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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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Career Conversations

Career networking relationships formed through informal professional conversations

Why Career Networking Relationships Are Your Career Safety Net

A few years ago, someone said something to me that stopped me mid-sentence. They said:” I didn’t get that opportunity because I had the perfect CV. I got it because someone thought of me.” I remember feeling slightly uncomfortable when I heard that. Surely careers are built on performance, capability and experience? They are. But

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Hands holding a map and compass, navigating without a fixed route

Adaptability at Work: The Real Skill for Thriving in Change

A few years ago, I was driving to meet a friend for dinner somewhere I’d never been before. It was one of those damp, slightly gloomy evenings when everything feels unfamiliar. Without really thinking, I put the address into the sat nav and followed the instructions exactly as it told me to. Until it confidently

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Career ownership: a professional pausing at a city crossroads, reflecting on direction and responsibility for their next career step.

Career Ownership: Why Your Career Is No Longer Your Manager’s Job

If I had a pound for every person who has said, “I’m just waiting to see what my manager thinks,” I’d have funded a whole new keynote tour by now. It’s such a familiar phrase. Hopeful. Polite. Understandable. And completely outdated. Because waiting to be “tapped on the shoulder” is no longer a career strategy.

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Woman reflecting at her desk, symbolising career clarity and thoughtful career planning in the workplace.

Why Career Clarity for Employees Matters More Than Ever

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I know I want something to change in my career… I just don’t know what”? If you have, you’re not alone. In workshops all over the world, I hear the same thing from employees at every level. They want to grow. They want to feel more fulfilled. They want

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Antoinette Oglethorpe speaking about career development to a full audience, smiling and holding her book, with a screen and branded banner behind her.

A New Chapter: My Journey as a Career Development Speaker

Every so often, we reach a point in our careers where the horizon seems to shift a little. Not dramatically. Not abruptly. But enough to make us pause, reflect and ask the kind of questions I help people explore through my programmes: What matters most to me now?Where do I do my best work?What’s the next

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Two women, both managers, sit at a table in a bright café, smiling and talking. Sunlight streams through large windows as they discuss strategies to boost growth, creating a warm, cheerful atmosphere.

Career Conversations That Work: How Managers Can Boost Growth, Loyalty, and Performance

When I think back to my early days as a manager, I wish someone had told me how powerful career conversations could be.

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A woman in business attire writes on a document whilst a man in a suit sits beside her, smiling and gesturing, as they discuss performance appraisals with charts and graphs on the table in front of them.

Why Performance Reviews Are Not the Place for Career Conversations

Think your organisation is nailing career conversations because they’re part of the performance review? You’re not alone. I hear this all the time. A well-meaning question like “What are your career goals?” is often squeezed in at the end of a performance review meeting, tucked between a salary discussion and next quarter’s targets. But here’s

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A card reading

Take Charge of Your Career – Why It Starts with You

Career management is no longer just about climbing the corporate ladder. Traditional career paths have given way to a more dynamic and self-directed approach. While managers and organisations play a role in supporting career growth, the ultimate responsibility lies with you, the employee. As I wrote in Confident Career Conversations, “Career development starts with the employee.

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Four people sit and one stands around a table covered in notebooks, folders, and sticky notes, collaborating and discussing work. Laptops and pens are visible, showing their dedication to group study or team projects focused on operational excellence.

Realise the Potential of Your Workforce: Balancing Career Development with Operational Excellence

Running lean has become the norm for many large organisations, particularly in the current challenging economic climate. While this operational efficiency brings cost benefits, it can also pose a significant challenge. As one of our readers recently asked: how do you balance the need for career development with the relentless demands of day-to-day operations? The

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