Insights

Most leadership writing tells you what good looks like. What's important to me is having honest discussions about why it's so hard to be a great leader but provide guidance on how to get there. So I'm writing about the things that I see in my work. That includes the patterns that show up across organisations, the conversations leaders avoid, and times where culture and strategy pull in opposite directions.

I also share the fantastic work of the organisations I'm involved with and the people that inspire me.

Trusted on Substack

After years working alongside founders and leadership teams at some of the most important points in their organisations I often see things employees can't say and leaders can't or don't want to hear.

Trusted is my Substack. It's is for people who want raw articles, not polished and overly edited. I also write for myself, as a reminder of the array of circumstances I have encountered. Names and organisations are always changed but stories are just as I saw them.

What does it mean to be trusted?

The Trust Equation There's a well-known framework for understanding trust. Some leaders have heard of it. Far fewer have applied it honestly to themselves.

Why leaders are shocked by news of a bad culture

When trust is low, silence gets loud. Leaders are cut out of the conversations and don't hear the truth of what is going on.

Truth informs. Trust transforms.

Truth telling isn't enough. You have to build trust. Without trust, the truth doesn’t get through. And without truth, there is no way to build trust. Great leadership requires both

Be a readable leader

People need to know what they are going to get from you. You don’t need to be perfect, but people find calmness and trust from a decent amount of consistency.

When Life Gives You Lemons

Proud Trustee moment!

When Life Gives You Lemons hosted their 2026 International Women's Day event at LinkedIn's offices; an evening combining a practical coaching workshop on building your professional profile and presence, followed by a panel conversation on identity.

One of those evenings that was hard to leave. So many phenomenal people in the room, celebrating the lives and opportunity of being an immigrant in the UK. Thank you LinkedIn for hosting a cracking evening.

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