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Last week Shannon was a guest on the TrainingBusiness podcast, sharing how we use Action Learning in the work we do with our clients and how she's developed and grown Be Leadership since founding the company in 2014. Shannon, who... -
As part of a program for its high potential leaders, Syngenta uses Action Learning to help participants develop their leadership skills while simultaneously working on real challenges. We provide action learning coaching across modules, supporting leaders as they build...
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It's the start of a new decade and what we need from our leadership is different than in the past. At Be Leadership, we describe this emerging style as social leadership. Social leaders are collaborative, networked professionals, who proactively...
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Where did the summer go? It's September and the holidays will be here before we know it. While the sun is still shining here in England, it's a good time to start thinking about giving. Many of us have a...
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We are excited to share that our Managing Director, Shannon Banks, was named as a finalist in the IoD 2019 Director of the Year awards for London & the South. Shannon has a strong personal and professional commitment to...
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Managing Director Shannon Banks spent two weeks with her family volunteering at the Karibu Centre, in February 2018 and February 2019. Because the Centre encourages skills-based volunteering, Shannon spent her time in Thika working with the staff on leadership...
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We are looking forward to joining the coaching community at the World Institute for Action Learning's Global Conference in Sao Paolo, Brazil in just a few weeks. Join us there - Managing Director Shannon Banks will be giving a...
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At Be Leadership, we are passionate about creating a better world through the development of social leaders. To support this, we have developed the Beautiful World Campaign, whose goal is to create connections between communities, organizations and individuals for...
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Social leaders understand the true value of social impact and have the necessary skills needed to thrive in a modern work environment. We are proud to partner with BNP Paribas as they develop their future leaders through innovative development workshops...
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We are pleased to be joining the WBECS 2018 speaker lineup with a talk on The Future of Leadership, focused on the importance of social leadership in a modern workplace. Click here to register!
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We are excited to share that our Managing Director, Shannon Banks, has been selected as a finalist in the 2017 Best Business Women Awards. Debbie Gilbert, organiser of The Best Business Women Awards said "We were delighted with the number...
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Last week I had the privilege of being part of a team delivering a leadership development experience in Nairobi. As part of the program, we visited many local non profit organisations and met with Kenyan entrepreneurs. In one of...
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For the past couple of days, we've had really strong winds in Southern England. As a runner, I have noticed. As a population, we spend so much time in the protection of our offices, homes or cars, we aren't always...
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I recently moved to a new house and, as part of that, moved office premises. Be Leadership is in a better space now, with more room for growth. I have a better desk, more shelving for files, and nicer...
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In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg describes three steps to forming a new habit: We pick a “Cue” (or reminder), choose a “Reward” for when we are successful with our new behaviour, then execute the “Routine”...
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When we listen, we often are trying to think of the next clever question we can ask. Or worse, our minds are wandering on to new topics. Practice active listening today. Focus on really understanding what is being said...
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Nonverbal communication makes a big difference in how people perceive and relate to you. Uncross your arms. If you keep your posture relaxed, inclusive and open, your team will respond by being more positive, aligned and productive. #beinclusive #connectionchallenge
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Before you head into your next important meeting or conversation, take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth. In addition to providing other health benefits, it will release the tension in your neck and...
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Smiling lowers our heart rate, reduces stress levels and boosts our endorphins, putting us in a better mood and eliciting smiles from those around us. #begiving #connectionchallenge
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Toddlers ask their parents an average of 100 questions a day. But by adulthood, we have nearly stopped asking questions altogether. In school and work, we are often rewarded for having the answer, but actually questions not only increase...
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Do you know two people who would benefit from knowing each other? Making introductions can both help those in your network and create value. First ask permission, then take the time to craft an email sharing the unique strengths...
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Asking for feedback may make us feel vulnerable, but it also can increase trust levels in an organization. Opening up also may accelerate our development: When we share the skills we’re focused on building with others, research says we...
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How often do you eat at your desk or on the run? Or skip lunch altogether? Eating lunch not only stabilizes our blood sugar levels and increases our energy, it can also provide time for socializing with our colleagues....
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Many of us feel we should keep our personal and work lives separate. But sharing what’s going on for us personally can give needed context to our colleagues and make them feel comfortable sharing in return. Vulnerability increases trust,...
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As leaders we are often expected to be experts and have all the answers. This not only creates false expectations of each of us, it disengages our teams and increases business risk. Getting earlier input around plans and proposals...
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We are in a hurry and we often will interrupt people when they are speaking, either to try to finish their thoughts for them or to make our voice heard. Resist this urge. Wait. Listen. Hear someone out. #bepresent...
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When we give to others, they are more likely to give back, and this creates a foundation for stronger relationships. Reflect back on the times in your life when you were most generous; experts say this will motivate you...
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Yale University psychologists have found that people judged others to be more generous and caring if they had just held a warm cup of coffee. Invite a colleague for a cup of tea or coffee and strengthen your connection....
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Do you have an old colleague or manager you’d like to acknowledge for past support? Take the time today to let them know: Send an email, make a call or send a message via social media. Or maybe even...
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Sharing a laugh with your colleagues exposes vulnerability that can increase trust and subsequently improve productivity, learning and team effectiveness. #beauthentic #beinclusive #connectionchallenge
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Before making a decision today, go ask the opinion of someone who is likely to have a different viewpoint. Not only does this help encourage better, more creative solutions, it helps build trust. #beinclusive #betransparent #becurious #connectionchallenge
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In business we are often rewarded for taking decisive action. But when we keep our minds open slightly longer and ask questions to learn more, we often find we come up with better solutions. Try to pause before deciding...
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Just 20 minutes of moderate daily exercise can make you happier and more productive. If possible, squeeze a walk, run, cycle ride or other workout into your schedule today. If not, add something active to your diary for the...
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The dinner table is a great place to connect with people, but our phones and devices often distract us. For at least one meal today, put away your laptops, phones and other devices and fully enjoy the company of...
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Instead of sitting through all of your appointments today, try a stand-up meeting. They tend to be shorter and more focused, and will help attendees avoid distractions such as laptops and phones. #bepresent #connectionchallenge June is 1/3 over but if...
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Saying “I'm sorry” and admitting that we did something wrong is the first step to self-improvement. If an apology is made sincerely, it also increases trust, empathy and accountability in a team. Do you owe someone an apology? Reach...
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In her amazing TED talk on vulnerability, researcher Brene Brown says that stories are “data with a soul.” Whether you are presenting to an audience of 1000 or having a 1-1 conversation, stories help to build trust and emotionally...
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Surprising as it sounds, one path to creating stronger connections with others is ensuring you have time alone. Find 15 minutes today to be by yourself to reflect on a conversation, plan for a meeting or simply decompress. You’ll...
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Technology helps us connect with those far away but it can reduce our attention on those in the same room. Practice the lost art of eye contact while listening to your colleagues and increase connection with others. #bepresent #connectionchallenge
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Take 2 minutes and write a positive note or email thanking or praising someone. If you make this a daily routine, it dramatically strengthens your social connections, which research shows has side benefits of higher productivity, better health and...
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We all approach new situations with a perspective shaped by who we are and the experiences we have had to date. Try to deliberately look at something differently today: Take the other side of a debate or consider a...
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Instead of holding all of your meetings indoors, schedule a “walking meeting” today. Get some exercise and fresh air while improving the connection with your colleagues. #bepresent #beauthentic #connectionchallenge Join the 30-day Connection Challenge: www.be-leadership.com/30days
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Research shows that doodling while you listen can boost concentration and increase retention, ensuring you stay engaged even in the longest and most tedious of meetings. Try it today. #bepresent #connectionchallenge Join Be Leadership's 30-day Connection Challenge: www.be-leadership.com/30days
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Do you think you ask a lot of questions? Try doubling the number of questions you ask today. Practice asking open questions from a position of curiosity and then listen intently to the answers. #becurious #bepresent #connectionchallenge Join the 30-day...
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Eighteen months ago I left Microsoft, where I had spent 17 years. It was a huge decision for me and one I struggled with. I was really scared of...
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Today I had six full hours of virtual meetings. Some were on WebEx, some Skype, some GoToMeeting. Others just used standard telephone conferencing. Whatever the technology, the impact was the same: I spent a lot of time sitting at...
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Not many years ago, if someone suggested their privately-held tech start up would be valued at $1 billion, analysts would snicker. Today, they're called “unicorns”—and according to Fortune magazine, there are 174 of them. Most of these companies have...
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Next month, my company Be Leadership celebrates its first birthday. In recognition of that, I'm stealing an idea from my former employer. When I was at Microsoft, Bill Gates used to take time out each year for what he called...
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Yesterday I had a rare "free" day - one uninterrupted by meetings and appointments where I could spend the day at my desk really getting things done. When the day started, I thought about all the things I'd like...
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My phone rang while I was in the queue to pay at the supermarket. It was my husband, and I thought I'd just say hi. It would be quick. But maybe not quick enough. When I got to the front I...
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The day the River Thames was flooding my home, I was at a birthday party. Perhaps unsurprisingly I was not my positive, social self. In fact, I believe I was probably pretty miserable. An hour into being terrible company,...
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Agile. Streamlined. Connected. All of these words are being used to describe the goals of organizations as they moving from a strict command-and-control top-down hierarchy to one that is more nuanced. Often the resulting organization is one that is...
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I was honored to be asked to speak recently at the Happy Workplaces conference in London, where I shared my thoughts on social leadership and ways leaders can embrace the Social Era.
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If you read most any employee engagement survey out there today, you'll get the same message: Employees are not engaged at the level companies need them to be. A commonly referenced Gallop study found 70% of US employees are...
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How many questions do you ask in a day? Questions are the foundation of conversation. Most of us ask them without even thinking about it; they are a fundamental part of human connection. Without them, there is monologue, an endless...
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How often are we asking the wrong questions? We ask questions to achieve greater understanding, more insight, better results. We ask questions to solve problems. But what if the problems we are trying to solve are the wrong ones?...
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I heard recently that the hierarchical structure in place in most corporations is a post-war phenomenon. Organization design immediately after World War II tended to follow a highly militaristic, tiered model, which has largely remained in place throughout the...
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Let's face it, we all like to hear our own voices. From quite a young age, we are taught to be experts. We learn how to tell stories, give advice, make decisions, give presentations. This starts in school and is...
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What does social mean to you? Last summer, I was with work colleagues at a conference in Atlanta and I used it as an opportunity to get some views on this. I asked a whole range of people -...
