Pollyanna Lenkic
SmartCompany
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Past articles by Pollyanna:
‘Why does nobody contribute?’: Diagnosing and curing a serial interrupter
If you are a leader who holds a senior role, serial interrupting can be destructive, even if you have the best intentions. → Read More
From rising star to fallen hero: When coaching derails leaders
Coaching is one of the many approaches that leaders can effectively utilise to develop and empower their people, however it’s not a one size fits all solution, writes Pollyanna Lenkic. → Read More
The rise of adult tantrums and how they affect workplaces
“Move down the train, make room for others”. “HEY MOVE ALONG, MOVE DOWN THE TRAIN!!!!” This was the rumble like thunder before the lightning strike. Recently, a fellow parent was sharing what happened on his recent morning commute while we were watching our children play tennis: “The train was packed, people moved along as much … → Read More
The parental leadership trap
One of my clients Sanjeev* would regularly complain that he was exhausted by being the referee for his team. “I feel like all I do is solve problems that my team have with each other, with the work and with our clients. I get to the end of the day and have to start my … → Read More
The art of giving an authentic apology
Being able to apologise in an authentic way is an essential skill in the high performing team's tool kit. → Read More
The 'I' every team needs
Matilda is a high performer, she kicks goals, and makes quick and decisive decisions. Matilda has a bit of a hero status amongst the junior consultants who both revere her and fear her. She sees herself as the Ronaldo of the team, a world class champion. Matilda is a genius, however, her focus is on → Read More
Is the legacy of how you were parented affecting your leadership style?
I recently attended a talk by Kamal Sarma on “Building Resilience in Children”. There was plenty of gold in his presentation and the standouts for me were: Most people can’t disconnect from the past; The biggest challenge is not to learn but to unlearn things. This is specifically related to how we were spoken to → Read More
How forming real connections improves team performance
Steve* was a reluctant participant in a team session I was facilitating. He had been a manager for more than 35 years and had a wealth of business and leadership experience. The team Steve led consisted of 12 dedicated and hardworking individuals who always achieved their targets and, not unreasonably, Steve questioned why they needed “to bother with → Read More
When a leader blames the team... lessons from a fallen EPL coach
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has shown how destructive it is for a leader to take credit but shift blame. → Read More
Bust those barriers for a strong finish
Here’s an exercise to blast away the barriers that will prevent a strong worry-free end to the year. → Read More
Three traits of teams that endure to win the big races
Melbourne is gearing up for the race that stops the nation and it provides a good opportunity to look at what it takes to be part of a winning team - on the racetrack or in business. → Read More
Hug was a lesson in humanity
A simple hug made headlines this week - and showed how to move from treating someone as an object of scorn and hate to a person to be related to. → Read More
Hug was a lesson in humanity
A simple hug made headlines this week - and showed how to move from treating someone as an object of scorn and hate to a person to be related to. → Read More
Hug was a lesson in humanity
A simple hug made headlines this week - and showed how to move from treating someone as an object of scorn and hate to a person to be related to. → Read More
New team lessons that the PM might find useful
Teams, such as Malcolm Turnbull's new cabinet, are under pressure to perform quickly in today’s climate. Here's some tips on how to hit the ground running. → Read More
What the children’s movie Inside Out teaches us about team performance
Emotions are complex and we bring all of this complexity to play when we come together as a team. → Read More
The one thing your team really needs from you
You need to leave parent/child modes of behaviour at home and not bring them to the workplace. → Read More
Check your assumptions before you step on a landmine
Making assumptions about people or situations can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts that undermine teamwork. → Read More
The cost of hiding behind politeness
There are times when we hide behind politeness, using it to avoid the conversations that matter, which ultimately derails our success. → Read More
Are you using outdated incentives to motivate your team?
Research consistently shows that money is not the most important factor in motivating your team. So what is? → Read More