GROW has become the most popular coaching model used globally (Whitmore, 2017, p.98), and forms the basis for many of the later models that have been developed (e.g. CLEAR, OSCAR or TGROW). It is not only a powerful model, but as it is so widely known, there is also often a basic understanding in many organisations of what this model entails. GROW was originally published by Whitmore (Whitmore 2017, p. 97-98) and colleagues in 1992. The acroymn stands for Goal, Reality, Opti

This seems like a relatively easy question to answer. But those of you who work in the Transformation space, know it is most certainly not. One of the reasons is that we as humans are creatures of habit, who naturally migrate back to the ‘old ways’ of doing things. A colleague recently likened this to walking along a sand dune: First of all, it is hard to actually scramble up the sand dune to walk along the top of it. Then staying on top takes on-going dedication, effort and

Change is inevitable in the business world, but not all change initiatives end up giving organisations positive outcomes. In fact, many Transformation programmes fail, or at least don’t give the outcomes anticipated and this can have significant consequences, including increased stress among employees, as well as lower employee engagement and a general disgruntlement at work. In today’s blog, I want to take a look at a couple of real-world examples of failed change programme

In the dynamic landscape of the modern workplace, effective communication is the cornerstone of a thriving organizational culture. Timely and transparent communication not only fosters a sense of trust and transparency but also plays a pivotal role in enhancing employee satisfaction and well-being, particularly during times of change or uncertainty. A long time ago now, I remember one of my first boss’ saying to me: ‘Even if there is nothing to say, say that! Otherwise people

In our pursuit of success and fulfillment, we often prioritize mental acuity and emotional intelligence while neglecting a crucial aspect of our well-being: our physical health. How often have I put off that Workspace Impact Assessment, a morning swim or run, or indulged in chocolate rather than salad. Often it feels like that extra thing that is just too hard to add to my never-ending list of things to ‘get done’. And at the same time, my shoulders and jaw are tense, my post

In today's fast-paced work environment, where deadlines loom and pressures abound, the value of employee engagement cannot be overstated. Engaged employees are not only more productive but also more likely to stay committed to their organizations. Major research was conducted on Employee Engagement in the UK by David McLeod and Nita Clarke in 2009 who worked with a vast range of organisations across the UK to better understand the link they were seeing between high employee e

Red Nose Day, an iconic charitable event celebrated worldwide; is more than just a day filled with laughter and fun. It's a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together to support those in need. As employers, taking note of Red Nose Day isn't just about participating in the festivities; it's about embracing the spirit of giving back and creating a workplace culture that prioritizes social responsibility and community engagement. Red Nose Day originated in

As we gear up to celebrate International Women's Day on 8th March 2024, it's crucial to reflect not only on the progress made in gender equality but also on the challenges that persist, particularly in the realm of the workplace. One contentious question that often arises is whether women require different forms of employee engagement, or if such differentiation is inherently sexist. Traditional modes of employee engagement may not always cater to the diverse needs and experi

17th Feb is Random acts of kindness day. Acts of kindness have a profound impact on employee engagement by fostering a positive work environment, enhancing morale, and strengthening relationships within the team. When I first looked into this, I was amazed about the level of impact these seemingly small gestures can have on workplace happiness. We all get so busy that we often forget to do even a few of these things, so this blog is all about giving you some inspiration as we

"National Sickie Day" is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer to the first Monday in February, which is believed to be the day when the highest number of employees call in sick or take a day off from work. There is a noticeable increase in absenteeism on this particular day each year. And although the exact origins of National Sickie Day are unclear, it has become a widely recognized phenomenon, sparking discussions about workplace absenteeism, employee engagement, and

10 days ago I wrote about how many teams have been lucky to have experienced new levels of autonomy and trust during lockdown. In some cases this was 'enforced' in that their leaders had no choice but to 'let go' and allow their staff more freedom to plan their day and manage by outcomes rather than micro-manage. In other cases, like with many NHS colleagues, the sheer workload and necessity to come together and truly work as a team meant that much of the red-tape and hierarc

Often, without realising it, or at least without labelling it, trust forms a key component in how engaged we are. And this applies to most things we do - for work and for play. If we trust the person we are working with we perform better, enjoy ourselves more and allow ourselves to be pushed further - whether this is working with someone on a large project or goal, or it is becoming the best Tennis player you can be. Why is that? And why is trust something that we must fight

Working with others often makes us feel like we need to be able to read minds to understand where they are coming from, avoid pitfalls or steer clear of unnecessary conflict. This is likely to be especially true while we are remote working, feel under pressure or are stressed. It becomes harder to 'read between the lines' and gauge how our colleagues and clients are feeling. But rather than wait until something is 'brewing', regularly asking your team feedback questions can h

Compassion is a huge topic at the moment, especially in terms of how compassion and effective leadership go hand in hand to not only create more engaged teams, but also better outcomes for customers or patients. The Kinds Fund, and in particular Michael West has for many years been at the forefront of research around compassionate and inclusive leadership and championed this as a way to achieve system-wide learning to deliver the NHS long-term plan. A research paper, 'Cari

Covid-19 has done many things over the past few weeks - from making us focus on what is important - our health, happiness, freedom, families, friends; to appreciating the NHS and key workers like never before. It has also made us realise just how flexibly we can work. Many of us are staying at home, overcoming technical barriers and working around family commitments. Even jobs that before seemed unlikely candidates to work from home, like radio presenters or doctors' surgeri

Welcome to #2 in the series of looking at standard engagement ideas and adapting them to the current new reality of remote working. Today, it is all about recognition. In normal day to day office life, where we regularly interact with colleagues and work with each other face to face, recognition is often done without us noticing it. We might congratulate a colleague in passing on a presentation they have just given, along the lines of: 'I thought your presentation to the clie

With many teams stuck at home due to the Covid-19 lockdown, I thought it might be useful to look at a number of standard engagement activities and see whether we can turn these into remote team engagement activities instead. I will start publishing a mid-week blog on Wednesday's at 10am for this. So, let's get started. #1 A standard engagement activity is to get your team together regularly and take them out for a pint or coffee. The benefits of this include, getting to know

With the lockdown now in full force across the UK due to Covid-19 more people than ever are working from home - and not only that, the majority of children are also now being home schooled. Balancing how to meet your own deadlines and keep the children entertained (and educated!) - each at their own level, plus remaining calm, organised and on top of things is virtually impossible. Luckily, everyone is in the same boat, and the thing that really matters, is working together a

I have recently been doing sleep training with my 9-month old baby girl and in my sleep deprived state at 3am in the morning, it occurred to me that teaching a baby to sleep has similar challenges to supporting a client through an organizational development programme. I was sitting by my daughter’s side, watching her get increasingly frustrated and fed up that she wasn’t able to put herself to sleep without my help and I had to stop myself from scooping her up and cuddling h

I have recently been introduced to the idea of a women’s only co-working space and am very excited about creating this together with Naomi, my business partner, in London. We are hoping to launch in the autumn, so I will keep you posted on how we are getting on, where it will be and what it will entail! In the meantime, though, I wanted to get your thoughts on this. Throughout the world – and throughout the centuries – men’s only clubs, networking spaces or ‘co-working’ spac