proof your skills.

I explained that I am using the ADKAR® model to drive your adoption of AI, and I hope I provided you with plenty of sources of knowledge to explore. In this newsletter, we answer the question, “How do I apply my knowledge?” We are focusing on the ABILITY stage of the model. This is where the fundamental shift happens.

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In my last newsletter, we explored the desire to engage with AI, how it can save you time, spark creativity, and future-proof your skills.

I explained that I am using the ADKAR® model to drive your adoption of AI, and hopefully, I lit the desire within you. In this newsletter, we answer the question, “What do I need to know?” We are addressing the KNOWLEDGE stage of the model.

You need to know how to ask questions, experiment safely, and apply AI where it helps you the most.

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In my last newsletter, I explained that I am using the ADKAR® model to drive the adoption of AI and hopefully raised your Awareness. In this newsletter, we answer the question, “Why should you care?” We are addressing the Desire stage of the model.

Why should you want to support and participate in the change?

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AI. It’s just another change. But once again, there are many running around screaming, “The robots are coming.” I am witnessing intelligent people throw their hands up in the air and exclaim that their careers are over now that AI is here.

The primary difference between previous changes and AI is the speed, prominence, and associated high risk. It feels different due to its wide-ranging and simultaneous impact, as well as the speed at which it is changing, making the endgame unclear.

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You cannot build lasting motivation with bonuses, slogans, or performance scores.
Real motivation doesn’t come from what leaders give -  it comes when people have a sense of satisfaction, enjoyment, or belonging gained from their work. 

If your leadership approach relies on external rewards to drive effort, you will create short-term compliance, not long-term commitment.

In this newsletter, I’ll explore why the best leaders focus on intrinsic motivation — and what that means for how you lead, recognise, and build engagement in your teams.

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When I set out to write “Be REMARKABLE! The New Leadership Mindset: Learn to Unlearn.” I did so in the firm belief that we have a leadership crisis. There are too many leaders are stuck in past modes of operation that are no longer suited to a world in constant flux, with unforeseen challenges shaping the landscape of business and society. Traditional leadership skills are no longer the sole reason for success. Today, leadership must be as much about mindset as skill sets. A leader must have a mindset that embraces constant change and can adapt.

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In this newsletter, I want to discuss how we can work to eradicate bullying from our workplaces. It has no place. If you ignore it, you are condoning it. If you are silent, you give the bullies power and approve their behaviour.

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I read this somewhere, so I am not claiming it as mine.

“It’s always the quiet ones who secretly make the most noise.”

Do not assume that all is well with the world because employees are quiet. The opposite could be your reality.

Silence is the Loudest Scream

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Wise words from former US First Lady Michelle Obama. During Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, she said:

“When someone is cruel or acts like a bully, you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is: “When they go low, we go high.”

I was reading Chris Westfall’s thought-provoking article, “ Bullying Is Back: How Hard-Line Leadership is Crushing Morale, “ when those words came to mind.

In his article, Chris highlights that leadership strategies involving coercion and emphasising punishment are on the rise.

Chris refers to lessons from our childhood about bullying and their ongoing relevance in the workplace. This prompted me to reflect on how to apply those lessons to' go high when they go low.”

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