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🚨 “URGENT!” “ASAP!” “Need this NOW!”🚨

When everything is urgent, nothing is. And honestly, most “urgent” matters are simply poor planning in disguise.

These are some of my the biggest culprits of “false urgency”...

▶️ Teams drowning in “high-priority” tasks
▶️ Urgent emails about non-critical matters
▶️ The constant ping of “quick question” messages
▶️ Everyone’s calendar marked as “busy”
▶️ Red exclamation marks becoming meaningless

The Real Cost of Constant Urgency:

▶️ Quality sacrificed for speed
▶️ Burnout disguised as dedication
▶️ Strategic thinking replaced by reactive doing
▶️ Innovation suffocated by immediate demands
▶️ Making us hate our jobs

This might be an unpopular truth, but most urgency is really just:

Poor planning/ Lack of boundaries/ Other people’s panic!

Ways you can start breaking the urgency addiction...

🟠 Question the timeline: “What makes this urgent?”
🟠 Define true priorities: Not everything can be #1
🟠 Create response windows: Not every message needs instant attention
🟠 Protect deep work: Urgency is often the enemy of importance
🟠 Normalise saying: “This will have to wait”

Your capacity to do great work is inversely proportional to the noise you allow in.

Challenge: Audit your last 10 “urgent” requests.

How many were truly time-critical?

There’s something about sitting at my kitchen ta

There’s something about sitting at my kitchen table, pen in hand, with a stack of Christmas cards before me.
I’ll be honest, sometimes I do think about all the emails I could send in the time this would take.
But then I found it. The card I recently received from an amazing group of people I worked with. I’ve re-read it countless times. No email has ever meant as much.
In our world of instant messages and automated greetings, I worry we’re losing something precious. I catch myself taking the easy route – the quick text, the templated email, the generic LinkedIn message.
But when did efficiency become more important than connection?
When I write cards by hand now, I think about my friend who keeps every card she receives in a memory box. About my former colleague who told me how much it meant to see his name written by hand after months of working remotely. About my team member who confided that a simple “thank you” note I wrote helped her through a tough day.
In our rush toward digital perfection, we sometimes forget: the most meaningful things can’t be measured. They live in the slight cramp in my hand as I write (showing my age!), in how I pause to really think about each person, in the quiet satisfaction of sealing each envelope.
A handwritten card might not show up on any performance dashboard, but it might be exactly what someone needs to feel seen and valued.
Yes, my handwriting is terrible.
Yes, some cards will have crossed-out words.
And yes, it takes an entire evening when a mass email would take minutes. But in a world where we’re all craving genuine connection, perhaps that’s precisely the point.
This Christmas season, I’m choosing slow over quick, imperfect over polished, personal over efficient.
Will you join me?
What was the last handwritten card that meant something special to you? I’d love to hear your story. 💭

The 3 Questions High-Performing Leaders Ask Before

The 3 Questions High-Performing Leaders Ask Before December 31st

As we race towards the finish line of 2024, it feels like this year has both dragged on and flown by at the same time. It’s been busy, no doubt, but now is the perfect moment to pause and reflect.

Did you know that end-of-year reflections can be incredibly transformative? Taking time now to reflect can set you up for a strong finish and supercharge your success in 2025.

Join the Connected Collective now and gain access to:

The 3 Questions High-Performing Leaders Ask Before December 31st
FREE GIFT: A research-backed, 90-minute ‘End of Year Reflection Framework’ to help you close out the year with your team and set the stage for a powerful 2025.

Join the Connected Collective today and set yourself up for your best year yet. JOIN NOW: https://bit.ly/3OTpMW5

#LeadershipDevelopment #TeamPerformance #ConnectedLeadership

The most dangerous phrases in business aren’t ‘I disagree’ or ‘I don’t know.’

They’re the silent nods and the unspoken ‘sure, whatever you say.’”

Ever been in a room where everyone’s nodding but nobody’s really agreeing? That’s tacit agreement - and it’s killing your potential for change.

You know the scene: A meeting room full of people nodding along, appearing to agree, but privately harbouring doubts, concerns, or better ideas. This surface-level harmony might feel comfortable, but it’s poison to true transformation.

Why tacit agreement is dangerous:

- It masks real issues until they’re too big to ignore

- It creates a false sense of alignment

- It kills innovation before it has a chance to breathe

- It builds cultural debt that’s harder to pay off than technical debt

Real transformation requires:

- Psychological safety to voice concerns

- Embracing productive conflict

- Challenging assumptions openly

- Valuing dissent as much as agreement

Growth happens at the edges of comfort. Innovation comes from challenging the status quo. Real change requires real conversations.

But what do we do instead? Nod along. Stay quiet. Avoid “rocking the boat”

Plot twist: The boat NEEDS rocking!

TRIGGER WARNING... but not the kind you think.

TRIGGER WARNING... but not the kind you think.

That email that made your heart race. The meeting that left you fuming. The comment that replayed in your head for days.

Triggers aren’t signs of weakness - they’re data points about what matters to us.

The Professional’s Guide to Trigger Management: Recognition Is Step One

- Notice your physical response (racing heart, tight chest)

- Observe your emotional reaction (anger, fear, shame)

- Identify your behavioural patterns (withdrawal, aggression, freezing)

Science shows that the chemical response to a trigger lasts about 90 seconds.

After that, we’re actually choosing to feed the story... as easy as it is to fall into this trap.

Instead, try:

Mental labelling: “I’m feeling triggered”
Ask: “What boundary needs protecting?”
Consider: “What value feels threatened?”
Reflect: “What story am I telling myself?”

Your triggers are often pointing to your deepest values and unmet needs. Use them as guides, not guards.

#EmotionalIntelligence #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture

In a world of constant and incessent notifications

In a world of constant and incessent notifications, instant gratification, and endless scrolling, I’m embracing what I call “slowpamine” – the art of slowing down our dopamine hits.

Think of it like this: Fast dopamine = microwave meal
Slow dopamine = home-cooked feast

Your brain on fast dopamine:
📱 Endless scrolling
🔔 Constant notifications
⚡️ Quick hits, quick crashes
Your brain on slowpamine:
📚 Reading a good book
🌿 Walking in nature
🎨 Creating something by hand
💭 Deep conversations

Here’s the truth: while fast dopamine feels good in the moment, slowpamine builds lasting joy.

What’s your relationship with the constant ping of notifications?

#WorkWellness #ProductivityHacks #LeadershipDevelopment

4th year running the @aglenergy Connect Program—

4th year running the @aglenergy Connect Program—one of our absolute favourites every year because of the incredible transformation journey of the participants.  This year completely blew our expectations out of the water!  It’s important to highlight that every single program is unique, shaped by a cohort of individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and varying levels of leadership exposure. These programs don’t always follow the expected path, which is why we pride ourselves on bringing a bespoke approach to every single program we design.  The 2024 Connect Program cohort was no different. Some groups bond quickly, while others take time to build trust and feel safe being vulnerable. This year’s group started in different places but came so far together.
 The presentations at the end of the program were truly awe-inspiring—every individual transformation was motivating, and the collective growth in clarity, capability, and confidence across the group absolutely blew us away.  Huge shout to our participants - mentors and mentees (tagged below because I’ve exceed LinkedIn’s mention limit ;)  A special mention, as always, goes to Rebecca Cook —year after year, your dedication and care elevate the Connect Program into an extraordinary developmental experience that transforms lives and enhances business performance. Thank you for all you do!  A big shout-out to Haiden McCarthy for your ongoing support—and a warm welcome to Christian Falk.   None of this would be possible without the unwavering commitment of the Connect Program’s sponsors. Your support allows us to continuously craft & deliver such impactful programs. Thank you, Nicole Wallis, Melanie Laing, and special guest Ben Abrew whose humour, humanity, and care left a lasting impression on everyone.   What I love most about the Connect Program is its genuine partnership approach. Collaboration, not competition, is at its core. Co-creating with Bec and our facilitators each year proves that true collaboration creates magic.

As I look at my calendar, I’m struck by how 2024

As I look at my calendar, I’m struck by how 2024 has flown by in what feels like mere moments.
The thought that 2025 is just around the corner is both exciting and, if I’m honest, a little terrifying.
Why does time seem to speed up with each passing year? Perhaps it’s because we’re rarely truly present – always racing from one meeting to the next, eyes fixed on the next deadline, the next quarter, the next goal.
I’ve been reflecting on how we craft our days.
Our calendars have become puzzles where we try to fit in just one more commitment, one more task, one more “quick catch-up.” But life isn’t meant to be a sprint to December 31st.
This year has taught me the importance of being intentional with our energy, not just our time.
Before blocking off another hour in my calendar, I’m learning to ask: Does this align with my values? Will this energize or drain me? What am I saying ‘no’ to by saying ‘yes’ to this?
As we approach 2025, I’m challenging myself – and inviting you – to create space for presence.
To schedule moments of reflection. To protect time for what truly matters.
Because while we can’t slow down time, we can choose to experience it more fully.
What changes are you making to be more present in your daily life?
#PersonalDevelopment #Mindfulness #TimeManagement #WorkLifeBalance #Reflection