Michael McQueen

When change is the only constant.... Leadership clarity becomes your competitive edge Here's how 👇🏼 Your people don’t need more comms. They need clarity, rhythm, and belief. This reframes leadership from 'managing' change to guiding momentum when people are aligned, bought in and facing in the same direction. The research supports this: 📈 Organizational health (driven by clear direction and aligned behaviours) is the best predictor of long-term performance. - McKinsey, 12/2/24. ❤️ Employees who strongly agree they know what’s expected at work are 47% less likely to burn out. Clarity beats noise. - Gallup.com, 14/8/24. 🔇 38% of employees say they receive an excessive volume of communications at work. Clarity > volume. - Harvard Business Review, 1/5/23. 3 supporting ideas I'll expand on in the session below: 🔦 Clarity is a leadership act. ↳ People can’t get behind what they don’t understand. ↳ Translate vision into everyday relevance. 📅 Build rituals, not just plans. ↳ Rituals create emotional safety and predictability in turbulent environments. 🔗 Connect the invisible dots. ↳ Help teams see how their work ladders into the big picture... ↳ Not just in strategy presentations, but in conversation and action. I’ll be running this practical workshop with the amazing Love Success on 14th October in London for HR & Operations leaders who are feeling the squeeze of: 👉🏻 Leaner teams 👉🏻 Tighter budgets 👉🏻 Unrelenting expectations This isn’t about another “change management” model. It’s about building rhythm, belief, and operational clarity so your teams can deliver consistently even when the goalposts keep moving. Date: 14th October Time: 08.30–10.30 Location: London, Waterloo Free to attend, invite-only, and limited to keep it practical + peer-focused. If you’re a senior Ops or HR Leader or Manager and this resonates, we'd love you to register here: https://lnkd.in/emum9pJk

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Have you ever paid a lot of money for executive coaching for a key leader on your team and wondered what you were paying for? I was reminded of this recently when we engaged an external executive coach for a key staff member. It brought back a frustration I’ve felt before: you pay a lot, then sit back and hope the results are worth it. Because of confidentiality, it can feel like a mystery box: no visibility into what’s actually happening. But coaching is not a blind box. It shouldn’t be something you throw money at and hope for a surprise inside. It needs to be a tailored box - built around the individual and connected to the organization’s goals. That’s one of the problems we wanted to solve at IMPACT Group. Coaching can absolutely maintain confidentiality while still providing structure and alignment and demonstrate results: 1. What are the specific goals for this engagement? 2. How can the manager actively support the process? 3. How do we make sure the organization feels the impact of this investment? When coaching is designed this way, it’s not just about one person’s growth in isolation. It becomes an integrated development plan that the employee, their manager, and the business can all see progress against. Otherwise, coaching really does risk becoming an expensive black box. And no leader should waste their budget on hope. 

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I know how easy it is to get caught up in the "shiny object syndrome" of building a coaching business. Every day, there's a new strategy or quick fix promising instant success. But what if the real secret to building something sustainable isn't about chasing the next trend, but about going back to the basics? I had a conversation with Ariya Chittasy, Director of Engenesis Ventures, and we dove into this idea. We talked about why laying a strong foundation - truly understanding your value, connecting with clients on a human level, and putting in the real work - is what leads to long-term success. If you're a coach looking to build a business with substance and longevity, I think this video will really resonate with you. #coaching #businesscoach #entrepreneurship #elevateprogram #sustainability #foundations #leadership #beingframework

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This is one of the quickest ways to get your audience off-side during Q&A in your presentations. But there is a quick fix. Ever asked a question (or heard someone else ask a question) during Q&A and the presenter responds with, “Yes, BUT…”? At first, it sounds fine. Polite even.   But here’s the thing, our brains hear it differently. That “but” triggers a mini red flag in the audience’s brain. It’s like saying, “I hear you… but I’m going to negate what you’ve said.” And unfortunately, it can come across as dismissive, it can be seen as invalidating people’s ideas and decreases engagement. Because as a result or using this one word, people feel as if they’re going to get shut down if they ask the ‘wrong’ question… and that acts like a roadblock to contribution and connection. Neuroscience confirms that our brains respond more positively when feedback ‘builds on ideas’ rather than negates them. So, what’s the answer if you don’t agree with the premise of the question? Try “Yes, AND…” instead. While “But” flips the switch to defensive mode. “And” keeps it open. It’s a tiny shift, but the difference is huge: ✅ People feel heard and acknowledged ✅ It keeps the audience engaged ✅ Conversations open up instead of shutting down Here are some practical examples for you to play with: ❌ “Yes, BUT that doesn’t align with our current strategy.” ✅ “Yes, AND let’s see how we can adapt this idea to align with, and strengthen, our strategy.” ❌ “Yes, BUT that could be legally risky.” ✅ “Yes, AND let’s explore ways to implement it safely while still testing the idea.” ❌ “Yes, BUT the board might not approve this.” ✅ “Yes, AND given the board’s low appetite for risk, how could we present this, so we get their support?” ❌ “Yes, BUT our team is already stretched.” ✅ “Yes, AND let’s figure out which parts we can outsource or delegate.” ❌ “Yes, BUT our client won’t go for that.” ✅ “Yes, AND how could we frame it, so our client sees the value?” As you can see it’s not about agreeing with everything. It’s about keeping ideas alive, showing respect, and keeping people confident to contribute. Bonus - it also makes you look like the kind of executive who actually listens… and who doesn’t want that? Next time you’re in a presentation or meeting, swap out “but” for “and.” That way you’ll avoid unintentionally shutting down questions, and your audience will feel more comfortable to contribute. What are your thoughts on this approach? I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments 👇

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