Skip to content
A woman with straight brown hair, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, sits on a white sofa, smiling and holding open magazines on her lap in a bright, minimalist room.

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.

Get these insights delivered to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.

Newsletter sign up

Career Conversations

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

Read more

Tall glass skyscrapers reflecting sunlight and blue sky with clouds, viewed from below. Bright sunlight shines between the buildings, symbolising career development in a modern urban cityscape.

How to Create a Culture of Growth and Career Development

Employee engagement and organisation culture are so intertwined that it is difficult to mention one without the other.  And career development is the glue that binds the two together.  If an organisation wants to engage its employees, the culture needs to support their professional growth. Develop talent or risk losing it Employee engagement is an

Read more

A signpost with six arrows pointing in different directions, labelled

Role of a Mentor: How to Give Advice

A common question we get asked in our masterclasses is “How do I provide insight without direction? I want to help.  I know they’re coming to me for advice.  But I don’t want to tell them what to do?” And quite right too. This Huffington Post article says it well.  “While mentors can offer valuable

Read more

Two people stand indoors, facing each other and having a conversation. One is a woman in a light blue blouse, the other a man in a light blue shirt and tie. They appear engaged in discussing career development questions to ask employees.

Practical Career Development Questions to Ask Employees

Are you looking for career development questions to ask employees and develop your best people?  If so, you’re not alone.  The most frequently asked questions in our Confident Career Conversations Workshops relate to tools.  Questions like: “What effective tools could I use in my career conversations?” “Are there any particular tools you use that lead

Read more

A woman wearing a yellow jacket sits at a desk, holding her glasses in one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other, appearing tired—perhaps reflecting on talent development mistakes in an office setting.

My Biggest Talent Development Mistake

Talent Development Mistakes  – Have you ever made them? I have a confession to make. Even with decades of talent development experience, I have, in the past, let my own employees down. Talent Development Mistakes | How Career Conversations can Help I’ll never forget the time one of my best employees, Roby, asked to see me. 

Read more

Illustration of a woman breaking the large word

How to Remove Fear from Career Conversations With Employees

It’s no wonder managers can find it hard to have career conversations with employees. Time pressures, office politics and egos can all get in the way. We all know it’s good to talk. But, let’s face it.  Opening up a conversation about a sensitive issue like career progression can weigh heavily on even the most

Read more

1 2