Skip to content
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.

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

Newsletter sign up

development

Bridging the Gap: Strategies to Develop the Skills You Need for Career Progression

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing job market, addressing skills gaps is crucial for career advancement. Once you’ve identified the areas where you need to improve, it’s time to take action. In this blog post, we’ll explore effective ways employees can bridge their skills gaps and develop the expertise needed to advance professionally. Here are 14

Read more

Understanding the Foundations of Self-Confidence: A Guide to Empowering Your Career and Life

Have you ever pondered what makes some individuals excel effortlessly in their careers, while others seem to struggle despite having the same qualifications? The answer might be simpler than you think: self-confidence. Self-confidence is not just about “feeling good”; it’s a fundamental cornerstone for personal and professional growth. It’s about believing in your ability to

Read more

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

Read more

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,

Read more

Four people in business suits, two men and two women, stand in a row pulling on a rope as if in a tug-of-war, symbolising resistance to change as they lean back and work together against a plain white background.

3 Ways to Overcome Resistance to Change by Employees

Resistance to change is a natural phenomenon.  At an individual level, change can create a mixed range of emotional response. A Global Survey by McKinsey in 2006 (Organising for Successful Change Management), shows that where change had not been successful, the dominant emotions were anxiety, frustration and confusion. While those emotions were not necessarily absent

Read more

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: 

Read more