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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: Career Development

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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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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A man and a woman in business attire walk and talk in a bright, modern office corridor with large windows and metal railings, engaging in effective career conversations.

13 Characteristics of Highly Effective Career Conversations

It’s a sad fact that people can often identify memorably bad career conversations more easily than effective career conversations. I still remember one particular career conversation — not because it was good, but because it was so bad it’s almost funny in hindsight. It was the end of a fairly lukewarm performance appraisal. My manager

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Three people sit at a table in a modern, open-plan office with large windows, wooden cubicles, and ceiling lights, discussing career management and mentoring challenges. The space is bright and organised with mirrored panels featuring white graphic designs.

7 Career Management and Mentoring Challenges to Overcome in 2023

As we enter the third year since the pandemic started, we are seeing that the changes caused by COVID-19 are having a lasting impact in the workplace. In 2023, organisations will be more diverse, distributed and virtual than ever before. Organisations need to adapt to this changing world of work while addressing other challenges. Those

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Two people in white, polka-dotted tops sit at a table with documents and notebooks, discussing and writing notes together in a bright office setting as they explore the essential skills and qualities of managers.

9 Skills and Qualities of Managers Who Have Effective Career Conversations

I’ve written a lot about career conversations over the years. That’s no surprise reallysince it’s my area of specialism. Elsewhere on the blog, you can read about WhyCareer Conversations are Important, 5 Benefits of Great Career Conversations and13 Characteristics of Effective Career Conversations. But what about the skills andqualities that managers need to have these

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