Ives Tay

Recently I was invited to a seminar by a well known accreditation body. This seminar covers the key principles of psychodynamic psychology and its applications to coaching. As always, I looked at the qualifications of the seminar leader, and was disappointed to discover that they had never studied psychodynamic psychology in any formal context. Their coaching training was not psychodynamic. They had no academic background in psychodynamic psychology. They had no meaningful certifications from reputable institutions (actually no certifications at all...just some attendance on open courses). This does not feel unusual in the coaching industry and it makes me wonder if we have an appropriate level of respect for our craft, or clients and ourselves. Is human psychology something that matters enough to study it?  Do we value knowledge as a foundation for expertise?  Are we concerned that a lack of knowledge may do harm to our clients? I often feel that professional integrity seems to matter less to many coaches, than profile and cash flow, and accreditation bodies do not seem to be any different. If anything, they seem to make the situation worse by adding a professional veneer, equivalent to wallpapering over a soggy cardboard wall. I have 4 questions that I advise any client to explore with any coach before working with them in any capacity: 1. What qualifies you to be a coach and where did you train? This question will allow you to understand something about how a coach works, their theoretical foundations and the assumptions they may make about the basis of their practice. It will allow you to understand the extend to which their training is grounded on solid theoretical foundations and whether they are trained to do the work they claim to do. It will tell you whether they have invested time in their craft and whether they take it seriously or not.  2. What work have you done on yourself? A necessary foundation for coaching is that we have invested time on our own developmental journey. A good coach will have experienced their particular modality first hand as a coachee for an extended period of time. They will at the very least have been coached themselves and may have been in psychotherapy or psychoanalysis (for psychodynamic coaches this will be a basic necessity). 3. How are you supervised? Supervision ensures that a coach is able to maintain a grounded and ethical practice. A good coach will have regular and formal supervision arrangements in place. 4. What was your last piece of formal Continuing Professional Development? CPD ensures that the coach does not become ‘stuck’ and continues to challenge and develop their practice. A good coach will undertake CPD on a regular basis and this will usually be challenging and rigourous. Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Any good coach will actually love answering them and will probably give you more information that you need…. We must do no harm. #coaching #ethics

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Leadership is at a crossroads. Some will adapt, others fall behind. The future of leadership is already here. Your next move? Master these skills now. These 10 skills will define your success in 2027 and beyond: 1. Deep Human Insight ↳ Going deeper on human behavior is critical to win consumers of tomorrow. ↳ Winning companies will design products on human insight. 2. Technological Adoption ↳ Adopting emerging tech is essential to drive growth and innovation. ↳ Leaders who embrace technological change will be future-proofed. 3. Influence at Scale ↳ Leaders have never had great opportunity to scale influence online. ↳ Leaders who master this will have superior access to talent and resources. 4. Systems Thinking ↳ A systems mindset will help navigate complexity and smarter decisions. ↳ Building  interconnections between people, processes, and outcomes. 5. Emotional Intelligence ↳ Leaders who foster trust, empathy, and collaboration. ↳ Emotional intelligence will define leadership as organizations compete for talent. 6. Change Management ↳ Leading teams through periods of transformation with clarity and direction. ↳ Effective change management is fostering skills, resilience and adaptability. 7. Adaptive Thinking ↳ The ability to pivot quickly and remain effective in uncertain environments. ↳ Adaptive thinking allows leaders to make swift, informed decisions in times of volatility. 8. Cultural Intelligence ↳ Embracing diversity in teams drives innovation and inclusivity. ↳ Cultural intelligence is crucial for leaders aiming to succeed in globalized markets. 9. Conflict Facilitation ↳ Resolving conflicts effectively is key to creating harmonious, high-performing teams. ↳ Leaders who manage conflict with empathy, foster trust, and drive results. 10. Ethical Leadership ↳ Making decisions with integrity and fairness builds trust and accountability. ↳ Ethical leaders inspire loyalty and create positive organizational cultures. Leaders need these skills now. The clock is ticking. Which skill do you think is most valuable?  Let me know below 👇 ♻️ Repost if you found this useful ✅ Follow Hayden Swerling for more on business, change, and performance.

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A new law on workplace fairness is coming. But the real story is not the law - it’s the busine$$ model of unreadiness. Every time a major initiative is announced, the cycle is familiar: 1. A survey emerges showing managers are “not ready.” 2. Calls go up for “more training” and “more leadership support.” 3. Workshops, courses, and toolkits are rolled out - often subsidized. 4. Boxes get ticked, reports get written, but the root issues remain. We have seen this playbook before. Announce first, scramble later. Generate activity, not alignment. Treat fairness as paperwork, not principle. The danger is clear: when unreadiness itself becomes profitable, true readiness never arrives. And yet this new Act is different - it carries the weight of statute. Discrimination in hiring, firing, or promotion will no longer be a guideline issue; it will be a legal one. Companies will not just risk “non-compliance notices”, but lawsuits and reputational damage. The real test, then, is whether organizations build fairness into their culture - not just into compliance checklists. Because the law can compel behavior, but only leadership can create belief. Credibility comes from results, not rituals. Motion without progress is failure disguised as effort. Fairness cannot be performed. It must be lived.

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Let’s understand that hierarchical or rigid organisational structures are old school and belong to the past. These can reinforce siloed thinking. When employees are encouraged to stay within their chain of command and discouraged from crossing departmental lines, they often operate within the narrow scope of their function.   #silos #barriers #shared #vision #communication #organisation #structures #fear #factor #trust #deficit #duplicaton #success #growth #collaboration #agile #cohesive #culture    #MuhammadSajwani #EvolveHR #empowerpeople #HRConsultant

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This is a book I was keen to read for many reasons. As a leadership development coach and practitioner, I am always on the lookout for more inputs on this theme. I know that a book from McKinsey & Company would have interesting research-based insights and information. I have been associated with Mckinsey as an advisory coach and facilitator for the past 14 years and have used their leadership frameworks in workshops. As a co-author of a leadership book- The Nurturing Quotient withRajesh Ramakrishnan, I was also curious to know about other such books in the category. Book 22- The Journey of Leadership- How CEOS Learn to Lead from Inside Out Dana Maor, Hans-Werner Kaas, Kurt Strovink, Ramesh Srinivasan- Senior Partners at Mckinsey & Company During the Bower Forum, a leadership program facilitated by Mckinsey for several years a small group of CEOs come together for an intense immersive experience where they do a deep personal exploration. The Journey of leadership distils the insights from these engagements through powerful stories backed by deep research. The Journey of Leadership has two parts The first part- It starts with you is all about the individual. Who you are is how you lead. The second part, Moving beyond yourself is about leading others in the organization and larger ecosystem. Among the 6 qualities of Inside Out leaders, I found Versatility to be a an interesting addition. Leaders need to master internal versatility and external versatility, gained from interacting with people outside the organization. Having one area of deep expertise is not enough to run large complicated organizations. Leaders need to be agile learners who can bring a breadth of skills and connect the dots. In order to be versatile, leaders require the other key qualities of Humility- asking for help and saying I don’t know as well as vulnerability- putting themselves in new and uncomfortable positions which may take them out of their depth. When it comes to moving Beyond the self, there are 6 behaviors that leaders need to practice. Instilling empathy is also one of these behaviors which has become more important in the recent years- For people to care, show them you care. Another interesting challenge for leaders to Encourage truth telling- Everyone keeps things from the boss. Leaders need to keep an ear to the ground and at the same time create a transparent culture of dissent. The Journey of Leadership goes beyond frameworks to share stories of several CEOS and their lived experiences. There is a useful list of micro practices for aspiring leaders as well which can be easily imbibed and internalized. In these times of high turbulence and Hi-Tech, a human centric approach is more necessary than ever. It was a bonus to meet one of the authors Ramesh Srinivasan and get my copy of the book signed. Thank you for the inspiration and inputs Ramesh. #leadershipbooks #bookreview #journeyofleadership #bookreview

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Does a CEO have to disclose a workplace relations? Yes, a CEO does have a responsibility to disclose a workplace relationship, particularly where it presents a conflict of interest or involves another senior leader or direct report (such as a Chief People Officer). This obligation is not just good governance — it can be critical to protecting the integrity and trust within the organisation. Here's why disclosure is essential for a CEO: Fiduciary Duties to the Company CEOs have legal and ethical duties to act in the best interests of the company. If a relationship creates a real or perceived conflict of interest, failing to disclose it can breach those duties. Board-Level Accountability The CEO reports to the Board. A relationship with another executive (especially someone involved in HR or governance) must be disclosed to the Board so it can manage the risk appropriately — e.g. by adjusting roles, reporting lines, or oversight arrangements. Power Imbalance = Heightened Risk Even consensual relationships at senior levels can raise questions about favouritism, misuse of authority, or retaliation if the relationship breaks down. Transparency is critical to maintaining trust and avoiding legal exposure. Failure to Disclose Can Have Consequences Even if the relationship itself isn't prohibited, failing to disclose it can lead to: Loss of board confidence Resignation or dismissal Damage to reputation Potential legal claims (e.g. breach of duty, shareholder concerns)

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