Third core theme from my podcast series
“Leading Professionals”
Continuity and Change
A core leadership challenge is distinguishing between things that must and will change, quickly, and things that must and will remain the same.
When pressured to respond rapidly to external developments, take time to evaluate options for change, and be realistic about what must remain the same.
In Episode 4, In Episode 4 I talk to Michael Izza CBE, former CEO of the ICAEW. We discuss the hype surrounding the impact of AI and Private Equity on professional work, and how leaders should respond.
When dealing with competing strategic demands of multiple stakeholders, distinguish between what is expedient in the short-term, and culturally sustainable in the longer-term.
Episode 2, Georgia Dawson, Senior Partner of Freshfields, and I talk about how to balance colleagues' opposing priorities and perspectives. Our theme: "Doing the right thing: How to take ethically tough decisions".
As a leader, you can make great efforts to bring about change but must also contend with powerful forces of continuity, among your colleagues, and within yourself.
In Episode 3, "Becoming 'professional': How to look, sound, act and feel like a professional", I talk to Paul Lewis OBE, Managing Partner of Linklaters. We discuss his firm's attempts to promote social mobility, and how his own background remains a powerful source of insecurity.