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The Compass Journal: Navigating Careers & Leadership

Fresh thinking for forward-focused organisations

Explore practical insights, thought leadership, and real-world stories on career development, leadership, and the evolving world of work. Each article is designed to spark ideas and support you in creating a culture where people and performance thrive.

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Blog Archives

A close-up of a winding, curvy white line on a paved road or path, surrounded by scattered debris and blurred edges, evokes the abstract, zigzag pattern of a non-linear career path.

Embracing the Zigzag Route: Unveiling the Hidden Benefits and Power of Adaptability in a Nonlinear Career Path

In today’s rapidly evolving professional landscape, the traditional notion of a linear career path is gradually giving way to a more dynamic and flexible approach. The concept of taking a zigzag route, characterized by deliberate diversions and unexpected detours, is gaining traction among individuals seeking fulfilment and growth. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a nonlinear career

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A man with short brown hair and a beard smiles at the camera, wearing a colourful jacket with blue, black, yellow, and white stripes. The blurred background features large white text reading

What Ted Lasso Can Teach Us About Leadership and Career Development

As a professional speaker and career development specialist, I’ve seen how the simplest messages often resonate the most. And few characters deliver simple wisdom better than Ted Lasso. When it comes to leadership, career conversations and people development, Ted may be a fictional football coach – but his insights are very real. They reflect the

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Four people sit at a conference table with laptops and notepads, participating in a video call with a person displayed on a monitor—reflecting the collaborative nature of today’s hybrid workplace in a bright, modern office.

Gaining Visibility in a Hybrid Workplace: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It

I have the enormous pleasure of delivering monthly Career Labs for our client UNDP.  Last month, the subject of the Career Lab was ‘How to Gain Visibility in a Hybrid Workplace.’ It’s so important and relevant to working life today that I thought I’d make it the subject of my latest blog post. In today’s evolving corporate

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Four stages of a monarch butterfly’s metamorphosis showcase a growth mindset: a green chrysalis, a dark chrysalis, and a butterfly emerging, all hanging from the underside of a basket with a blurred background.

Unlock Your Career Potential with a Growth Mindset

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I’m just not good at that”? Maybe it’s presenting in front of a group, having difficult conversations, or learning a new system at work. I remember a client – let’s call her Sarah – who’d just been promoted into a new leadership role. She was smart, capable, and respected

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Two women sit on a pink sofa in a cosy, colourful living room, smiling and talking. One holds a tablet and gestures while the other claps, both appearing cheerful as they discuss ways to improve emotional intelligence together.

Top tips on improving your emotional intelligence for success in your career

In my previous blog post, What Does Emotional Intelligence Mean for Career Development?, we explored what emotional intelligence is, why it matters, and how it can make a real difference to your career success. Understanding the concept is one thing – but putting it into practice is where the real transformation happens. In this follow-up, I’ll

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Two women smile while looking at a laptop together in a cosy indoor setting, showing great EQ. One woman wears glasses and a striped jumper, while the other, in a light pink hijab and brown shirt, stands beside her.

How to use emotional intelligence EQ to fuel your career development

What do you do when you want to get ahead in business? Do you work 12-hour days, desperate to impress your boss? Do you take on a whole host of extra tasks to show that you’re willing to support the team, even if it means you’re stretched beyond belief? Or do you focus on yourself?

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A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a blue top, smiles and hugs herself. Beside her is a quotation about embracing equity for a just and inclusive workplace. International Women's Day and equity hashtags are shown.

Embracing Equity: International Women’s Day 2023

Today, 8 March 2023, is International Women’s Day, and this year’s theme is ‘embrace equity’. So, I thought I’d write about the importance of embracing equity to women’s career development and the powerful role that mentoring can play. Gender equity has been a contentious issue in workplaces around the world for many years. Women continue

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Four smiling people gather around a table with laptops and notebooks, demonstrating emotional intelligence as they collaborate in a bright office adorned with colourful abstract art. One person points at a laptop screen while others look on, engaged and supportive.

What does emotional intelligence mean for career development?

When you first apply for a role, you’re interviewed, largely, based on your intelligence – but how much attention do we give to emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence is the subject of my next couple of blog posts. It can help an individual become the best at what they do, be the best colleague possible and

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Two people sit at a table in a bright office, smiling and talking whilst looking at a laptop. Papers and a notebook are spread out in front of them as they share career conversation tips beneath a large hanging lamp.

8 Proven Career Conversations Tips for Employee Career Growth

Are you confident about having carer conversations? Discover 8 career conversations tips, in this blog, to help them go well and develop your people. Who do you talk to about your career? Think about some of the big decisions you’ve made over the years.  I’m guessing that during those periods you will have benefitted from

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