This is the second blog in our three-part series exploring what ends up on leaders’ ‘to avoid’ lists. Saying “I don’t know” is high on that list, but ironically it can also be the most powerful three words a leader uses.
An uncomfortable truth we see repeatedly in coaching conversations is that what leadership avoids shapes company culture. Avoidance isn’t neutral; it creates an ‘under-the-surface’ contribution to team norms, psychological safety, performance, and trust.
There’s an assumption within the workplace that teams will inevitably gel over time, and that cohesion, alignment and mutual trust will simply emerge as part of the working process. But imagine hearing in a board meeting that there are major issues with finances, cash flow, or strategy, and the recommendation being that the issue will ‘probably’ resolve itself, rather than rolling out meticulous planning and reviews.
HR professionals sit at the emotional centre of organisations. They hold confidential conversations, absorb uncertainty, manage conflict, and often carry the worries of others long after the meeting has ended. It all culminates in a particular tension I see again and again when working with HR and people leaders; having little or no space to process, recover or reflect, even though these should be non-negotiables in the workplace.
When it comes to leadership growth, reflection is the one skill that consistently separates those who evolve and those who repeat old patterns.
I recently wrote about being aligned in leadership, and how our values can direct us when the pressure is on to make a decision or we feel uncertain.
Creating an environment where people feel they belong in their workplace isn’t a new idea. When people feel like part of something bigger the benefits are seen at every level of an organisation. But interestingly, I’m repeatedly noticing a subtle shift within teams with groupwork overtaking individual coaching as the desired intervention.
When we talk about HR burnout, the conversation almost always falls into the category of wellbeing. We speak about overwhelm, exhaustion, emotional labour and stress.
When People Management published its recent piece, Does HR Need a Helping Hand?, my first reaction was simple. Of course HR needs support, the data is unambiguous, the pressures are increasing, and the emotional load on people professionals is heavier than ever.
We all like to think our values are clear. That we know what we stand for. That when the heat’s on, we’ll act in a way that aligns with those beliefs.
But in leadership, being aligned with our values isn’t just about what we prove in the moments of calm, it often comes down to what we reveal in the moments of tension.
Leadership and culture don’t exist in isolation — they continually shape each other. When leaders shift how they show up, it ripples through the culture, influencing how people behave, collaborate, and perform.