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Antoinette Oglethorpe author of the COMPASS Journal blog, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, sits smiling on a white sofa with magazines and papers spread out in front of her 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.

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coaching

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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A woman in a blue shirt smiles whilst writing in a notebook, facing another person in the foreground. They appear to be engaged in a friendly conversation, reflecting the collaborative spirit of good executive coaching in an office setting.

How to Get the Most from Executive Coaching

Let’s face it good executive coaching is not cheap. But it can be invaluable. Investing a few hours and a few thousand pounds can deliver significant increases in productivity and returns of hundreds of thousands of pounds. As long as the leader in question takes full advantage of the opportunity and makes the most of their

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What’s the alternative to 360 degree feedback?

When it comes to leadership development, few tools are as powerful as 360-degree feedback. It offers a rich, multi-perspective view of how you’re perceived by colleagues, direct reports, and managers. It can be eye-opening, motivating, and – let’s be honest – a little daunting. In theory, most leaders agree it would be valuable. In practice,

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Three people in business attire whispering to each other, with surprised and curious expressions, as they discuss creating a coaching culture, all set against a plain white background.

Case Study: Creating a Coaching Culture by Stealth

In my last blog post “Case Study:  How a Coaching Style of Leadership Can Help Employees Take Ownership & Responsibility”,  I described a Solutions Focus (SF) Coaching for Leaders Programme I am delivering that is helping employees take ownership and responsibility.  The case study featured in a presentation at the Coaching and at Work Conference: 

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