The Leadership Challenge Middle East
This podcast comes from the globally recognized Leadership Challenge program, with a particular focus on the Middle East. It features conversations and discussions on leadership topics, drawing on experiences from the region. While the context is Middle Eastern, the insights and lessons are applicable to leaders anywhere in the world.
Episodes
You're a Leader. Who Are You Responsible to ?
“Well, I report to my boss. So I guess that’s who I’m responsible to.“Well, that’s the answer from my manager and indeed the extension of that is that you are responsible to your manager.The question is “You’re a leader…”Let’s use the analogy of a ship’s captain. And for this example, let’s just consider that he has received indications of a significant storm due in the next few hours.The captain
Leadership and Change and Challenges and Change.
Leaders, face challenges, quite often daily.The book - regarded one of the top 5 leadership books of all time - written by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner is, after all, called The Leadership Challenge.Change can come unexpectedly.It can wear unexpected guises.It can begin in a heartbeat - and set the heart racing.Those who manage change, effectively are nimble, adaptive and welcome the positive aspec
TLC ME - !00 Episodes - Let's Celebrate
100 Episodes - That’s a Lot of Leadership 100 episodes – that’s a significant milestone.The three of us are proud of this achievement as we continue to celebrate the globally recognized leadership development program: The Leadership Challenge.This week, unlike the previous 99 episodes, which are always a conversation between us, we each make our individual contribution.Firstly, a brief background
Do You Trust YOUR Leader ?
Do You Trust YOUR Leader ? “Trust him ? Depends what day of the week it is.”“Depends what he wants me to do for him. “Does he trust you?“Same answers. ”The term ‘engagement’ is often used as the measure of behavioral commitment in teams - highly engaged equals highly productive.Their number of factors individuals behaviors that combined to make a measurement or assessment of engagement.Trust betwe
Leaders Navigating Through External Conflict
We’ve all experienced some form of conflict in the workplace.We know that not all conflict is negative. Conflict is simply the coming together of divergent viewpoints where those involved ideally express their points of view openly. In this process, it can lead to a greater understanding of that different point of view and even an acceptance of validity of the ideas being expressed.This is healthy
Leadership and POWER
When we use the word power – in the context of interpersonal relationships – we often assume that one party is exerting power, and some sort of control over others.In the workplace environment, we could assume that managers exert power over team members.This is clear in the directive relationship that managers believe is the best way to get things done.In simple terms, this may be the old descript
Exploding the Leadership Myth
There are several leadership myths. One of them is 'leadership is hard'.Another that it is tired to the position or rank that you have.But the one above all, that still exists today is that you have to be born to be a leader.You have to be born to be an accountant, school teacher, mechanic and even cryptocurrency billionaire.In my workshop, I will say to participants that I’m yet to hea
Leadership and Workplace Safety
Leadership and Workplace Safety.In every workplace, in every part of the world, the safety of all workers, in every respect, is paramount.But what has leadership got to do with safety.After all, there’s usually a list of guidelines, even instructions on specific compliance required.This may be as simple as “wear a hardhat at all times”. The guidelines in most cases are prepared and reinforced by t
Should Leaders Forgive ?
Should Leaders Forgive ?One of your team has been late for meetings three days in a row.Another team member has failed to follow up with a new client on what would have been significant business and the client and you then hear that the client is taking that business to one of your competitors.One of the team members is four days late with his weekly report.Managers in this situation may look for
Are You a Perfect Leader ?
Are You a Perfect Leader ?You’re a leader.You build relationships with those you are leading.You articulate regularly the shared vision for the team. You enable the others in the team to perform beyond what they believed they could.Together with the team, you achieve all the annual objectives.You practice leadership every day.And were you told that practice makes perfect?Sorry but practice makes i
Courage for Leaders
Aristotle said ‘courage is the first virtue’.But where does courage have a place for leaders? We could say that courage has a place very much in our daily lives. The decisions we make even simple ones often require a deal of courage.Of course, the opposite of courage is fear. Some people are so fearful of making a decision that their life is impacted negatively - regularly. Managers, often cloak t
Is Your Leadership Contagious ?
Contagious or contagion in the English language is usually used to describe an infectious illness or disease.We know, even the common cold passes from one person to another, so therefore is contagious. Of course, more serious health issues are also contagious.But the use of the word is not always confined to negative consequences.We could say a laugh or even a smile is contagious, as it passes fro
The Importance of Self Awareness for Leaders
We all have it.It’s with us during our waking hours.It’s like an observer, internally silently observing what we’re doing, what we’re saying, what we’re thinking.Until we learn the value of this silent observer, and how to work with it, we are deprived of One of the most important tools in our communication arsenal.Self-awareness is the foundation of emotional intelligence. We can’t tap into the i
Leadership and a Happy Team
Leadership and a Happy Team Happy ? You should be happy you’ve got a job, now get on with it.Working in a happy team is like working with friends.Aaagh… but friends will be easily distracted. We must always focus on the job at hand.Do you remember when you’re in a class at school and the teacher brought happiness to the learning environment?Did you look forward to that class ?Of course. Likely you
TLC Middle East - Leadership and Mental Health
There was a time – and it’s in the recent past, and in some cases still exists - when mental health was a subject which was ignored.Stressed? We all have that, just get on with your job. Stressed? Take a day off. Because of these and other similar responses, and even a feeling of shame in the workplace, staff avoided talking about what broadly referred to as mental health.There was also a time whe
The Leadership Challenge Middle East - Leadership and Laughter
Leadership and Laughter (You’re joking !)This is serious.We have objectives to meet.We have our eyes fixed on the vision, of where we are going.We are empowered to perform at our best, better even than we thought we could.We are leading our team, fully engaged and focused.Of course, we recognize and reward performance which ‘goes beyond’.After all, this is serious! And it’s why we come to work. Ma
Leadership and the Impact of HR
Leadership and the Impact of HRHR : Human Resources HR: Human Relationships HR: Hire Right (Thanks to Jim Collin’s book ‘Good to Great’)HR: The most important department in any organization (Sorry Sales. Sorry Finance.)More than any other department and any individual apart from the CEO, the HR department has the ability to positively influence a culture of the organization, and therefore the cult
Hi I'm Your New Leader - What Do you Want to Know About Me ?
Most of us in the workforce at some stage have had someone appointed to a role ‘above us’.“ Who is he? “Where has he come from?”“How much does he know about the job?”“Will we like him?” Or her.Of course, there’s probably a dozen more questions we could think of. When this person has been appointed to a position there will be a detailed position description, a list of responsibilities, a definition
Leadership - Good or BAD ?
Leadership - Good …or Bad ?Of course we all want – and deserve – good leadership.Good leadership inspires, it challenges team members to look for a better way, it enables team members perform at their best – even better than they thought they could achieve. And good leadership recognizes achievements of individuals and the team.Good leadership creates engagement. Team members WANT to be there, wor
Leadership - Everything Starts With Listening
Leadership - Everything Starts With ListeningEverything? Well… of course there has to be sounds of words first, that we then listen to in the verbal process of communication.But in this verbal process, every request, every action that follows, every concern, every positive word and negative word or words is dependent on listening.Listening is the core of the verbal communication process.So often w
Leaders and TIME
Tme is passing – always.When we start anything our eyes are almost always on the watch.What is it about leaders and time?What happens the team is not prepared, is not ready, not fully briefed?Confusion can rise, motivation takes a dive - and the project can go off the rails.Often, when the manager is setting a new project or even an existing one, she or he will focus on “getting it done on time”.“
Leadership and Assumptions - I Thought You Knew About That
At the risk of stating the obvious, effective communication, especially in business, is critical for the outcomes we are seeking.But I’m sure you knew that. Well, I assume you did.In connecting ideas and concepts, instructions and requests in our communication, assumptions seem to have become the currency of communication as we seek shortcuts.We ‘assume’ the other person or people know what’s requ
Only 21% of the Workforce Globally are Engaged. Whaaat !
Globally, 21% of Staff Are Engaged According to the well-respected Gallop organization, as surveyed in 2024 and published in 2025, a massive 79% of staff scored low to 'not engaged'.If we were to break that figure down, many of that 79% would be actively searching for at least a new position and more likely, a new employer.Others, for their own reasons, will choose to stay in their curre
Leaders Willingness to 'Go Deep'
Conversations with direct reports – team members – are an essential part of leadership.Leaders need to have conversations which are part of their relationship with team members. The conversations reinforce, or highlight the leader’s commitment to supporting the staff.And of course, to encourage the heart, to simply say, “thank you for all that you did today”Managers, on the other hand, are not lik
Can Leaders Fail ?
Is failure of itself part of the leadership journey or does it mean the end of leadership?The word ‘failure’ in the English language has clear and concise meaning.In our school years we all were fearful of the possibility of ‘failing’ the exam. The consequences of failure were never good in our learning journey through school and then university.As a process, failure has certain clear markers:- We
Leaders and the Power of Recognizing Performance
The monthly salary for each employee is what all employees want. Of course.However what drives employees is more than money.Research shows that employees have far more important drivers than money.Meaning, purpose, belonging, feeling that they have a value, that they can make a difference and that they will be recognized and appreciated for the good work they do are far more important than the mon
The Leaders Guide to Successful Onboarding
After what was likely to have been a rigorous recruitment process to select the best person to take on the vacant role in the team, and we then use the impersonal term ‘onboarding’.Leadership, of course, is a relationship, and that relationship is with every person on the team and beyond.The onboarding process conducted by a leader, will ensure that the new member feels welcomed, and that they are
Leading in a Different Culture
Most of us follow a career progression often in the city in which we grew up.We learn “leadership “for that context and even though initially it may be challenging at least, we seem to have an understanding, not only the language but also the culture we are in.Quite simply, it’s our ‘culture’.Then feeling comfortable in what we’ve achieved, or maybe looking for greater opportunities, we accept a p
Leaders Challenging the Process in 2025
The year is done and we move on to the next. Do we leave the problems of the past year in the trashcan and move on?Hopefully each of those problems were a lesson, a learning and what arose from the ashes, hopefully became a significant success.“How can we do it better? “ should be a mantra for all leaders.The leader’s role is to look to the future, certainly not to live in the past, but to take th
Reflecting on 2024 - and Giving Feedback
Another year is finishing and we prepare for the next year. Another major project has been completed and we prepare for the next one. Of course, both of these events have one thing in common for all leaders. That is, the review: where were we successful? What are the successes we can celebrate? What did we learn? What can we improve next time? Because we’re about to enter a new year, the leader wi
What Happens When the Leader Leaves ?
Three things are certain in this life: death, taxes, and you will leave your job. Maybe not this week, maybe not next year. There may be a promotion there may be a position in another organization. Or you may resign or retire. What happens when the leader leaves, for any of those or other reasons? If you’re planning on leaving, maybe due to retirement in the next year or so, have you thought about
Leadership and Performance
Leadership has one objective. It’s always and only the outcome which is the reason for leadership.Leadership brings everyone together with a 'shared vision'. Everyone knows where they are going, the view to the mountain peak is clear.And performance is the ‘engine’ which will take the team there, to reach the objective. Leadership is personal, leaders build relationships. So how does the
The Leader's Day
If leadership is a behavior and leadership is 24/7, how and when does the leader’s day begin?Leadership is also an attitude and that attitude drives behavior.If leadership behavior is 24/7, then typically the leader will be looking forward to the day ahead.The leader might begin the day by reflecting - “what can I do today to be a better leader than I was yesterday? “Remember – leadership requires
Leaders Dealing with External Issues
In the organizational environment… the corporate world… we tend to regard leaders as operating with their team, their division and the company overall. These same people – at whatever level – also operate or interact with external clients or business partners. So at what point does the leader stop being a leader? Consider a situation where a difficulty arises in the arrangement: the client or th
Leadership and the Value of Appreciation
Leadership and the Value of Appreciation Leaders inspire.Leaders motivate.Quite possibly the simplest and most powerful way to achieve both of these is the appreciation shown genuinely to individuals and the team by the leader.Research continues to show that 98% of people so they perform at their best when they’re given encouragement.Encouragement is appreciation.It might be a simple “Thank you”.A
Leadership and Unethical Behavior
Leadership and Unethical Behavior Un - ethical. Without ethics. How would you feel working for someone whose ethics were at least questionable?Is that person a leader?Surely not as without ethics, how will that person build relationships?How can that person be a leader if his or her values are not aligned with the values of the organization … And may even be the polar opposite.Consider Ahmed. He h
Leadership and Resilience
Leadership and Resilience Your client has just ‘pulled the pin’ on a project you’ve given your heart and soul on for six months. They blame budget cuts.Two key members of your team have just decided to move on. How will you find replacements?A new player has just entered the market as direct competition for your company and three of your major clients have ‘jumped ship’.You’re having significant f
Leaders Who Don't Want Promotion
Leaders Who Don’t Want Promotion “But of course I want a promotion. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? It’s called career progression. Oh, and a salary increase - of course.“ We keep saying in these weekly videos that leadership is everyone’s business – but let me be very clear : leadership is not about the promotion.The discussion this week is based on an instance where someone was promoted to
The Leader and Workplace Politics
Leaders and Workplace Politics “Office politics ? Here ? Nah ! Except maybe…one person… occasionally. “Of course we’re all working as a team.Of course we’re collaborating to get the best results.And of course, sometimes just sometimes there is ego in the room. Ego unfortunately drives behaviors which are directed at gaining personal power and influence.Collusion, withholding information, and somet
Leaders Create Learners
Leaders Create Learners“Why should I encourage you to learn? You’re here to do a job.”We could call that ‘manager-talk’.We know that the best leaders are the best learners. They may even say: “I learn from my people every day.”They also know that if they provide learning opportunities for those they are leading, all of those respond positively not only because of the new learning which they will t
Leaders Are the Best Listeners
Leaders Are the Best ListenersLeadership is everyone’s business.Listening is leaders’ business.We all take listening for granted.We are all, at some stage and in some situations, guilty of poor listening, of not focusing on the speaker’s words and what they are really saying.And listening is a critical skill for leaders. Listening, especially in times of pressure, may seem unnecessary but in fact
What if the Team Have More Experience
“Whaaat ? No, that cannot be.”“I have more experience that’s why I’m in charge.”No, that may have been the case twenty years ago, when managers became managers because they could handle every job function. Often they were promoted because of the level of functional experience.Leaders do not have to know ‘every competency’ in order to successfully lead. Issues of the levels of competency may arise
Leaders Ask Powerful Questions
We’ve all been ‘told’ what to do.We’ve all been ‘told’ how to do it.But being asked :“How will you feel when we’ve achieved this amazing outcome together?”Or “What do you need from me to make this happen?” creates a very different feeling in the mind of person hearing it, from the directive of ‘Do it this way’.Managers are really good at reminding their staff what they should be doing. The best le
Leaders Create Meetings Which Motivate
Leaders Create Meetings Which Motivate Meetings ! Meetings are an essential part of our working lives. Whether it’s three people or thirty… in person or virtual…short or … painfully running over time, we must be part of meetings.When the manager calls the meeting, the focus is more likely to be on timelines, budgets, procedures, and systems.But the leader conducts a very different meeting.It may b
Leaders and Self-Care
We’ve all heard the pre-flight safety briefing: “Take the oxygen mask and place it over your nose.” You can’t help anyone unless you first look after yourself.Then you can share your oxygen mask when you first take care of the most important person. The same applies to leaders.Even as a leader, you may take on stress during the day … Even though the team are all working extremely well to achieve t
Leaders Have Impact With Stories
Leaders Have Impact with Stories As children, we are told or read stories from a very early age.Parents tell their children stories and the children are engaged and enthralled in the telling of the story.Stories are told in every culture. Stories are fundamental in every faith. They are passed down from generation to generation. Because we are so conditioned to listening to and enjoying stories an
Leadership in Uncertainty
Uncertainty is real. By definition it is unexpected.Organizations are faced with uncertainty ... from economic factors, to pandemics, to climate change... to meeting sales targets and even if the client meeting will begin on time.Uncertainty can lead to significant impacts on resources and time or the impact may be minor, and even fleeting. Leaders will have built relationship with their follow
Lead - Or They Will Leave
We all know the old saying that employees don't leave companies or organizations - they leave managers.This is still very true today.The simple solution is to LEAD. Leaders create followers who want to stay, who are productive and who are engaged.The impact of employees leaving is significant. Not only is there the immediate impact on the recruitment team to find replacements but the ultimat
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