Cobalt Red

Posts and Provocations

  • I’m not a bookie but….but even I know, if you don’t try, there’s a 100% chance it won’t happen.

    Easy to forget that sometimes.

    It’s that niggling voice that says – what makes you think you can do that.

    That voice that sits somewhere at the back of the head, sneering from the sidelines.

    Guess what? Time to put it is its rightful box and kick it into the stratosphere where it belongs.

    This has nothing to do with capability, authenticity or expertise.

    But here is what it is about….

    Trying is already an act of courage.

    It’s choosing possibility over the safety of staying in the status quo.

    It’s you backing yourself, even if your confidence hasn’t fully arrived yet.

    You don’t need certainty to begin. You just need to give yourself a chance maybe a nudge.

    Leaders don’t move forward because they’re fearless.

    They move because they refuse to let inaction define the outcome.

    Trying is all about trusting yourself. Speaking up is about being present.

    I would love to hear your story when you felt like this, and still you screwed up your courage to give it a go.

    Go on- you’ve got this.

  • I don’t often quote Confucius, in fact I have never quoted the Chinese philosopher before, but this seemed appropriate;

    “To see what is right and not do it is the want of courage.” – Confucius

    What holds senior leaders, women and men, back in organisations?  

    A lack of skill, ambition, or readiness? No, they’re held back by systems that benefit from them staying in the current position. Well guess what – work life is not a meritocracy.

    Let’s be honest does this sound at all familiar?

    Many workplaces run on the unpaid labour of people’s work diplomacy, the stuff that greases the wheels of business, quiet communications and behind‑the‑scenes leadership and fix-it mentality. It’s efficient – until those same people decide they have done enough and something must change.

    They see the gaps in decision‑making. They see the politics that reward visibility over value. They see the double standards that expect them to be endlessly competent but selectively courageous.

    And I believe we also see this:

    Staying silent serves the system, not their leadership.

    Seeing what is right but not having the courage to name it.

    Leadership at this level, in this context requires courage:

    • Challenging the norms that keep them in the “supporting role”
    • Taking strategic risks instead of being the safe pair of hands and being known for that
    • Choosing ambition without apology or justification. Their career is theirs.

    This isn’t about being difficult.

    It’s not about being labelled as aggressive.

    It’s about being done with systems that rely on compliance.

    It maybe not being liked- you have your family and friends for that.

    Because many senior people already know what is right.

    The real shift happens when they stop protecting the system – and start protecting their future and speaking up for that.

    You’ve got this.

  • Show up not show off

    Meet my Great Aunt Gladys

    She was a tiny woman with curls wound so tightly to her head they looked like they’d been installed with industrial strength glue. Joy was not her default setting. Her default tone was criticism and snippiness.

    Every Christmas, we had to go and visit. For a 6‑year‑old Linda, it was a visit laden with expectations- perhaps a tad Victorian- be seen and not heard. Not my favourite thing at Christmas! No wonder.  

    One year, I couldn’t sit still any longer. I leapt up to practise my dance behind her sofa – pure childish exuberance and not getting in anyone’s way.

    Quick as a flash, Great Auntie G from her chair: “Linda, sit down and stop showing off”.

    Bottom lip trembling, I sat down. Hands folded. Dreams of Broadway crushed before they’d even begun.

    The funny thing is, those words echo. “Showing off” became a warning siren in my head. And here’s the kicker: many leaders still hear it.

    They hesitate to speak up, to celebrate wins, challenge others’ thinking, to bring energy into the room – worried they’ll look like they’re auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing.

    But here’s the truth: leadership isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing up.

    Showing up with ideas.

    Showing up with courage.

    Showing up with enthusiasm that might just be contagious.

    So next time you feel the echo of my Auntie Gladys in your ear, remember: the workplace doesn’t need less joy.

    It needs more leaders willing to show up, say it as it is and ignore the strident words and tone, tight curls, and all.

  • Courage and fear

    Courage is recognising what is frightening.

    It is not the absence of fear.

    If it was a cartoon one character would be grabbing the other by the shoulders and giving them a good shake.

    Questions about ‘what could go wrong’ is a good start. Then planning how to minimise those bumps in the road starts to fill the courage reservoir.

    We often wait to feel brave before we act.

    But what if courage isn’t a feeling at all?

    It is a choice – made in the presence of fear, not its absence.

    In my work with leaders – especially women navigating change – I often hear:

    “I don’t feel courageous.”

    ‘’I don’t feel that brave’’

    “I’m afraid I’ll fail.”

    Here’s the truth:

    Fear doesn’t mean you’re not ready.

    It means you’re human.

    And courage? It’s layered. It’s quiet. It’s choosing to move forward anyway. Yes, it takes guts and determination but what is the alternative?

    Would you really be satisfied to never have that buzz, the high of doing something that scared you – but you did it anyway. And – guess what – the courage reservoir starts to fill.

    Not because you’re fearless.

    But because something deeper – your purpose, your values, your voice – matters more.

  • This is not semantics.

    Having presence is not the same as being present.

    You can be in the room and still not show up.

    You can speak and still not be heard.

    You can lead and still don’t have the impact you want.

    I see it often—leaders navigating change, transitions, new chapters. They’re visible, yes, but something’s missing. The spark. The conviction. The why. Their presence.

    Presence isn’t about being busy or booked.

    It’s about being intentional.

    It’s about showing up with your values intact.

    Some things I ask in coaching conversations:

    •      What are you holding back that needs to be said?

    • Where are you showing up out of habit, not purpose?

    •      What would shift if you led from alignment, not obligation?

    • What do you need to do today that if you don’t do it, you will regret it in 6 months?

    Leadership isn’t about noise.

    It’s about clarity. And sometimes, the quietest voice is the one that changes everything

  • What are you silently agreeing to if you don’t speak up?

    💫 “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it.” — Maya Angelou

    We learn to navigate systems not built with us in mind.

    To make space, even when it’s not given.

    So what do you want next?
    More impact? More clarity? More space to lead on your terms?

    It takes more than courage—it takes clarity, timing, and a willingness to be seen and heard. Here’s what the research and coaching wisdom suggest:

    🔍 What it takes to ask for what you want at work:

    • Clarity of desire
      Know what you’re asking for and why it matters. Is it about impact, balance, recognition, or growth? The clearer you are, the easier it is to communicate.
    • Emotional readiness
      Asking isn’t just about words—it’s about being prepared for the response. That includes hearing “no,” negotiating, or even being surprised by a “yes.”
    • Strategic timing
      Choose moments when your contribution is visible, when trust is high, or when the organisation is open to change. A well-timed ask lands better than a rushed one.
    • A sense of consequence
      Not asking has a cost. It can mean staying silent while others shape your path.

    Not speaking up is still a choice.

    It’s a quiet yes.
    To staying small.
    To letting others define the terms.
    To accepting consequences we didn’t choose.

    In coaching, I ask:
    👉 “If you say yes to this, what are you saying no to?”
    But sometimes, the real question is:
    👉 “If you don’t speak up, what are you silently agreeing to?”

    Leadership isn’t just about being heard.
    It’s about choosing to be heard—especially when it’s uncomfortable.

    💬 What’s your silence costing you?

  • Are you being present or do you have presence?

    This is not semantics.

    Having presence is not the same as being present.

    You can be in the room and still not show up.

    You can speak and still not be heard.

    You can lead and still don’t have the impact you want.

    I see it often—leaders navigating change, transitions, new chapters. They’re visible, yes, but something’s missing. The spark. The conviction. The why. Their presence.

    Presence isn’t about being busy or booked.

    It’s about being intentional.

    It’s about showing up with your values intact.

    Some things I ask in coaching conversations:

    •      What are you holding back that needs to be said?

    • Where are you showing up out of habit, not purpose?

    •      What would shift if you led from alignment, not obligation?

    • What do you need to do today that if you don’t do it, you will regret it in 6 months?

    Leadership isn’t about noise.

    It’s about clarity.

    And sometimes, the quietest voice is the one that changes everything.

  • Incongruence

    Incongruent : out of keeping; unexpected, not what you thought you were getting.

    In a recent visit to Cape Town, we enjoyed some amazing food at the Waterside Restaurant at the V and A waterfront. Looking down at the menu we were intrigued by the course named catus garden.

    It was a narrow trough of assorted catus plants. But nestled in amongst them masquerading as a catus was our palate cleanser (middle of the photo).

    It could best be described as a solid Margarita sorbet – all tequila, chilli and lime, the spikes were flower stamens.

    Creative and quirky- yes.

    Delicious- utterly

     Incongruent – most definitely

    And what has this to do with coaching?

    There are times when working with my clients, they start to see and appreciate some aspect of their work from a different perspective, a different lens, something unexpected and incongruent.

  • How would you define courage?

    The Chambers dictionary definition of courage is

    The quality that enables people to meet danger without giving way to fear

    My definition would be

    Saying yes to something with no clear idea of how you will do it

    Doing something that you had never considered before

    Not being afraid to fail, because you know you won’t

    On our recent adventure in Botswana, we came across a lioness who was, singlehandedly, raising 8 cubs. Her sisters were killed when the babies were about 3 months old. Not only did she lose her sisters, but she also lost an eye and has a deep gash in her face still.

    So, in addition to her own twins, she suckled all 8. The cubs are now 6 months old and thriving- look at the photos.

    She represents all the elements of my definition.

    So what, what is the relevance for us at work?

    Take another look at my definitions and ask yourself did you rise to the challenges at work and if you did how did you celebrate your courage?

  • Self reflection; article by Stephen Fleming, University College. London

    This is thought provoking;

    By boosting self awareness in our daily lives we might notice things we haven’t noticed before in ourselves, in others and in our surroundings. These changes may permeate many aspects of our lives, because being self aware is central to how we experience the world, The kind of consciousness we cherish- the kind that allows us to appreciate the smell of coffee, reflect on the beauty of a sunset- involves ‘meta awareness ‘, a state of knowing that we are conscious.