How to Run a Successful Strategy Day for Your Leadership Team

 

 

Are your strategy and business plan still relevant and fit for the future?

When was the last time you stepped back to look at it with a fresh perspective and reflect on your current reality or changing external environment?

Is your leadership team bogged down in the day-to-day pressures of running a business?

In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world, strategy can’t be static. It must evolve, flex, and respond to change. And unless you press pause, you risk:

• Losing sight of your purpose and goals

• Losing sight of your customers or clients

• Making decisions based on habit

• Missing new opportunities or threats

• Staying stuck in outdated ways of thinking

A strategy workshop (or leadership away day) is a dedicated time and space for leadership teams to focus on long-term planning and strategic direction, free from daily operational pressures. It's a chance to step back from the day-to-day and consider the big picture, ensuring alignment and a shared vision for the future.

Tips, questions and facilitation ideas to design and run a successful Strategy Day

Why You Need to Make Space for a Strategy Workshop

• Strategic Alignment - Ensure everyone agrees on the organisation's goals, priorities, and how to achieve them.

• Improved Communication - Create a safe environment for open dialogue and healthy debate about the future and challenge the status quo.

• Enhanced Creativity - Step outside daily operations to generate fresh ideas, identify new opportunities, and innovative solutions.

• Reduced Risk - Spot obstacles, blind spots and external changes (economic, social, technological) and develop plans to respond.

• Increased Efficiency - When everyone understands the strategic direction, decisions are quicker and more aligned, saving time, effort and resources.

• Better Decision-Making - Clarify what matters most and make decisions that drive the business forward.

• Motivation and Engagement - Re-energise your leadership team around shared direction, purpose and priorities.

Tips for Facilitating a Productive Strategy Day

• Be clear on outcomes - What do you want to get out of the workshop? Be specific: Do we want decisions? Prioritisation? Alignment? A plan? Clarity on ownership?

• Keep it focused - Don’t be tempted to cram too much in with a long agenda. Choose three or four themes or strategic questions and leave time for in-depth conversations and creative thinking.

• Change the space - A strategy day should feel different from a regular meeting, so moving away from the office helps to remove distractions and creates a fresh perspective. Look for a venue that feels fresh, creative and different (not just another boardroom) to inspire fresh, innovative thinking.

• Ditch the table - Boardroom tables can reinforce traditional hierarchy and power structures. To create more openness, equality and more dynamic conversation, sit in a circle or a horseshoe.

• Warm up - Begin with something reflective or fun. Ask people to share what they’d like to get out of the day, what they’re proud of, or what they’re finding challenging. If you want something different, there are dozens of resources online on ice-breakers, but choose something that feels right for your people and your culture.

• Create space for private thinking, as well as group discussion - Use the 1–2–3 model: Start with solo reflection, move into pairs or trios, then share insights and discuss with the full group. This ensures deeper thinking and broader participation. This supports introverted people who like to think before speaking and may get dominated by the extroverts.

• Keep the energy up - Vary activities and use movement, change locations, or shift between sitting and standing.

• End with action: Conclude with specific next steps, ownership, and a timeline. Don’t leave without decisions.

• Facilitating it yourself? Stay neutral where possible, ask more than you tell, and be clear about roles: who’s leading the discussion, capturing notes, and managing time.

• Bring in an external Facilitator - they bring clarity, neutrality, fresh challenge and the skill to manage energy, group dynamics and tough conversations.

How do you structure the day?

The structure of the day should be based around your goals, culture and priorities. Here are some tools you can use:

• Strategic frameworks (SWOT, PESTLE, Ansoff Matrix)

• Business Model Canvas and capability mapping

• Decision-making tools (prioritisation grids like the Eisenhower Matrix, stakeholder maps)

• Creative exercises to unlock fresh thinking

• Time for individual reflection and thinking as well as group work.

Key themes to include:

• Where are we now, what’s working and what’s not?

• Where do we want to go from here and why?

• What’s changing in the wider world?

• What behaviours or structures are holding us back?

• How do we stay aligned through growth, change, or challenge?

• What capabilities will we need for the future?

• SMART goals, KPIs or OKRs - What action will we take, when and who owns what?

10 Questions to Ask Before Planning a Strategy Day

Here are 10 quick questions to ask before planning a Strategy Workshop:

1. Do we need to step away from the day-to-day and look at the big picture?

2. Has our strategy, purpose or vision drifted or lost clarity?

3. Do we need to review our priorities or build shared accountability around them?

4. Are we aligned as a leadership team on where we're going and how to get there?

5. Are we facing a period of change, growth, or external uncertainty?

6. Are we stuck in old ways of thinking or doing things simply because 'that’s how we’ve always done it'?

7. Have we welcomed new leaders, directors or team members who need to get on the same page?

8. Are there behaviours, habits or silos that are getting in the way of collaboration or performance?

9. Do we have key decisions or trade-offs to make that require input and commitment from everyone?

10. Would an external Facilitator help to create an open forum for us to think differently and move forward faster?

If you're answering yes to several of these, it may be time to make time to focus on your strategy.

Would you like help to plan and facilitate your next Strategy Workshop or Leadership Away Day?

Polly Robinson, Growth Space

At Growth Space, our approach is to create engaging, energising and purposeful Offsites and Away Days. We bring

• Strategic tools, frameworks, structures and practical tools.

• Challenge and fresh perspective to encourage new ways of thinking

• The right balance of purpose and results with energy and fun

• Warmth and the ability to build rapport and create psychological safety, so everyone has a voice.

If you want help with your next strategy session, let’s talk.

• Call: 07966 475195

• Email: polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

• Book at time to meet via Zoom or Teams via Calendly >

• Explore Strategy Facilitation at Growth Space >

What Is Leadership Coaching - and do I need it?

A practical guide to understand the value of coaching and whether it’s right for you.

Leadership isn’t only about strategy, action and results. It’s about people, the relationships you build, the culture you create, and how you show up under pressure.

But this is often the part we find hardest.

If you’re a founder of a fast-growing or scale-up business, or a senior leader in an established company, you might feel stuck in the day-to-day, with no time to look ahead at your personal or business growth. You know you need space to see the big picture, but can’t find the time.

Coaching creates that space. A pause. A reset. A practical, human way to reflect, refocus and re-energise.

What Is Leadership Coaching?

Leadership coaching is a one-to-one partnership that helps you lead more confidently and intentionally. It gives you time to work on yourself: your mindset, your energy and your growth. It’s not training. It’s not therapy. It’s not someone telling you what to do. It is a:

• A safe and focused place to think clearly and gain perspective.

• A confidential space to discuss the things you find difficult, challenges, changes or people issues

• A support system to encourage you to overcome the things that may be holding you back.

• A partnership that holds you accountable for taking action, following through, and staying aligned with what matters most

Leadership Coaching versus Executive Coaching

Both terms are used interchangeably, but here’s a helpful distinction:

• Leadership Coaching supports anyone in a leadership role, from new team leaders to department heads.

• Executive Coaching is typically for senior leaders, founders, directors and C-suite with strategic responsibilities.

At Growth Space, I offer both, tailored to your goals, role and organisational context.

Coaching vs Mentoring vs Consulting: What’s the Difference?

Coaching, mentoring, and consulting all offer guidance and support, but they differ in their approach and focus. Coaching helps you develop skills and achieve goals through a structured process, while a mentor is a trusted advisor who shares experience and expertise. Consulting provides expert advice to solve specific problems or challenges. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right kind of support.

I focus primarily on coaching, but where it’s useful and invited, I may step briefly into mentoring to offer insight or examples. This tailored blend is often what creates the biggest breakthroughs.

Coaching versus Mentoring or Consulting.

Who Is Coaching For?

Leadership coaching can help if you are:

• A new manager stepping into leadership for the first time

• A founder or senior leader navigating change, growth or team dynamics

• A manager feeling stuck, stretched or unsure how to lead confidently

• An experienced leader wanting to reflect, realign or sharpen their impact

When is Coaching useful

It’s especially powerful during:

• Role transitions, promotions or restructures

• Culture change

• Strategic growth

• Leadership challenges

• During conflict or when you are finding work relationships difficult.

• At times of extreme pressure, stress or burnout

What Happens in a Leadership Coaching Session?

Coaching is designed around you. You bring the topic, the coach brings the structure, challenge and support. It might include:

• Reflecting on real-time challenges

• Exploring patterns of thought or behaviour

• Reframing stuck narratives

• Building emotional intelligence

• Practising a difficult conversation

• Setting boundaries or direction with clarity

What Results Can You Expect?

Coachees I work with often say:

• “I’m more confident.”

• “I finally tackled that difficult conversation.”

• “I feel more comfortable giving feedback.”

• “I understand myself better – and others too.”

• “I feel calmer, clearer and more in control.”

Tangible outcomes might include:

• Increased leadership confidence

• Stronger communication and feedback skills

• Improved relationships with peers and team members

• Greater clarity around values, direction and purpose

• Practical strategies to lead through pressure and change

Is Coaching Worth the Investment?

According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), coaching delivers:

• 70% improved work performance

• 80% improved self-confidence

• 73% improved relationships

Do I Need a Coach? 10 Quick Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Am I feeling stuck or uncertain about what to do next?

2. Do I lack confidence, feel self-doubt, or experience imposter syndrome?

3. Do I need to improve relationships and communication with the people I work with?

4. I don’t know why I find some people more difficult to work with than others?

5. Am I avoiding difficult conversations or decisions?

6. Do I want to feel more in control and less reactive?

7. Have I recently moved into a new role or do I feel out of my depth?

8. Do I want to lead more intentionally, not just get through the day?

9. Is stress, self-doubt or overthinking holding me back?

10. Would time to reflect help me move forward faster?

If you said yes to even just one of these questions, coaching could be exactly what you need.

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Ready to try coaching?

If you’re still unsure whether coaching is for you, I offer a complimentary 30-minute coaching session (via Teams or Zoom, your choice). This initial session is an opportunity to explore how coaching could help you, find out more about me, my approach to coaching and explore whether there is a good fit and rapport for us to work together.

Polly Robinson - Leadership Coach

My role is to create a safe, constructive space where you can explore challenges, reflect on your leadership, and achieve personal and professional growth. Through thought-provoking coaching conversations, we’ll build a strong, trusting relationship that balances support and challenge. I’ll encourage you to reflect on your purpose and direction, helping you clarify your goals and overcome obstacles. Together, we’ll ensure that every decision you make is purposeful and impactful.

Expect honest, open, and sometimes challenging discussions that will push you toward deeper self-awareness and professional growth. I’m based in Bristol, in the UK, and coach people across the UK and Europe.

Get in touch:

• Call: 07966 475195

• Email: polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

• Book a free 30-minute Coaching Session >

• Learn more about Growth Space Leadership Coaching >

Planning Leadership or Management Development - Start with 10 questions.

How do you make sure that your next leadership development or management training programme is successful? How can you be sure that it will be engaging and that learning will stick?

It may be tempting to opt for a quick fix, such as off-the-shelf training or e-learning modules, but will people engage with them? Will it feel relatable and relevant, or just like a tick-box exercise?

64% of managers said they would “look for another job” if their organisation failed to support their professional development, according to the Building Better Managers report (Mindtools 2025), which surveyed more than 2,000 UK managers. The results make for interesting reading:

• 80% of the managers surveyed were promoted because they were good at their job, not because they wanted to manage people.

• Half of the managers surveyed received no support from their organisation (resources, formal courses or training) when transitioning into a management role.

• Only 58% of those who did said that they were satisfied with the support they received.

• 72% of managers rank emotional intelligence in their top 5 most-needed skills; yet, few have ever been supported to develop it.

• 41% of managers say: “I want to discover my strengths and weaknesses.”

• 40% want to know “what my organisation expects me to focus on.”

• Having difficult conversations was identified as a top challenge for managers.

• Only 37% of managers feel confident in goal-setting

So, how can you be sure that the financial and time investment will be worthwhile, create a long-term impact and ROI? Before you start planning or buying a development programme, begin with these 10 questions.

10 Questions to Ask before Planning a Leadership or Management Development Programme

1. What problem are we trying to solve?

Being vague about the purpose of the training will lead to vague outcomes, so clarify and define what gap the training needs to close, what problems it will solve and why now. The more specific you can be, the more targeted and effective the training intervention will be.

• What are the specific skill gaps we see in our managers and leaders?

• What problems is this causing?

• Are there inconsistencies in leadership behaviour or expectations?

• Why do we need the training now?

2. How will we know if it worked?

It’s not enough for leadership training to feel useful; you need to know it made a tangible difference. Before you start, agree:

• What would success look like?

• What would managers feel, think and do differently?

• How would it impact the wider team and the business?

• What behaviours, outcomes or shifts would tell us this was a good use of time and budget?

• What can we track and measure?

Consider tracking:

• Engagement or pulse scores (e.g. “I have confidence in my manager”)

• 360 feedback before and after the programme

• Self-assessed leadership confidence or readiness

• Retention and internal promotion rates

3. What’s the current reality for leaders in our business, and what’s missing?

• What is the day-to-day reality for your managers and leaders?

• What are they finding hard?

• Do our leaders know what’s expected of them?

• What leadership behaviours drive our culture?

• What themes come up in surveys, exit interviews or coaching conversations?

4. Who is it for?

Leadership development training isn’t one-size-fits-all, so define the audience, their roles and levels of experience.

• Are you supporting new, stretched or experienced leaders?

• What support or training have they had before?

• How do they learn best? (in person, on-the-job, through talking, reading, watching or doing?)

• Do they have time?

• Will they engage and commit to the programme?

5. How do we align the programme with our culture, values and strategic priorities?

• Does the training support our strategic priorities?

• How will it support our culture and brand?

• What new capabilities or behaviours will leaders need to meet future challenges?

• Are there behaviours we’re seeing that contradict the culture we want?

• Are leaders role modelling those values, or accidentally eroding them?

6. Will this build leadership self-awareness and confidence?

Building confidence and developing emotional intelligence are just as important as training in hard skills and ‘soft skills’.

• Do our leaders feel confident to give feedback, set direction, or hold others accountable?

• Are they avoiding difficult conversations?

• Are we supporting emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-awarenes?

7. How will we make it stick?

According to ATD, only 20% of training participants apply what they’ve learned unless there’s reinforcement. Training is just the start of the journey.

• How will we embed and follow up the training?

• How do we encourage people to practise what they’re learning?

• Will there be coaching, peer learning, or follow-up?

• Will line managers support the training, allow time away from the desk and encourage practice?

8. How will we create psychological safety during the programme?

People need to feel comfortable and able to express themselves, ask questions, and share ideas safely. Ask:

• Will the space be inclusive, supportive and confidential?

• How do we ensure everyone’s voice is heard - even the quieter ones?

• Will participants feel safe to ask “obvious” questions?

• Can they talk honestly about where they’re stuck?

9. Who will design and deliver the training?

• Do we need something fast, simple, and off-the-shelf, or something designed around our people, our goals and our culture?

• Do we have the capacity and expertise to design and deliver this internally?

• Do we need external partner to design and deliver the programme?

• Would a public or open-access course meet our needs?

There’s no one right answer — but there is a best-fit approach for your context.

Off-the-shelf vs bespoke: what’s right for you?

Off-the-shelf might work if you need speed, scale, or consistency across a large group with baseline knowledge needs.

Bespoke is better if you’re solving complex cultural issues, supporting strategic change, or developing a specific set of behaviours aligned with your values.

10. Should we facilitate internally or bring in an external Facilitator?

Internal delivery may save money, but it can limit openness. It’s also tough to be both the facilitator and a full participant. External facilitators bring fresh eyes, neutrality, structure, and psychological safety, especially helpful when trust is low, behaviour needs to shift or a big change is underway.

When choosing an external facilitator, experience and credentials matter, but so does chemistry, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build trust quickly. So look for someone who designs training from real-world experience, not just theory; gets your sector, culture and context, can flex tone, structure and content in the room and will challenge, not just cheerlead.

Final Thought

According to IBM, companies that invest in leadership development see up to a 37% improvement in business performance. (IBM Smarter Workforce Study).

If after you’ve answered these questions, you would like help to co-create and facilitate a leadership development or management training programme that makes a difference, I’d love to help.

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Get in touch to discuss how I can help

Polly Robinson, Growth Space

We design tailored human-centric programmes that are relevant and relatable for your people, your culture and your organisation. I work as a strategic partner, coach and facilitator to help you get to design and deliver programmes that make a real lasting difference.

Everything is tailored - we don’t use templates or jargon.

We’re known for warmth, energy, deep listening, strategic thinking and clarity.

If you’d like to explore how we can help get in touch with Polly:

• Call: 07966 475195

• Email: polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

• Book Zoom call with Polly via Calendly >

• Explore Growth Space Leadership Programmes >

How to Give Feedback

How to have useful, honest feedback conversations
that help people grow

This is the second blog in my weekly series: Practical Tips for Leaders and Managers.

Each post shares straightforward advice to help you lead with more confidence, clarity and care — whether you're managing your first team or leading a group of experienced professionals and is inspired by the themes I regularly come across in my work as an Executive Coach and Facilitator. So far, we’ve explored How to Build Confidence and overcome Imposter Syndrome.

This article shares some practical tips for giving feedback, something that almost everyone I work with admits is hard and uncomfortable.

Why Feedback Feels So Hard

When I’m coaching leaders and managers, even experienced ones, I often hear some version of this:

• “I find feedback awkward — I don’t want to upset anyone.”

• “I know I should give feedback, but I never know how to start or how to find the right time.”

• “What if they take it the wrong way?”

It’s easy to avoid giving feedback, tempting to soften it with a ‘sh*t sandwich’, or just drop vague hints that don’t get heard or safe it up to the next annual review - by which time you feel resentful and the lack of intervention may have caused bigger problems.

But done well, it’s about helping someone see what’s working, what’s not, and what they could do differently in the future, with care and clarity.

We might hold back from giving feedback because:

• We worry that if we give honest feedback, they might not like me. “If I’m honest, they’ll think I’m harsh or unfair.”

• We fear an emotional reaction. “What if they get upset, angry or defensive, and I don’t know how to handle it?”

• We’re uncomfortable with discomfort with confrontation or conflict

• We lack confidence in our own ability. “Who am I to give feedback when I’m not perfect either?”

• We don’t want to get it wrong. “If I can’t say it exactly right, I’d better not say it at all.”

• We make assumptions, “They probably already know,” or “They won’t change anyway.”

• We’re nervous about creating more work or complexity “If I raise this, I might open a can of worms.”So we soften it, delay it, avoid it, or bundle it up in vague generalities.

But giving good feedback isn’t about catching someone out or fixing them - it’s about helping them see what’s working, what’s not, and what to do next.

Why Feedback Matters

Clear, honest, constructive feedback is one of the most powerful tools you have as a leader. It:

• Builds trust and transparency

• Shows people they’re seen and valued

• Helps nip issues in the bud

• Prevents resentment and confusion

• Boosts morale and motivation

• Makes expectations visible and fair

And that includes positive feedback too. Not vague praise, but clear, specific recognition that shows people what good looks like and helps it happen again.

Feedback shouldn’t be an annual event saved up for performance reviews.

It works best when it’s regular, respectful, and part of everyday working life.

What Happens When Feedback Is Missing

When feedback is avoided, the issues don’t disappear; they just go underground and lead to resentment. Here’s what I see in teams where feedback is patchy or inconsistent:

• People don’t know what’s expected

• Good work goes unrecognised

• Poor behaviour goes unchallenged

• Frustration simmers quietly

• Trust erodes over time

If no one’s saying it out loud, someone’s probably saying it somewhere else. Better to create space for honest conversations than let gossip or guesswork fill the silence.

Practical Tips: How to Give Better Feedback

You don’t need a script. But you do need to be thoughtful. Here’s a simple, human-centred approach that works in real life. Here’s how:

1. Start a Conversation, Not a Monologue

Feedback is most powerful when it’s a two-way exchange, not a download. Try opening with: “How do you think that went?”; “What do you feel went well?”; “What would you do differently next time?”
Making it a dialogue lowers defensiveness and shows respect. When someone feels part of the conversation, they’re far more likely to take action

2. Use the AID framework: Action – Impact – Direction

A simple structure that focuses on behaviour (not personality):

• Action – What did they do?

• Impact – What effect did it have?

• Direction – What’s the change you want?

Marshall Goldsmith

3. Feed Forward, Not Back

You can’t change the past, so dwelling in it provokes a defensive response. If you make the conversation future-focused, people will be less defensive, they will listen and engage in the conversation about how to improve. The concept of Feed Forward was developed by Marshall Goldsmith. It’s about focusing on future actions, not past mistakes and shifts the conversation from blame to growth.

• “Next time, I’d like you to…”

• “In future, what would help is…”

4. Praise in Public, Criticise in Private

Celebrate positive feedback in front of the team. It’s motivating, reinforcing, and a subtle way to highlight expectations. But if your feedback is critical or sensitive? Make time and find a space to talk in private.

5. Say It While It’s Fresh

Don’t save feedback up for next month’s one-to-one because it loses value and impact the longer you wait. If something helpful or important happens, say it while the moment’s still alive.

6. Don’t ask WHY

When you ask someone, “Why did you…?” or ‘Why did that happen…?” it puts people on the spot, it sounds like an accusation even if you don’t mean it to. Research shows that asking WHY activates the brain’s threat response, triggering defensiveness or withdrawal. People feel like they’re being interrogated rather than invited into a conversation.

This is especially true if you’re in a position of authority, the issue is sensitive or recent, or the person is already unsure or insecure

Instead of starting with “Why…?”, try reframing the question with one of these more open, exploratory alternatives:

• “What was your intention behind…?”

• “What were you aiming to achieve?”

• “Can you talk me through how you approached it?”

• “What do you think worked well, and what might you do differently next time?”

7. Other Words and Phrases to Avoid

Some phrases raise defences before your point has even landed.

Here are a few to watch out for:

• “You always…” / “You never…” - it’s generalising, unhelpful and often based on assumptions, not fact.

• “But…” is the classic ‘sh*t sandwich"‘ it cancels out anything positive you said before it and dliutes the message.

• “If I were you…” — sounds patronising

• “I think…” — try “What’s your take?” instead

8. Avoid You or Fact Tennis

Psychotherapist and author Philippa Perry uses the term “fact tennis” to describe a common trap in difficult conversations. She describes it as two people locked in a back-and-forth of “who’s right” lobbing facts, justifications, and corrections over the net. It becomes a rally of defensiveness where nobody wins.

In feedback conversations, a similar trap can happen — let’s call it “you tennis.”

One person says: “You didn’t do that properly.”

The other responds: “Well, you didn’t explain it clearly.”

And we’re off!

It’s unproductive and it creates tension.

When you show empathy and that you understand the other's perspective, their feelings and their fears, you can have a more productive conversation. Try centring the feedback on your experience and perspective, and on observable behaviour and impact.

Instead of “You didn’t speak up in that meeting.” Try: “I noticed you were quiet in the meeting, and I was wondering . . .”

Instead of “You’re always late with your reports.” Try “I’ve noticed the last few reports have arrived after the deadline. That makes it harder for us to meet the next step on time.”

Instead of: “You’re not a team player.” Try: “I’ve noticed you’ve chosen to work solo on the last few projects, I’m curious. . .”

9. Remember Radical Candor

Kim Scott’s Radical Candor framework is a favourite of mine and matches with Brene Brown’s:

”Clear is kind and kind is clear.”

Great feedback happens when you care personally and challenge directly. If you only care but don’t challenge? You’re being nice but not helpful. If you challenge without care? It’s harsh — and it rarely lands. When you find the balance of both, you are clear and kind, you build trust and growth

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Reflection Exercise: Getting Comfortable With Feedback

Take 10 minutes to reflect on the following:

• When was the last time I gave someone clear, helpful feedback in the moment?

• What kind of feedback do I tend to avoid giving and what’s behind that? (Fear of upsetting them? Not being sure how to say it?)

• Is there anyone in my team who could benefit from recognition or clarity this week?

• How could I be clearer when I’m giving feedback and make it a useful dialogue rather than a monologue?

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Would you like to discover how to give feedback or build a feedback culture?

I help leaders and managers to be more confident about giving regular feedback, and practice how to give clear, more effective feedback. I also work with senior leaders or other teams on how to build a feedback culture

If you’d like to chat about how I can help you through Leadership Coaching or workshops and training on giving feedback, get in touch.

• Book a time to chat on Zoom (or in person) via Calendly >

• Call me on 07966 475195

• Email polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

How to build Confidence and overcome Imposter Syndrome

 

 

This is the first article in my new series: Practical Tips for Leaders and Managers.

Each week, I’ll share clear and practical tips to help you be a people-focussed leader - whether you're a new manager finding your feet or an experienced leader dealing with new challenges.

Over the next 10 weeks, we’ll explore topics like:

• Giving Better Feedback

• Managing and Prioritising your Time

• Running Effective Meetings

• Dealing with Conflict or Difficult Conversations

• Leading through Change

I’ve chosen these themes becuase they come up over and over again with the leaders, new managers and teams I coach.

In the first of the series we will explore:

How to Build Confidence and Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Why self-doubt is normal and what to do when it holds you back

I work with many leaders and managers, men and women, experienced and brand new and one of thing that comes up in the majority of exploratory calls or leadership development programmes is:

“I’ve got imposter syndrome.”

“I don’t feel confident.”

“I feel like I have to constantly prove I’m good enough for my role.”

“People say I look confident, but underneath the surface I’m just coping and panicking!”

Does that sound familiar?

These feelings are incredibly common, especially for capable, conscientious people doing something new or challenging or just trying to do the best job that they can.

You’re also not broken. And you’re definitely not an imposter.

The problem with giving yourself the label of “I’ve got Imposter Syndrome” is that it puts the issue inside you — like it’s a flaw or a medical condition (syndrome is a medical term) and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Oxford English Dictionary’s definition of imposter is:

“A person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others, especially for fraudulent gain.”

But you’re not pretending to be someone else, you are not a fraud. You are you, you are doing new things and learning and growing.

Start by reframing it as self-doubt not Imposter Syndrome.

The first thing is to recognise that this is a normal human response. You are not broken.

Secondly you can’t talk yourself out if - it’s not about thinking positively and pushing through because it’s sitting in your nervous system not your brain. You know it’s not rational and that’s why we end up beating ourselves up about it.

So no matter what you tell yourself or anyone says to you, it’s just your body and nervous system trying to keep you safe. When it senses “threat” like a new experience, a risky decision, or fear of judgment or failure, it reacts the same way it would to real danger: Fight. Flight. Freeze. People-please.

That means no amount of positive self-talk will fix it in the moment.

The real work is about teaching your nervous system, over time, that you are safe — and you can do hard things.

There’s no overnight confidence fix.

The only way to retrain your nervous system and your rational mind is to take small, repeated steps that show it that’s you’re safe - you’ve got this - you deserve to be here.

What Happens When Confidence Is Missing

When we’re overwhelmed by self-doubt it causes us to:

• Hiding, procrastinating or not stepping up to avoid being found out.

• Working too hard to compensate and prove ourselves.

• Over-preparing or micro-managing so we don’t loose control.

• Over-explaining or being defensive

• People-pleasing and not being able to say no, not now.

Confidence is built through taking small practical steps.

Practical Tips to Be More Confident

You can’t think your way out of self-doubt — but you can take small steps that build trust in yourself over time. Here’s where to start:

1. Let go of the label
   The word syndrome sounds like there’s something wrong with you. There isn’t. This isn’t a diagnosis — it’s a very normal response to growth.

2. Acknowledge What You’re Feeling
   Write it down to get it out of your head - these emotions are real but it’s not because you’re not capable. By naming it and writing it down, you distance yourself from them. You’re not overreacting — your body, your nervous system responding to perceived threat or danger.

3. Calm Your Nervous System
   Before doing something that feels scary, speaking up in a meeting, making a big decision or giving some difficult feedbck, pause to calm your system. This is physiological and shows your nervous system: “I’m safe, I’ve got this.” Try:
   - A few deep belly breaths
   - A quick walk, stretch
   - Some fresh air and sunlight or splashing cold water on your face
   - A grounding phrase like: “I am safe and capable.” and physically planting your feet on the floor to ground yourself.

4. Take a Small, Achievable Step
   Confidence is like a muscle - you build it through doing and discovering that you’re safe. This isn’t about giant leaps, it’s about small steps.
   Ask: “What’s one small thing I can do to move forward from here?”
   Don’t get held back by needing perfection, just take a small step.

5. Be Kind to Yourself
   You’re allowed to feel nervous. You’re allowed to not know everything. Talking back to the nagging voice in your head, your inner critic, as if you were your best friend giving the kindest advice.
   Ask: “What would I say to a friend feeling like this?”

6. Create a Safe Space to Reflect
   Build a habit of offloading what’s in your head so it doesn’t stay trapped there. Talking to friends or a partner can help but make time for quiet personal reflection by keeping a journal or notebook. This isn’t about keeping a diary - it’s about clearing space and building evidence. Use these prompts:
   - What three things went really well today (even small things)
   - What’s spinning in my head or what am I overthinking.
   - What is my inner critic saying and your kind, rational response
   - What 1–3 things would make tomorrow feel like a win?

7. Acknowledge and Celebrate Small Wins
   Make time to give yourself a pat on the back when things go well or you’ve done something brave. Acknowledge what you’ve achieved (even the tiny things). Write it in your journal to look back on in the future.

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Reflection Exercise: Building Confidence From the Inside Out

Take 10 quiet minutes to reflect on these prompts:

• Where in your work life do you feel confident?

• Where do you not?

• What’s one moment you handled well recently even if it felt hard?

• What “evidence” of your strengths, skills and experience are you forgetting?

• What’s one tiny step you could take this week to stretch yourself kindly?

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Would you like support to build your confidence and overcome self-doubt/imposter syndrome?

If self-doubt is holding you back, I can help you to":

• Understand what’s really going on beneath the surface

• Build confidence from the inside out

• Stop second-guessing and start trusting yourself.

Coaching gives you a safe, supportive space to say the things you can’t always say out loud — and figure out what you need to move forward with more confidence.

I offer a free first coaching call where we can explore what is holding you back and how coaching may help you get unstuck.
You can book a meeting straight into my diary using this link to Calendly - Book a Free Coaching Session >

You are also welcome to call me on 07966 475195 or email me at polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk.

Planning an Offsite or Away Day? Start With These 10 Questions

If you’re planning a leadership off-site, strategy workshop or team away day, pause before you start booking venues or building slides.

Off-sites, Workshops, and Team Away Days can build trust, clarity, and momentum, or leave your team asking, “What was the point of that?”

Before sending the calendar invitation, ask these ten questions to help you design an off-site that delivers meaningful results and avoid the “nice lunch, no outcomes” trap.

10 Questions to Answer before holding an Off-site, Workshop or Away Day

1. What are we trying to achieve?

Every offsite should have a clear why. Without it, the day risks feeling vague or performative. Being clear on the purpose shapes everything: format, facilitation, outcomes, and energy. Without this clarity, the day risks feeling vague or performative. Ask:

• What’s the problem or challenge we’re trying to solve?

• Is it to solve a problem (misalignment, disconnection, lack of clarity) Is it to respond to a shift (new CEO, strategy change, growth) or is it to unlock new ideas and momentum?

• Why now?

Try this: Write your purpose in a single sentence — and use it to brief your team, venue or facilitator.

2. What outcomes do we want?

Get specific. Whether your off-site, away day or workshop is about setting strategic priorities, exploring culture and values, building trust, communication or collaboration. Outcomes don’t need to be rigid but they should be meaningful, specific, and linked to business needs. Ask:

• What decisions do we want made?

• What conversations need to happen?

• How will we know if the day has been successful?

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3. Who should be in the room and why?

The impact of your session depends on who’s involved. Off-sites are more impactful when the right people are present and when you’re clear on what each person brings. Consider:

• Are we including decision-makers and people with insight and lived experience?

• Are we bringing the right mix of perspectives, roles and personalities?

• Do we need external stakeholders, new hires or future leaders in the room?

• Is there anyone whose absence will limit our ability to move forward?

4. What do we want people to think, feel and do afterwards?

A successful offsite should shift something mindset, motivation, behaviour, or direction. Avoid vague goals like “alignment” or “team bonding.” Ask:

• What impact do we want this to have?

• What new behaviours do we want to see?

• What conversations are overdue?

• What actions should people commit to?

5. What’s likely to get in the way and how will we handle it?

Tension, cynicism, unspoken issues, unresolved conflict, cynicism or fatigue. Every offsite has potential blockers. Ignoring them doesn’t make them disappear, but designing with them in mind makes the day more honest, useful and inclusive. This is where a skilled external facilitator can help to surface the tough stuff and move forward constructively.

Ask:

• What’s not being said?

• What might stop people being honest?

• How can we create a safe, inclusive space?

6. Is everyone clear on why they’re invited and what’s expected?

Offsites work when people show up ready to participate, not just spectate. When people feel prepared, they engage more fully and bring better energy to the room. So, make sure people know:

• Why have they been invited

  What the day is (and isn’t) about

  What are they expected to prepare or bring to it?

  What kind of mindset is expected

7. How will we balance, structure and flexibility?

Too much structure can kill creativity at an off-site or away day, while too little can lead to chaos. A well-designed day includes:

• Time to reflect on the big picture

• Space to connect as people

• Opportunities to make real decisions

• Flexibility to adapt in the moment

A structure around presentations and breakout can feel stale and rigid, so build in movement, variety, and breathing space, so include plenty of opportunity for individual reflection, small-group work, open conversations, and collaborative planning.

8. What will make this feel different to a regular meeting?

Your offsite should feel like a different kind of conversation, not just another agenda-heavy session. The best workshops spark insight because they feel different. Ask:

• How can we use a different space or setting? That’s the value in getting away from the office, to somewhere new, away from distractions.

• Can we include storytelling, vulnerability or creativity?

  How will we make it human, not corporate?

9. How will we make sure this leads to action, not just good intentions?

Too many offsites end with a flurry of ideas and no real follow-through. Creating accountability makes sure you see real shifts. Before the day ends, build in:

• Time for decisions, priorities and next steps

• Clear next steps and timeframes

• Clear ownership (who will do what by when)

• A plan to revisit and track progress in a month, a quarter and a year.

10. Should we bring in an external Facilitator?

If you want honesty, momentum, and real progress, consider working with a facilitator. A good facilitator holds the space, creates safety, encourages participation, and ensures real outcomes, not just good vibes. Especially if:

• There’s low trust

• You need to shift dynamics or challenge the status quo

• You want leaders to participate fully, not run the room

• You want actionable outcomes

A brilliant offsite doesn’t just happen. It’s designed with intention, curiosity, and care. Start with these questions, and you’ll already be ahead of most teams that simply hope for the best.

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Are you planning an Away Day, Off-site or Workshop and looking for support?

Whether you’re planning a leadership strategy day, team away-day, or culture workshop, I’ll help you design and facilitate a session that delivers real outcomes,

We’ll bring people together with purpose, create space for the right conversations, and leave with clarity, connection and action.

If you’ve got ideas, plans or challenges that would benefit from getting people in a room together, I’d love to hear about them.

• Give me a call on 07966 475195

• Book a time straight into my diary: Calendly >

• Email me: polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

• Learn more about Growth Space Workshops & Facilitation >

Not sure if you need a facilitator?
Read my blog: Do I Need a Facilitator for My Away Day?

Do I need a Facilitator for my Away Day or Offsite?

 

 

Team away days, off-sites, leadership strategy sessions, brand or culture workshops can be brilliant opportunities to reconnect, realign, and refocus your people. Taking time away from everyday pressures and distractions is valuable, whether you're celebrating success, developing a new strategy, reviewing your brand or culture, or bringing teams together through growth, change or other challenges.

Today we tend to have less time for face-to-face time with colleagues, and it's all too easy to hide behind emails, Teams messages or at best a video call. So there's never been a more important time to bring people together in person to build that human-to-human connection.

But if you’re investing time and money in an off-site, you want more than just team bonding and pizza. You want to be sure that you'll achieve your objectives for the day and gain clarity, alignment, and tangible outcomes.

So, how do you make sure your Team Away Day, Offsite or Strategy Workshop is more than just a chat over a nice lunch that leads to more questions than answers?

When Meetings and Offsites Go Wrong

We’ve all sat in meetings that feel like a waste of time. We’ve all had discussions that get lost in detail or where a dominant voice or two takes over. Sometimes, the biggest blocker isn’t what’s on the agenda. It’s unspoken tension, competing priorities, or confusion about the direction.

According to research by Doodle (State of Meetings Report 20204), poorly organised meetings cost companies over £400 billion globally in lost productivity. Meetings without purpose leave people frustrated and disengaged, and that’s before you factor in travel, venue hire, and time away from the day job.

Usually, that's not because the intentions aren’t right, but because the meeting lacked structure, safety, and focus.

Facilitators Make Things Easy

Of course, you could run the session yourself. But bringing in an experienced facilitator makes everything easier - by definition - Facilitation comes from the Latin "Facilis", meaning easy.

Our job is not just to set the agenda and manage the logistics, we are there to create a safe space where all voices can be heard and the gathering feels inclusive. We'll work with you to design an effective way to structure the agenda, and that will deliver clear outcomes and results.

Here’s why working with a professional facilitator to design and run your off-site is worth every penny.

1. Clarity of Purpose
   Faciliators help you get crystal clear on why you’re bringing people together. Not just the logistics, but the objectives and desired outcomes. What do you want people to think, feel or do differently by the end of the session? We then design around that.

2. Objectivity and Neutrality
   Facilitators are completely independent and bring a fresh perspective and challenge the status quo. We encourage creative and critical thinking that leads to new ways of thinking, rather than being stuck in the 'that's just how we've always done it' mindset.

   Facilitators are trained to spot what's lurking under the surface - the elephant in the room - and create a safe and gentle space for honest conversation.

3. Equal Voices
   Facilitators make sure everyone’s voice is heard, not just the louder voices in the room. We create a safe space and Psychological Safety where people feel more comfortable being honest especially when difficult topics come up.

   We build trust, ownership and better outcomes. We manage the energy in the room and design inclusive activities to engage everyone.

4. Structure with Flexibility
   We create bespoke agendas that flow naturally with the right mix of structure and space and we keep things on track so the group doesn’t get lost in circular conversations or lost down rabbit holes. That means your day is purposeful but not rigid. If the energy shifts, we adapt in the moment.

5. Follow-through & Accountability
   A good facilitator doesn’t just spark good conversations, we help translate those into decisions, actions and next steps. So your day doesn’t end with vague intentions but with clear actions and SMART goals that have clear ownership, timeframes and accountability.

6. You Get to Join In
   When you’re managing or chairing the session, it's difficult to fully participate and contribute when you're trying to listen to everyone, take notes and watch the clock. As facilitators, we hold the space so you can step back, contribute, and connect with your team, instead of worrying about timings or post-it notes.

7. Navigating Conflict
   Facilitators manage conflict constructively – allowing disagreements to be aired and explored without derailing the session.

When to Use a Facilitator

Facilitated Culture Workshop

A well-designed off-site can help you:

• Developing or launching a new vision, brand or strategy

• Clarify your goals and direction

• Define or reconnect with your purpose, culture, values and behaviours

• Navigating change or restructuring

• Building stronger cross-functional collaboration

• Boosting team morale and motivation

• Planning for growth or setting ambitious goals

• Breaking down silos and strengthen trust and team dynamics

• Supporting new leadership or team dynamics

• Inspire fresh thinking and motivation

Why It Matters More Now

The way we work has changed – and so has what people need from time together.

“In the age of hybrid work, face-to-face time is no longer default – it’s a strategy. Teams that use it well gain a huge edge in trust, creativity, and performance.”

— Harvard Business Review

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Ready to make your next team off-site meaningful, motivating and memorable?

Whether you’re planning a leadership strategy day, team away-day, or any other workshop, I’ll help you design and facilitate a session that delivers real outcomes and brings your people together with purpose and produces tangible results.

We're human so we like to chat on Teams or Zoom (or better still in person), so if you have ideas, plans or challenges you think could be resolved by getting people togeher in the same room, let's chat!

• Give me a call on 07966 475195.

• Book a time to speak on Zoom straight into my diary - Calendly >

• Email polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

• Read more about Growth Space Bespoke Workshops & Facilitation >

• Planning an Offsite or Away Day? Start With These 10 Questions >

Don't just take my word for it!

Polly is a superb facilitator - warm and approachable but with enough firmness to keep a very dynamic session on track. She clearly has deep listening skills and can help uncover meaning and trends where they may otherwise go unnoticed. I highly reccomend Polly for any facilitation needs, specifically in the workplace values space - she is brilliant."

How to Cope with Stress and Build Resilience for Yourself & Your Team

Life is pressured, business is tough, and lots of people are worn out - are you?

We may feel we’re just trying to get through one day at a time, and in our teams we may have noticed people becoming less productive, reduced engagement and motivation and even more sick days and quiet quitting. Pressure can be the fuel behind your ideas and energy until it tips too far and becomes something else: stress, fatigue, or even burnout.

Many businesses are trying to respond with wellbeing initiatives — but are they actually working?

According to recent research from Deloitte:

• 91% of C-suite executives believe their employees think leadership cares about their wellbeing - but only 56% of employees agree.

• 84% of execs say their company has made a public commitment to workforce wellbeing - but only 39% of employees feel that’s true.

That’s a disconnect. What we say we’re doing to support wellbeing isn’t always what people feel.

This article is about changing that. It’s about creating wellbeing measures that aren’t just fluffy perks or tick-box exercises, but that genuinely help people feel safe, valued, and supported. I suggest practical tools to help you do just that, to manage pressure before it becomes stress, to build resilience in small, sustainable ways, and to lead with empathy, clarity, and care.

Because this isn’t just about managing stress. It’s about how we treat each other as human beings. We’re all wired differently. We’re all juggling different pressures. And more than ever, people are feeling isolated, under pressure, and disconnected from their teams.

If we want resilient people and happy workplaces, we need to build a culture where people feel connected, supported, and part of something, not just held to performance targets, but truly seen, heard, and cared for.

Pressure vs. Stress: Finding the Sweet Spot

You might know this experience well: you're focused, motivated, in flow — and then suddenly, you crash. That’s because pressure exists on a curve:

Pressure Stress Curve

Not enough pressure can lead to boredom, disengagement and poor performance.

Just enough pressure (and what that means is different for everyone, we’re all different) you hit your stride and are in flow - high energy, clear focus, creativity.

But too much pressure, and we tip over to feeling stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted - ultimately this can lead to burnout..

So how do you notice when you’re tipping into the stress and overwhelm zone?

How to Spot the Signs of Stress in Yourself and Others

Stress sneaks in unnoticed, it’s often when we’re busiest that we don’t see the signs. So pay attention to what your body is telling you or the signs that your team may be feeling stressed. When you pay attention to these signs you can take steps to manage it and look after yourself or your colleagues.

Stress - what’s your body telling you?

Common Triggers That Tip Pressure into Stress

We all wear multiple hats at home and at work - parent and manager, carer and employee, managing your business and bottom line while providing the best service and quality for your clients or customers.

Here are 4 types of stress triggers:

1. Overload & Pressure
- Not enough time in the day/week
- Competing demands (home / work)
- Unrealistic expectations (from yourself or others)
- No time for rest or recovery and feeling like we’re always on.

2. Lack of Clarity or Control
- Lack of clarity around priorities or roles
- Ambiguity and Unclear or changing priorities
- Feeling powerless or lacking control
- Poor or patchy communication

3. Emotional Strain
- Carrying the emotional load for your clients, team, or family
- Supporting others but neglecting our own needs
- Guilt, perfectionism, or fear of disappointing people
- Personal stress bleeding into work
- Unresolved conflict or tensions in the workplace

4. Change & Lack of Boundaries
- Frequent or poorly-managed change

- Lack of work-life boundaries (e.g. emails at night)

- Working from home with no space to switch off and no clear end to the day
- Unspoken pressure to be “always available”

Once you notice these, you can take action — and that’s where the Four A’s come in.

The Four A’s: A Toolkit for Stress and Resilience

Here’s a simple but powerful framework I use with clients to help them respond to stress, rather than react.

1. Avoid - What can you say no - or not now to?

2. Alter - What can you reprioritise

3. Accept - What are the positives or benefits you can find?

4. Adapt - What’s another way of looking at this? How can you shift your perspective.

The Four As to Cope with Stress.

Focus on What Matters

When your to-do list feels endless and everything feels urgent, it’s easy to get caught in a spiral of busyness without real progress. This is where two really simple but powerful tools come in: the Eisenhower Matrix and the Action Priority Matrix.

These frameworks help you zoom out, reduce decision fatigue, and spend your energy on what matters most — rather than just reacting to whatever’s shouting loudest.

The Eisenhower Matrix

This tool helps you decide how to deal with your tasks based on urgency and importance. It’s a 2x2 grid that helps you sort your to-do list into four clear categories:

Eisenhower Decision Making Matrix

How to use it:

1. Write out your full to-do list — everything that’s on your mind.

2. Take each item and ask: Is this urgent? Is this important? Place each task into one of the four boxes.

3. Focus first on what’s both urgent and important, then schedule what’s important but not urgent.

4. Be ruthless about what you can delegate or delete — just because it’s on your list doesn’t mean it needs your energy.

Tip: Most of your energy should be going into the “Important but Not Urgent” box — this is where your long-term success, strategy, and sanity live.

The Action Priority Matrix

This tool helps you evaluate tasks based on effort vs. impact — a great way to stop wasting energy on things that look urgent but deliver very little return.

How to use it:

1. Choose a handful of tasks or ideas you're working on.

2. For each, ask: How much effort will this take? What’s the potential impact?

3. Plot each one in the appropriate box.

4. Prioritise “Quick Wins” and block out time in your diary for “Major Projects”.

5. Limit how much time you spend on low-impact tasks — these are energy drains.

Tip: This is especially useful if you’re prone to overthinking or perfectionism. It helps you get out of your head and make practical, time-smart choices.

Resilience Hacks: Small Habits That Make a Big Difference

Resilience isn’t about being “strong” — it’s about staying responsive and resourceful, even when things feel hard. These micro-habits help:

For you:

• Name it: “I feel... because…” – labelling emotions helps calm your nervous system

• Set clear boundaries: Protect time for breaks, focus, and rest

• Say no (or not now): Be Realistic about what you can fit in

• Move: Walk, stretch, breathe – anything to reset your nervous system.

• Recharge: Do something that re-energises you. For some this is exercise or just being outside, for some of us it’s just doing nothing. For extraverts it may be being around other

• Write things down: your to-do list, your worries, even just a brain dump of everything on your mind. Journaling is a powerful practice, especially when things feel overwhelming or you're stuck in a loop of overthinking. It doesn’t have to be long just write what’s circling in your head. Keep a notebook by your bed and use it to offload thoughts at night, it can really help with switching off and sleeping better.

• Keep a “done” list as well as your to-do list. At the end of each day, jot down what you did get done — even the small stuff. It’s a great way to recognise progress, celebrate effort, and counter that constant feeling you haven’t got everything done.

For your team:

• Check in regularly: Make time and space to talk about wellbeing in a group and individually. If people find it hard to talk about emotions do it informally, for example on a walk to the coffee shop, rather than in a formal meeting. Use metaphors - a traffic light system for example where green is everything is fine and red is I need help.

• Ask “How are you, really?” Leave space for people to talk and really listen, pay attention to body language. What’s their body language telling you that they may not be verbalising?

• Role model healthy boundaries: Say, “It’s the end of the working day/week and I’ll have to pick this up later, normalising boundaries and that it’s ok to switch off.

• Make it ok to not be OK by being open and talking about your own experiences and challenges so people know that they can be open with you. Often it’s your highest performers who will be the least likely to admit that they’re not coping, because of the feeling of shame or not wanting to let you, the client or the rest of the team down.

• Celebrate the small wins, not just the big ones: What went well this week? This creates a sense of momentum and achievement.

• Create clarity: Repeat the “why” behind tasks or changes

Take Time to Reflect

Use these questions to spark insight — write them down, discuss with a colleague, or use them in your next team check-in:

For You:

• What signs tell you you’re tipping into stress?

• What strengths do you have that help you cope with challenge or pressure?


• Think of a time you overcame stress or challenge — what helped you through it?


• What’s one sign that tells you you’re starting to feel stressed or overwhelmed?


• What small boundary or habit could help you protect your wellbeing this week?


• What’s one thing you’ll say ‘no’ to this week, in order to say ‘yes’ to what matters most?

For your Team:

• What are the signs your team is tipping into stress?


• How can you help make it safe for others to say they’re struggling?


• What’s one thing you’ll do this week to support your team’s resilience?


• How can you model healthy boundaries?


• How can you build more connection and trust in your team culture?

Want to explore this further?

If you’d like to explore how to manage pressure, lead with more ease, or put better boundaries in place, I offer one to one coaching to help you cope with stress and build resilience and design bespoke workshops and programmes for businesses and teams to put strategies in place.

If you’d like to explore coaching or bespoke workshops, I offer a free 30-minute exploratory call. You can book a time here >

Or email me polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk or call: 07966 475195.

5 Steps to Building Brilliant Teams. No 5. Results

“If a team is not focused on results, it will ultimately stagnate and fail to grow.”

— Patrick Leconi

Teamwork is about getting things done.

It’s about making progress on the things that matter most — together.

Teams exist to deliver results you can’t achieve alone. To solve problems. To drive growth. To create something better than the sum of individual efforts.

Results mean moving forward with purpose, working towards shared goals — not just being busy or just doing our own thing in isolation. Results give focus, energy, and meaning to all the work that happens day-to-day.

That’s why great teams align around shared results — and make them visible, measurable, and worth celebrating.

This is the final blog in my series exploring how to build a brilliant team — inspired by Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team model. So far, we’ve explored Trust, Healthy Conflict, Commitment, and Accountability. Today, we’re focusing on Results — and why shared success matters more than anything.

“The ultimate dysfunction of a team is the tendency of members to care about something other than the collective goals of the group.”

Patrick Lencioni

After all the conversations, connection, and commitment — what’s the point?.

Results are what all of this teamwork is building towards. But in many teams, results aren’t as visible — or as shared — as they need to be. People stay busy with their own tasks. Departments chase their own targets. Success goes unnoticed — or is only recognised from the top down. And when results aren’t visible, celebrated, or shared — teams lose momentum.

When teams trust each other, engage in healthy conflict, commit to decisions, and hold each other accountable, there’s a good chance they’ll succeed.

But the final step is to make sure everyone is aligned around shared goals — and that success is visible to everyone.

What Happens When Teams Don’t Focus on Results?

When collective results aren’t clear or visible:

• People retreat to individual priorities

• Teams lose focus and motivation

• Progress becomes hard to measure

• Success often goes unacknowledged

This isn’t about micromanagement. It’s about shared momentum.

How to Create a Team Focus on Results

Here’s how high-performing teams stay focused on what matters most:

1. Set Shared Goals — Not Just Individual Ones
   Shared KPIs or team objectives create alignment and clarity.
   Ask: “What does success look like for our team?”
   ”How will we measure progress as a team?”

2. Make Progress Visible — Create a Scoreboard
   A Scoreboard is key to visibility.
   It’s a simple, visual way to track goals and keep keeps them front of mind, it creates focus, motivation and accountability. It also helps you celebrate the milestones and successes.

3. Celebrate Wins — Big and Small
   Celebrating together builds connection, pride, and momentum.
   Success often goes unrecognised — or gets lost in the rush to the next thing. Celebrating results isn’t about trophies or big awards (though those can be great too). It’s about noticing. Great teams make a habit of recognising:
   - Progress
   - Effort
   - Lessons learned
   - Collaboration
   - Values-driven behaviour
   
   Ask your team:
   ”What achievements — big or small — could we celebrate?”
   ”How do we want to celebrate together when we hit a goal?”

Final Thought: Results Are a Team Effort

The best teams succeed together. They stay focused on what matters most. They hold each other to high standards. They notice progress and they celebrate success.

When results are visible, shared, and celebrated — teams move faster, feel stronger, and stay connected.

Reflection Exercise: Create Your Team Scoreboard

This is a powerful conversation to have as a team — either in a workshop, team meeting, or strategy session. It’s not about over-complicating things — it’s about getting really clear on what success looks like for this team, and how you’ll stay focused on it together. This works brilliantly with post-its, whiteboards, or online collaboration tools.

1. Decide What Results Matter Most
   What results should we measure and track to know we’re moving towards our goal?
   What metrics matter most to us? This could include: KPIs, Customer feedback, Revenue or growth targets, Project milestones
   What will help us stay focused, motivated and accountable?
   Tip: Keep it simple — track what matters, not everything

2. Decide on Your Scoreboard
   What would make progress visible for us?
   What format would work so we can see our progress visually and regularly?
   Where and how should we update it?
   Ideas: Physical board in the office, Shared slide or doc, Digital dashboard, Weekly team check-in
   Tip: The scoreboard only works if people see it regularly.

3. Decide How You’ll Celebrate Success
   What do we want to celebrate?
   How do we want to celebrate together
   This could be: Shout-outs in meetings, a team ritual, sharing wins on Slack or Teams, Lunch together when a milestone is hit
   Tip: Celebration isn’t about showiness — it’s about noticing.

4. Make It a Habit

   Finally, ask:
   How will we keep this alive?
   How often will we check in on progress?

   How will we hold each other accountable for the results we care about?

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Need Help Aligning Your Team Around Results?

I design and facilitate practical, people-focussed team workshops that help teams get clear on what success looks like — and how they’ll work together to achieve it.

→ Workshops rooted in insight and action.

→ Tools to align goals and track progress.

→ Space for people to talk (really talk).

If you’d like to chat about how I could support your team, get in touch.

Call Polly on 07966 475195 or email polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk

5 Steps to Building a Brilliant Team. 4. Accountability

 

 

How Great Teams Hold Each Other To Account

Accountability is a sign of mutual respect. It’s about making sure what we said would happen, actually happens.

It’s about showing up for each other.

And it’s about caring enough to follow through — and to help others do the same.

In teams, accountability means:

• Taking ownership of your commitments

• Delivering work with integrity and consistency

• Checking in, offering support, and challenging each other to stay focused on shared goals

It’s not about blame.

It’s not about hierarchy.

It’s not about micromanagement.

This is the fourth blog in my series exploring how to build a brilliant team — inspired by Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team model. Firstly, we explored Trust, the second blog looked at Healthy Conflict, the third focused on Commitment. Today, we’re talking about Accountability — and why the best teams hold each other to high standards.

Accountability is how trust and commitment come to life in action. When teams practise accountability well:

• Deadlines are met

• Decisions lead to action

• Feedback flows freely

• People feel proud of their contribution — and confident in each other

Of course, when accountability slips, progress stalls. Frustration builds. And things start to fall through the cracks. But with the right habits and behaviours, that’s entirely avoidable.

As Patrick Lencioni puts it:

"Accountability is the willingness of team members to remind one another when they are not living up to the performance standards of the group."

The best teams don’t rely on one person — usually the leader — to chase everyone for updates. They support and challenge each other. Because accountability is a team sport.

Individual Accountability vs Shared Accountability

Great teams hold themselves — and each other — accountable in two key ways:

1. Individual Accountability
   Show up with integrity
   Meet deadlines
   Deliver quality work
   Take ownership for results (good and bad)
   Follow through on commitments
   Avoid blame — focus on solutions

2. Shared Accountability
   Collaborate — don’t just operate in silos
   Support each other to succeed
   Hold each other to agreed standards
   Speak up if something isn’t right
   Remind each other of shared goals and purpose
   Accountability isn’t about hierarchy.

How to Build a Culture of Accountability

Accountability doesn’t happen automatically — it’s something teams have to practise and leaders have to model. Here’s how to create it:

1. Set Clear Expectations
   Be explicit about what’s expected — from roles, goals, behaviours, and values. No assumptions.

2. Communicate Openly
   Be transparent and honest — about priorities, progress, and problems.

3. Check-In Regularly
   Informal check-ins, one-to-ones, and regular team reviews keep people aligned and focused.

4. Collaborate
   Remind people that shared accountability means helping each other succeed — not just focusing on individual tasks.

5. Role Model Accountability
   Leaders go first. Take ownership of mistakes. Follow through. Ask for feedback.

Why Feedback Matters to Accountability

Feedback is like Oxygen - it should flow in every direction — upwards, sideways, and across the team. When everyone feels safe to offer insight and hold each other to account, the whole team gets better, faster.

Feedback isn’t something that happens once a year. It’s an everyday habit. Great teams give feedback:

• Little and often

• Up, down, and sideways

• Direct, clear, and kind

• Feedback helps teams learn faster, improve performance, and build trust.

How Meetings Show (or Break) Accountability

Meetings are one of the most visible ways teams live out accountability.

If meetings feel like a waste of time — or nothing happens afterwards — people disengage. Meetings should:

• Build alignment

• Clarify decisions

• Confirm actions

• Hold people accountable for follow-through

Final Thought: Accountability Builds Trust, Clarity and Care

Accountability isn’t about being hard on people — it’s about caring enough to hold each other to high standards. It’s about making sure good intentions turn into action. It’s about having the confidence to challenge and support your each other. And it’s about creating a culture where following through isn’t optional — it’s what we do.

It’s not always easy — but it is important.

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Reflection Exercise: How Can We Be a More Accountable Team?

This is a simple, practical exercise you can use in your next team meeting — to open up an honest conversation about accountability.

1. Step 1: Ask your team these questions:
   Give everyone a few minutes to jot down their thoughts quietly first.
   When have you seen a lack of accountability in this team — and what happened?
   What gets in the way of holding each other to account?
   What’s the cost when we don’t follow through?
   What behaviour do we need to call out more often here?
   What would help us be better at giving (and receiving) feedback?

2. Step 2: Gather ideas together
   Use post-its, a whiteboard, or an online board (Miro, Jamboard) to capture themes.
   Look for patterns. Be curious. Avoid blame.

3. Step 3: Decide on one small action

Ask:

• What’s one thing we want to do differently as a team from today?

• What behaviour do we all agree to commit to?

One practical way to build accountability is to create a simple Team Accountability Contract - something short, clear, and visible that helps everyone stay on track. This is a shared agreement about what you expect from each other. For example:

• “When we commit to something, we will… follow through and update the team.”

• “If something is delayed or unclear, we will… raise it early and ask for help.”

• “When someone forgets or drops the ball, we will… remind them kindly and directly.”

• Co-create it together. Keep it visible. Refer back to it often.

• This turns accountability from something awkward into something normal, expected, and supportive.

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Need Help Building a Culture of Accountability in Your Team?

Accountability doesn’t have to feel hard or uncomfortable — it’s about clarity, consistency, and care.

That’s where I come in.

I design and facilitate practical, human team workshops that help teams create clear agreements, better habits, and a culture of everyday accountability.

→ Workshops rooted in insight and action.

→ Tools to build shared ownership and feedback skills.

→ Space for people to talk (really talk).

If you’d like to chat about how I could support your team, get in touch.

Call Polly on 07966 475195 or email polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk