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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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Talent Development

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How to Build a Career Development Culture That Retains and Grows Your Talent

Over the years, I’ve worked with dozens of organisations that want to support career development but don’t quite know how. The answer lies in culture, not checklists.

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Are You Creating a Culture of Career Clarity?

November is National Career Development Month – a timely reminder for individuals to reflect on their paths and for organisations to ask: Are we doing enough to support meaningful growth?

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Five people sit around a table in a bright office, discussing and smiling, with open laptops and papers in front of them as they work together to develop staff. Bookshelves filled with books and plants are in the background.

Four Ways to Develop Employees When Budgets Are Tight

Employee development is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s essential. Whether you’re a manager, part of an L&D team, or in senior leadership, you know that helping employees grow is key to maintaining engagement, performance, and retention. But what happens when budgets are tight? I often hear this question from clients. With limited resources, training can

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A woman in business attire stands before a wall with a drawn maze, tracing a red solution path—symbolising the strategic navigation of High-Potential Talent from entrance to exit with her finger.

When the Pipeline Overflows: How to Engage High-Potential Talent When Roles Are Limited

Many organisations rightly focus on creating robust talent pipelines to ensure a steady flow of future leaders. However, a challenge arises when there is more high-potential talent in the pipeline than available roles. This can lead to disengagement, frustration, and even attrition among top talent. So, how do you keep these individuals motivated and committed

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Overcoming Common Obstacles in Implementing Effective Career Development Programmes

Over the years, we have run many webinars on different topics related to career management and mentoring. One webinar was on the subject of “Career Development in Organisations: What Role Does It Play?” One participant submitted some fantastic questions that warranted more attention than we could give. So, I promised I would write a series

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A woman sits on a sofa using a digital tablet with a stylus, exploring trends in career development. She is wearing jeans and a white blouse. A ginger cat stands nearby, and a mobile phone rests on the sofa next to her.

Top Career Development Trends – What HR Leaders Need to Know

“I’d love to support my team’s development… but I have no idea where to start.”That was the honest confession of a line manager during one of my recent masterclasses. And it stuck with me. Because in today’s fast-changing world of work, career development isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity. But many leaders, managers – and

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The Power of Upskilling and Reskilling in Today’s Workplace

In today’s rapidly changing job market, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for career growth and job security. The terms “upskilling” and “reskilling” have become buzzwords in the professional world, and for good reason. These concepts represent the keys to unlocking new opportunities and thriving in a dynamic workplace environment. In this blog post,

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Career Development Quotes | 38 Ways to Feel Inspired

Why Career Inspiration Matters Over the years, I’ve had hundreds—probably thousands—of conversations about career development. And in those conversations, one thing keeps coming up: sometimes, a single sentence is enough to shift someone’s perspective. A client once told me that reading a quote on LinkedIn made her realise she was living someone else’s version of success.

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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

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