Insights
Expert insights and the latest thinking from Kourdi Associates’ thought leaders.
7 Things your leaders can do more, differently or better
How can leaders create an environment that allows ideas and innovation to thrive?
How can leaders create an environment that allows ideas and innovation to thrive? Adam Kingl, Kourdi Associate, keynote speaker and Author of “Sparking Success”, explains how leaders can encourage their team’s creative spark to ignite new ideas and innovation.
How visioning helps leaders achieve medium and long term goals
If leaders could do just one thing today, what would that be? This insight from Kourdi Associate Eleanor Winton, co-author of The Disruption Game Plan, explains how investing time in visioning medium and long term goals will keep people aligned and focused on the...
What can leaders learn from the challenges of 2022?
The leadership challenges that arrived with 2022 were profound, highlighting several trends and bringing with it several vital lessons. From eye watering inflation and interest rates to intense recruitment and supply chain problems, disasters induced by climate...
How can companies attract and retain talent in the current climate?
Russell Beck, Kourdi Associate and thought leader in the vital area of people strategy, performance and the future of work, shares insights on what makes a company an attractive prospect for new hires.
How is technology changing the attraction, retention and engagement of talent?
The impact of technology is almost always over-estimated in the short-term and under-estimated in the long-term. This is especially true when it comes to technology’s impact on the way that talent is managed (let’s define talent as anyone who adds value to an...
How start-ups should be preparing for a recession
This may be controversial but I believe that preparing for a recession is something that every business should do, regularly, whether economic misery is on the horizon or not. Why? Because shifting mindsets, making constant improvements, and preparing for a future...
Remember the essentials: leadership lessons from 2022
There’s no denying it: 2022 has been (another) year like no other and unpredictability has become the new normal. The Covid pandemic marked the end of a period of relative stability in business and economics, as well as social and world affairs. The shocks that...
10 leadership lessons from Elon Musk’s tumultuous Twitter takeover
I have huge admiration for anyone that can lift the trophy that says “World’s Richest Person” and I respect the way that Elon Musk earned it - through hard work, intelligence and ground-breaking innovation. Yet despite his achievements there are several leadership...
What are the leadership lessons from Volodymyr Zelensky’s defence of Ukraine?
What are the leadership lessons from Volodymyr Zelensky’s defence of Ukraine? If Winston Churchill or Franklin Roosevelt are “the best leader of the 20th century” then Volodymyr Zelensky must be considered for this century’s honour. In changing times Zelensky reminds...
What’s the best way to create customised learning solutions for organisations that have a real impact?
Jonathan Besser, Kourdi Associate and L&D practitioner, discusses how to deliver learning interventions that achieve clients’ goals.
Leading and Working Across Cultures: How to Succeed in International Business
The third decade of the 21st century is a time of paradox, and surely one of the most challenging is leading across cultures that are both stubbornly interdependent and tribal and insular. In practice, this means that now more than ever we need to lead across...
How asking the right questions can drive disruption
In uncertain, unfamiliar times it helps to focus on how your business delivers value for its customers. This brief extract from an interview with Eleanor Winton co-author of The Disruption Game Plan, highlights how asking the right questions can drive disruption...
Surviving and Thriving – How to Lead Through Economic Uncertainty
Finding a path through economic uncertainty is a huge leadership challenge. So, what are the essentials, and where could you improve? Whether you work in a large corporation or a start-up the same principles apply. Adopt the right mindset. Downturns are a time for...
The Age of Uncertainty
The world is changing in ways that feel exceptional and unfamiliar – there is new, surprising and far-reaching change alongside shifts that we understand (e.g. the global village). These changes are felt in the power of paradox – volatility and disruption alongside...
Why are soft skills important for leadership?
Timely and relevant insights for coaches and leaders from Gurshinder Sidhu, Kourdi Associate and leadership development expert, highlighting how leaders need to invest in their soft skills to get their desired outcomes.
What are some of the responses to change we can build into organisational culture and thinking?
What is an effective way to think about change? This short extract from an interview with Eleanor Winton, co-author of The Disruption Game Plan, highlights how disruption and change can be positive drivers of progress if harnessed effectively.
What are the skills that leaders need to develop for the future?
Jeremy Kourdi from Kourdi Associates discusses what it takes to be a forward thinking leader.
Want to help someone shift their mindset, rediscover their mojo and re-energise? Asking the right questions will help.
The best way to develop someone’s mindset and behaviour depends, of course, on the individual and, to a lesser extent, their context. That said, several practical tools can help: highlighting insights from data, inviting third-party feedback, encouraging...
Do you know the first woman to circumnavigate the world?
Do you know the first woman to circumnavigate the world? Her incredible story is a lesson and inspiration for us all Until recently I had never heard of Jeanne Baret, or what she did that was so utterly amazing. If you don’t know Jeanne’s story, you really should....
How can we improve the way we make decisions?
Jeremy Kourdi from Kourdi Associates discusses practical actions to improve the way we make decisions, and to help overcome biases
How do you build effective project teams?
How do you build effective project teams? Russell Beck, Kourdi Associate and thought leader in the vital area of people strategy, performance and the future of work, shares insights on building trust in project teams.
Preparing for the future? Remember these four vital truths
#1: Speed matters, but so does distance The question is not simply how fast we can go, but how far? Much about business and life is not only counter-intuitive but often overlooked as we rush to act or respond to events. This has an unintended consequence: the fact...
What do senior HR professionals need to prioritise right now?
What do senior HR professionals need to prioritise right now? We are delighted to share valuable insights from Saira Chaudry ACC highlighting key priorities for HR leaders in 2022 - a time of opportunity, challenge and change.
How do you get the most out of your team as they return to the office?
The latest insights from Kourdi Associates' talented team of educators comes from Russell Beck, a thought leader across all aspects of talent management and people strategy with a focus on the future of work. I asked Russell how do you get the most out of your team as...
What do senior leaders and HR professionals need to understand as hybrid working becomes the new normal?
The latest insights from Kourdi Associates' talented team of educators comes from Adrian Kirk, an expert in helping leaders develop as engaging presenters and influential communicators. I asked Adrian what leaders need to understand about hybrid working.
What does every leader need to know about managing complexity?
The next in a series of insights from Kourdi Associates' talented team of educators comes from Ben Shenoy, an expert in helping leaders embrace complexity and succeed in changing, challenging times. I asked Ben what every leader needs to know about managing complexity.
What should leaders do to develop the wellbeing and resilience of their workforce?
At Kourdi Associates we have a talented team of highly effective coaches and we’re pleased to share with you their insights – starting with Saira Chaudry ACC answering the question: what should leaders do to develop the wellbeing and resilience of their workforce?
Start With a Question…
Why do we ask questions? The answers are interesting and surprising, varying widely depending on who, when, how and what exactly is being asked. Great questions provide answers and generate understanding, of course, but they provide so much more. In a business context...
12 Questioning Tips for strong and effective leadership
More than ever people and organisations need their managers to have effective, meaningful conversations – too often discussions fail to provide the right tools, direction, insight, support or challenge. A vital component of meaningful conversations is the ability to...
Meet Penny de Valk
6 New Challenges Hybrid Working World
When You Don’t Know Enough to Realise How Little You Know
Leadership programmes should be encouraged by employers and stakeholders if they want to ensure that their senior team has the competence and capability to deliver on strategic objectives. In order to do this they need to possess core leadership competencies to grow...
Mastering the 10 C’s of Customer Centricity
Organisations need to have a customer centric mindset from CEO all the way down to the front line in order to achieve success. Experience suggests that attracting and retaining customers in challenging, competitive times is easier if you focus on ten issues. Content –...
Develop your Leadership Mindset
Kourdi Associates - Develop you Leadership Mindset Infographic - May 2021
Make Better Decisions, Faster
Decision-making overload is a common experience among managers. But you can process choices more efficiently and achieve better outcomes by using a checklist: Write down five benefits of the decision (or things it will impact). This helps provide clarity quickly....
How Do You Get Buy-In for a New Idea?
When introducing a new idea it helps to invest as much energy in communicating – what you say and how you say it – as you did in coming up with the idea itself. In the uncertainty of lockdown and with communication channels changing this can be forgotten, too often...
Help Your Colleagues Find Their Flow
Flow enhances performance by improving concentration and motivation; which in turn drives engagement, fulfilment and productivity. The challenge is that for some people remote working, the impact of lockdowns or simply poor managers can mean constant interruptions....
Develop Your Learning Mindset
What have you learned recently? A learning mindset and agility are vital prerequisites during times of challenge and change. People that are learning-agile are able to future proof their career, moving on from skills and ideas that are no longer relevant to new ones...
Reappraising the Appraisal
It’s appraisal time again, so what makes a great conversation about performance in 2021? How can we help people develop the way they work? Here are some thoughts: Listen, and use your emotional intelligence. What’s not being said? What language is used? Think...
Reframing Adversity
“Adversity introduces men or women to themselves.” Albert Einstein Among the many lessons from the global pandemic of the last 12 months is the inescapable value of learning about ourselves. In particular, the opportunity to find an inner strength that will sustain us...
Can You Be Both Agile and Consistent?
The answer is yes – and it matters. Great leaders are both consistent and open to new trends, and they adapt to them fast. Here’s how: Know what needs to be consistent: non-negotiables, deliverables. Prioritise, set goals, and remember that how you succeed is as...
In a post-pandemic world, is your personal leadership fit for purpose?
The Covid-19 global pandemic has fundamentally changed the very fabric of day-to-day life for most people – from the differentiation of work and weekends; to multitasking as teacher and employee; through to love and loss. I also believe it has caused a fundamental...
Build a Strong, Relevant, Diverse Network
Achieving success is easier with a strong peer network: a group of trusted colleagues who can provide feedback, share insights, and support you when you need it most. Here's how to create one: Be intentional about who you want in it. It can be a mix of people and more...
Here’s an idea: Let’s get better at being creative
Creativity and ideas are the antidote to disruption and together they fuel innovation – the engine that drives value creation, customer satisfaction, personal fulfilment and growth. So, how do we improve our creativity? Antonija Pacek, Executive Coach, Educator and...
Working from home? Keep stress away at the end of the day
After a busy day it can be a struggle to leave work behind. Too often we take out our job-related stress on others with micro-aggressions or impatience. Here are some ways to make sure that work troubles stay at work. “Depressurise” with an end of work habit. Connect...
Are You a Social Leader? Develop Your Social Media Skills and Presence
At a time when trust, connection, business relationships and technology are converging and assuming huge significance and impact – notably with people working remotely more frequently – leaders increasingly need to have strong social media skills and a presence...
No pressure: how to deliver a great first speech
What messages should an incoming leader give in their first speech? A new US President, perhaps, or a potential new German Chancellor, or any new boss taking over a high profile role – how should they approach that crucial first communication? It seems the right week...
What I Learned from… Coaching Virtually
A guide for executives, coaches and HR professionals to succeeding with virtual leadership coaching. Delphine Parmenter, Executive Coach, Educator and Kourdi Associate Like most leadership coaches, I was coaching online long before we were all confined, sheltered and...
The Covid Leadership Challenge
The Covid pandemic has led to many more people working from home; what should leaders and organisations do to reflect this major change in working patterns across the globe? Richard Finn gives leaders some answers. Working from home has many benefits, but it also...
Sustainably You: Three Techniques for Boosting your Resilience
Even before the experience of 2020’s pandemic, many reported stress in connection with work. Globally, the Coronavirus pandemic has heightened the fragility of economies, the discomfort of working digitally instead of face to face, and all of our underlying health...
Are your meetings working virtually, or are they only virtually working?
We are now well into a world where we are routinely engaging in virtual meetings, and, with a future of virtual communications ahead of us, it is time to ask: are we being as effective as we could be, virtually? Having delivered close to 100 virtual training sessions...
You’re alone and working from home: how good is your decision making?
It is easier when we are busy, under pressure or facing unusual, challenging circumstances to make every decision in the same way. Easier, but not effective. One of the biggest pitfalls is to spend an equal amount of time on each decision – an approach that will short...
Succeeding in a New Role
What should you do if you are about to start a new role? A friend of mine is just about to start a new, senior leadership role, so to help her (and you) here are a few ideas. Begin learning and questioning fast – ideally before you start the new job When starting a...
Is Your Leadership Powerful, Effective and Ready?
Working from Home? Follow These Six Simple Tips
Look after yourself and others by focusing on head, heart and health. This is by far the most important thing we can do, turning the challenge of surviving a global health scare into a more positive opportunity. All of us need to look after our “head”, meaning our...
Develop a Shared Sense of Purpose
Struggling organisations find it difficult keeping employees engaged because leaders are often more focused on directing, telling, or shifting strategy. The best way to revitalise a business while simultaneously energising its people is to do several things,...
Be Inclusive, Supportive and Effective at Your Next Meeting
Meetings sometimes have difficult issues that need resolving, and you won’t accomplish much in your meeting if there’s an elephant in the room. Several techniques will help: It starts with you: raise the issue yourself to get the group unstuck. Ask people to explain...
Develop Your Social Media Fluency
At a time when trust, connection, business relationships and mobile technology are converging and assuming huge significance and impact, leaders are increasingly expected to have a strong social media presence. However, many still view social media as a broadcast...
Improve Your Listening Skills
We all recognise that good listening means sitting silently, making eye contact, questioning and, when necessary, paraphrasing what you heard. However the best listeners go deeper by trying to understand the substance of what the other person is staying. This can be...
Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Hold You Back
Imposter syndrome is when we feel unworthy, over-promoted perhaps, or simply unqualified to do something. The truth is that everyone occasionally suffers from imposter syndrome, even the most senior executives. Next time you feel like you’re in over your head, try...
Want To Be a Great Boss? Follow These Six Rules
Brilliant bosses work hard at several things, consistently and effectively – and in particular they make work meaningful and enjoyable for employees. They’re most successful when they adhere to a few best practices: Manage individuals, not just teams. When you’re...
The Drivers of Trust
What Do We Look For When Deciding To Trust Someone?American politics provides a fascinating and perennial (actually a quadrennial) question: who do you trust? -Specifically, if you are a voter, which candidate do you trust to advance the priorities that matter to you...
Ask Not What This Article Can Do For You…
What Makes an Inspiring, Engaging Modern Speech? It’s an election year and everywhere people are promising to inspire, engage, connect, reconnect, mobilise, build, and more. But how? If you lead anything – a team, a business, a political party, possibly even a...