The Compass
Reflections, strategies, and real leadership insights to help you navigate change, challenge, and growth.
Why ‘Nice’ Leaders Fail (and What Great Ones Do Differently)
Early in my career, I thought being nice was leadership. Smiling through tension. Softening every bit of feedback. Keeping everyone happy.
I believed harmony built trust. Over time, I realised: it didn’t.
What it built was confusion. Mistrust. Even resentment.
Why Leaders Who Support HR Will Survive (and thrive) IN the Next Talent Crisis
Why Leaders Who Support HR Will Survive the Next Talent Crisis
Talent isn’t what’s scarce right now. Leadership is.
AI will replace tasks, but not trust. Technology will streamline operations, but it won’t build belonging. The leaders who thrive in this downturn will be those who understand one truth…
Why 'Nice' Leaders Fail (and What Great Ones Do Differently)
In many organisations, niceness is the mask that hides fear and a lack of clarity.
‘Nice’ leaders smile in meetings, nod in agreement, and write warm Slack or Teams messages — all while sidestepping the conversations their teams desperately need.
They delay decisions, dodge discomfort, and use kindness as a shield from accountability.
But let’s be clear: niceness without clarity isn’t leadership. It’s self-protection dressed up as empathy.