Hala Batainah 
This week is International Coaching Week (May 8-14), and it got me thinking about the benefits of coaching, and why I love coaching both as a receiver and a provider. When I joined IBM almost 24 years ago, coaching was emerging as a requirement for managers, and IBM invested significantly in teaching managers coaching skills. … Read more
Welcome back if you are continuing from Chapter Four, and welcome if you are new. If you haven’t done the first step in this process, I would recommend you start at Chapter One first. Please also check out Chapter Three and Chapter Two. Just like leadership, this is not necessarily a linear process, but for … Read more
Welcome back if you are continuing from Chapter Three or Chapter Two, and welcome if you are new. If you haven’t done the first step in this process, I would recommend you start at Chapter One first. Although, like leadership itself, you can start from wherever you are. Chapter Four focuses on your leadership style. … Read more
Welcome back if you are continuing from Chapter Two, and welcome if you are new. This chapter is focused on your leadership values. If you haven’t done the first step in this process, I would recommend you start at Chapter One first and check out Chapter Two. What are values? Your values are the things that … Read more
Welcome back if you are continuing from Chapter One, and welcome if you are new. If you haven’t done the first step in this process, I would recommend you go and do Chapter One first. Based on what you learned from the first exercise and, hopefully, the questions you answered, you now continue your leadership … Read more
Some of us might be accidental leaders. We come to a place in our career where we are in a leadership position without planning or intention. Perhaps even without having the leadership skills, training, mentorship or support. We flounder a little, experiment, learn, adjust and grow. And if we have management responsibilities, with people counting … Read more
A client asked me what a “good” CEO looks like. After some discussion, I suggested the following simple yet powerful exercise so they could uncover their own perceptions and understanding of what makes a “good” CEO. The exercise can take as long as you need it to take. So don’t overthink it. Find a quiet … Read more
I was invited to give the occasional address at the University of Canberra Faculty of Science and Technology graduation ceremony in September 2022. I shared my view on what I felt the secret to success was – a topic that we don’t discuss nearly as often as we need to, especially in a work context. … Read more
I GAVE THIS SPEECH IN MARCH 2022 AT THE WOMEN IN INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION (WIC) DINNER FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME FOR THIS SPEECH, AND I PROVIDE IT HERE IN GOOD FAITH. ENJOY! Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Many of us have heard this quote attributed to British politician … Read more
You’ve got a great business idea. Fantastic! You know WHY you’re doing it, WHAT you’re going to offer, and HOW you will go about it. You’ve figured out the value proposition, the process, and the social media campaign. You might even have your sales strategy ready and thought about how you’ll fund the first six months. … Read more