How did you get to this point in your career today? We all follow a path and that path might be wiggly or straight, but your path is never defined by you alone. Every path features people, advice, learning, development and opportunities that help us on our way. 

To be an effective leader, you have to know yourself before you can help others to recognise their own strengths and abilities. You cannot help others to flourish and grow if you haven’t allowed yourself the opportunity to do the same.

Though our Exceptional Service and Exceptional Leadership programmes  are separate, they are intrinsically linked. Sally explains how, through two very different stories.

We explain the business impacts of an unsupported team, explain the key drivers of employee engagement, and look at three ways you can improve engagement in your workplace.

Sometimes as leaders we get so carried away with delivery that we are too busy to see what’s happening around us. It’s like leading with blinkers on. How can you lead your team effectively if you don’t stop, listen and give yourself a reality check?

The key to tackling workplace issues and challenges is trust. Where trust exists between a leader and their team, people unite and great things can happen.

Have you thought about how you want to be remembered when you leave your current leadership role? What do you want people to remember you for?

It’s too easy to say ‘I don’t have time for personal development’ when you are leading others. People managers have a responsibility to themselves and their team to grow and improve.

Over my years as a trainer, I’ve encountered three stages of leadership. It doesn’t matter which stage you’re at, leaders at every level can benefit from learning and development.

When a person is promoted to lead a team, they do not miraculously become an exceptional leader overnight. The good news is that developing the skills of an exceptional leader is easier than you think.

Accessible, affordable and achievable. These three words are the inspiration behind a project I’ve been working on for most of this year. The project is to create online versions of our Exceptional development programmes.

As your small business grows, you need to be capable of leading the people you recruit. This includes enabling them, not only to perform for clients, but to lead others in a way that maintains your organisation’s reputation.

The ability to continuously look, listen and absorb what’s happening around you, and adapt your actions, behaviours and decision making in response, is one of the qualities that makes a leader exceptional.

Looking back on what you have achieved is important. It’s a chance to celebrate your achievements and recognise great performance within your organisation.

Great leaders have the most transformative powers. One of the traits of exceptional leadership is the ability to see potential in your team and harness this to enable growth.

When the feel good factor runs through your organisation it’s a winning situation. Your employees win, your customers win, and your company wins. The result is like seeing the ball hit that back of the net - euphoria!

I have a confession to make...I reached 10 years in business without enjoying any kind of business networking. I used to think networking was really cliquey. I thought it was for formal corporate types and, a bit like Fort Knox, hard to infiltrate.

It’s amazing when you can see, hear and feel an organisation’s culture and Values being brought to life. And it all starts with the leaders. So what actions can leaders take to ensure they lead the Values consistently?

Values are critical to guiding your business, leaders and team. Zest for Life is no different. I strive to lead by example and follow a set of three Values which guide us to deliver exceptional business results.

If I asked you to describe your personal values you might share a few words you try to live your life by. For most of us this is an easy task. Our values are important to us.