Balancing the corporate gender tightrope

Megan Seibel | 17 Apr 2025

Gender inequality remains entrenched on corporate boards. So is a better understanding cognitive diversity the answer to getting more women in the boardroom?

How fractional leadership reduces executive burnout

Sara Daw

As ever-increasing pressures make traditional full-time executive roles psychologically unsustainable, the structure of leadership needs a significant rethink.

Remote work under scrutiny

Konstantin Joergensen

Across the EU and beyond, labour laws are evolving to reflect the emergence of flexible working. Here’s what HR leaders must know as regulations tighten.

How to have hope amid political chaos

David Livermore

Amid chaos and dysfunction, it’s worth remembering that most people, most of the time, are inclined toward fairness, cooperation and kindness.

Breaking the silence: supporting men's mental health in the workplace

Nathan Shearman

Managers can play a pivotal role in supporting male employees' mental health by creating safe spaces, recognising masking behaviours and promoting vulnerability.

Long-distance leadership: letting go and leaning in

Wayne Turmel

Leading a remote or hybrid team requires a different mindset than you may have had if everyone was all together in the same physical space.

Has traditional team building had its day?

Zoe Carter-Owen

UK companies spend around £200 million annually on company away days and team-building activities. But does this investment really enhance productivity or collaboration?

From the archive

Morale: a moving target

Duane Dike

What we think we know about morale is probably wrong, especially the black and white notion that morale is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Like most human feelings, morale is a moving target, which is why being sensitive to its nuances is such a key skill for leaders.

Mark Fry

In praise of control-freakery

Mark Fry

If you're the sort of boss who gets accused of being a bit of a control freak, well done. Stand up, take the applause and be proud of yourself. It's time to come out of the closet and stop apologising.

Dan Bobinski

Avenues for employee complaints seem to be closed

Dan Bobinski

A prime reason for employee unhappiness is that companies do not adhere to a set of standards. Some are too forgiving of employee misconduct, while others are managed by people who themselves overstep boundaries and could care less about rules.

Ab Banerjee

Let’s ditch self-improvement and focus on effective cooperation

Ab Banerjee

Many popular management theories focus too heavily on the cult of the individual and giving feedback at any cost. Instead, we need to think more about collective performance and adopt a cooperation mind-set.

Neil Cassie

Middlescents: stuck in the middle with you?

Neil Cassie

Millions of so-called 'middlescents' - those aged between 35 and 54 - feel lost, stuck and burnt-out. But behind their frustration lies a real hunger for renewal. This 5 Step Renewal Plan shows how to achieve it.

Earlier opinion

The great reset

Andrey Yashunky

Sometimes the only way to remove the fog clouding the future is a complete reset - in whatever form that might take.

Why remote work can be hard on trust

Wayne Turmel

Trust is critical to successful remote and hybrid work. But even with the best of intentions, doubt and suspicion can creep in.

Getting honest feedback as a long-distance leader

Wayne Turmel

Getting honest feedback is critical for anyone in a leadership role. But imagine how much more difficult this is when you and your team are in different physical places.

The benefits of a bucket list

Ian Child

Life’s too short not to have dreams. It doesn't matter if they are big, small, expensive or cheap, the important thing is to try to make them happen.

Parenthood and ESG

Jean-Sébastien Pelland

Becoming a parent is a life-changing event. And the realisation that our children will have to grow up in whatever world we leave behind can also have a big impact on how business leaders perceive growth and sustainability.

Hybrid work: do you want a mule or a platypus?

Wayne Turmel

Would you describe the hybrid workplace as a mule or as a platypus? Stick with me, because the question is not as crazy as it might sound.

Remote working and mental health

Wayne Turmel

One of the more interesting and talked-about topics around remote and hybrid working is how it impacts people’s mental health.

Combating burnout: five practical steps for leaders

Ang Brennan

In today’s relentless workplace, tackling burnout among leaders is a pressing reality. Here are some practical strategies to help build a supportive and resilient work environment.

Managing performance on hybrid teams

Wayne Turmel

As hybrid working becomes more and more widespread, one of the biggest difficulties that has emerged is how to manage individual performance when some people are in the office more than others.

The importance of explicit expectations

Karl Hebenstreit

The mantra for human effectiveness is “communication, communication, communication”. But without setting explicit expectations, communication on its own isn't enough.

Surviving re-orgs and buyouts at a distance

Wayne Turmel

For people working remotely, an internal re-organization or an external buyout can be especially disconcerting and confusing.

How to lead with questions in cognitively diverse ways

Megan Seibel

Questions can be powerful leadership enablers. So it is worth taking time to understand the art of asking the right questions and creating a questioning culture when leading others.