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In my previous post I introduced the concept of Adaptive Safety. Adaptive Safety is the shared capability of a team to continuously create conditions of trust, connection, and inclusion – adjusting together as contexts and challenges evolve. It frames safety as an ongoing, adaptive process, not a fixed state, and recognises that teams must keep re-creating the conditions for safety as their environment shifts. How does Adaptive Safety enable teams to gain a competitive advantage? Adaptive Safety integrates the personal aspects of psychological safety with the collective dimensions of cultural safety and inclusion. So, while psychological safety asks whether someone… Read more "The key to gaining a competitive advantage: Adaptive safety Part 2"

Regular readers will know that psychological safety has long been one of my favourite topics; this is because many of the most powerful drivers of culture and performance cannot flourish when psychological safety levels are low. Over time, though, I’ve noticed that the way we think about and frame psychological safety has created some common misconceptions. Too often, it’s seen as binary – you either have it or you don’t. It’s also perceived to be fixed or stable, rather than something that is fluid, shifting, and continually recalibrating. And it is frequently seen as synonymous with comfort, when in fact… Read more "The key to gaining a competitive advantage: Adaptive Safety"

This week, Amazon and Meta announced their decision to join a growing list of global giants –McDonald’s, Walmart, and Ford – in scaling back funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. As we step into 2025, this shift serves as a stark wake-up call: it’s time to reimagine how we approach DEI. These changes challenge us to reflect deeply on the true purpose of these initiatives – what outcomes are we striving for, and why? More than ever, we must confront the question: how can we ensure DEI evolves into something impactful, meaningful, and essential for the future of… Read more "DEI: A symbol of socio-political correctness or a catalyst to drive performance?"

Happenstance rather than strategy is behind Trump’s success From across the ocean that connects Australia and the United States, I am an avid follower of US politics. In the lead up to the US Presidential election next month, the question which regularly reverberates through my mind is: Why is this election so close, at least according to the polls? Putting aside the fact that Trump has been impeached twice, proved to lie at a rapid rate of knots, found guilty on 34 felonies, and also found liable for sexual abuse, political pundits talk about him being a ‘threat to democracy’.… Read more "Trump shines a light on a ‘cultural wound’ that is yet to be healed"

Let me start by stating the obvious – organisations and their leaders are confronted by a never-ending succession of problems and challenges. Their ability to effectively navigate these challenges is a critical determinant of the success of the organisation and its ability to deliver optimal performance. But all challenges are not the same! There are different kinds of challenges, and each requires a different strategic approach to its resolution. In recent times I have been mildly obsessed with a model that a colleague and friend – Joy Warmington, CEO of brap, shared with me. This model, developed by Glouberman &… Read more "The cost of confusing ‘complex’ for ‘complicated’"