Unleash Your Awesome

Are half your employees planning to leave in the next 12 months? They might be, if your leaders aren't getting the training, support, coaching and mentoring they need to be effective. Ineffective managers impact team satisfaction, motivation, and retention. Research shows that half of employees with ineffective managers plan to leave within the next 12 months. Don’t wait until disengagement becomes turnover. ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡ helps first-time leaders grow the skills they need to retain talent and create positive, high-performing teams. It’s bite-sized, spaced learning that fits around busy schedules—so your leaders stay focused on their teams while they grow. Curious? Let’s chat about how this could work for your people from your organisation. The next cohort kicks off in February 2025. _________________ Hi, I’m Daria 👋🏻 ✨ I help leaders develop for good through coaching and workshops that develop you personally and professionally 📖 I created ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡ to help first-time leaders to build their competence, confidence, and community to lead for good 💡 Follow me for tips, strategies, and tools to lead more effectively by using your unique strengths ____________________ Image description: The Lightning Leadership Lab is in bold black text, with a blue lightning bolt to the left. Beneath is the tagline "Grow your leadership, fast", and the URL 'thelightningleadershiplab[dot]com' in the same blue as the lightning bolt.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you're a first-time leader, you're going to make a lot of mistakes. That's kinda how it goes. But you don't have to make ALL the mistakes under the sun - you can learn from the lessons learned by those who have gone before you. Check out the five key mistakes that virtually all first-time leaders make, and what you can do about them ⬇️ And if you like what you see, why not join us in The Lightning Leadership Lab cohort kicking off in February 2025? We'll tackle these mistakes, along with lots of tools, strategies, and frameworks that will help you grow your leadership, fast. Check out the website and book your call today. #leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #learning #TheLightningLeadershipLab #TLLL

It's first thing in the morning, and I'm already feeling excited, thanks to this gorgeous book from the wonderful Dr Anna Harrison. We were recently introduced by the fabulous Natalie Ferguson of Powrsuit, and had a whale of a time getting to know one another and learning about each other's special brand of magic. I love how technology lets us connect with others all over the world, building and nurturing relationships that stand the test of time, and create mutual value. Anna's book is loaded with practical advice and examples to help us do that with our customers. l can't wait to apply what I'm learning! Get your hands on it as a paperback or eBook at all the usual places. _____________ Image description: Daria, a dark-haired woman is sitting on her couch. Her hair is pulled back and she's wearing comfy clothes as it's early in the morning. She's holding a copy of Dr Anna Harrison's book 'Digital Brand Romance' up for the camera, and smiling as she takes the selfie.

"What would it take to change your mind?" This was a question that came up in a coaching session with a client who was in a tricky work situation. They had found themselves in what I call a "locked" scenario - they were locked into their way of seeing things, and the other person was locked into theirs. When you're in this scenario, you're usually trying to convince the other side that they are wrong and you are right. In his book 'Think Again', Adam Grant calls this 'The Prosecutor'. When you're acting as The Prosecutor, you create a win-lose dynamic, which makes everyone dig their heels in a little more, because none of us like to lose. This question is designed to "unlock" the dynamic. It shifts us away from trying to convince the other person, and gets us thinking about what facts, evidence, and logic would allow us to rethink our position. We examine the strength of all perspectives, including our own, looking at the facts, evidence, and logic of each. That doesn't mean we must change our mind. It simply gives us the ability to make an informed choice, by way of critical thinking. Critical thinking isn't about criticising everything you don't agree with. It's about: * examining situations from a variety of lenses, * reviewing available information (regardless of whether it supports or undermines our position), * understanding the motivations and goals of the people and groups involved (including ourselves), and * working towards a positive outcome that can be supported by facts, evidence, and logic. Next time you find yourself in a locked scenario, try stepping back and asking yourself "What would it take to change my mind?" ________________ Image description: Daria, a dark-haired woman in a colourful dress, is at the front of a room, drawing on a whiteboard. Several women are seated in the foreground, looking towards the whiteboard. On the board are two circles. The upper circle is divided roughly 80/20, with the 20% portion coloured in red with the label "20%" also in red. The rest of the circle is shaded in blue. The lower circle is also divided 80/20, and Daria is in the process of colouring the 20% portion in blue.

Last chance! Sign up for my free webinar tomorrow: How to learn anything (and actually retain it!) I'll be sharing three key strategies that will help make your learning stick. No more "Oh, that's a brilliant idea, I'll start tomorrow" followed 24 hours later by "Now, what WAS that thing I was going to do?" Master the three factors to make learning stick, and watch your performance, productivity, and satisfaction soar! Just snap the code to register or head over to the URL in the image. Tomorrow (Friday), 11am NZ time. #learning #ProfessionalDevelopment #TrainingAndDevelopment #leadership #TheLightningLeadershipLab #TLLL ___________________ Image description: A webinar announcement with a QR code. It is titled "Free webinar: How to learn anything (and actually retain it!)". Below the QR code is the date and time of the webinar: Friday 8th Nov, 11am. Beneath that is the URL buff[dot]ly/3Ufft1b, and The Lightning Leadership Lab logo and tagline: "Grow your leadership, fast"

Want a simple four-step process that a 4-year-old can grasp, that will change your life and work forever? The PDCA cycle is so basic that even a pre-schooler can use it to make things better. And that's why I teach it to grown-ups - it's super-simple and has a big, lifelong impact. The four steps are: ⭐ PLAN: what's your goal? What will you do to achieve it? What resources do you need? What barriers might you have to overcome? Who or what can help? Which order will you do things in, and by when? ⭐ DO: implement your plan to achieve your goal. ⭐ CHECK: measure your progress. Are you on-track? Are you getting the results you intended and desired? What unintended results are you getting? Do you have the resources, people, and ideas necessary to achieve your goal? What changes or adjustments do you need to make? ⭐ ACT: Implement your revised plan based on the results of the 'Check' step. Your PDCA cycle might take place over the course of a week, a month, or a year, depending on the size of the change you want to make. My advice is to aim for a series of short PDCA cycles, based on the smallest meaningful step you can take towards your goal. So, if you want to get fitter, you could run three consecutive PDCA cycles: 1) move more often 2) move more intensely 3) move for longer After three cycles, you'll be moving more often, intensely, and for longer periods. Those three small changes will make a massive difference to your health over time. If you'd like to apply the PDCA cycle to your life or work, but need a hand to get some momentum, let's chat. I excel at supporting people just like you to make meaningful, lasting change in a fun and practical way. #change #ContinuousImprovement #PDCA #coaching #StrengthsCoach 📸: Katrina Johns / Social Shoots Credit to W. Edwards Deming for the origin of the PDCA cycle.

Sometimes the worst thing you can do as a leader is do ANYTHING! I know, I know, we're all supposed to celebrate a "bias for action" and 'getting 💩 done". But too much of that and you not only disempower your team members, you steal their thunder and end up looking like you've got a massive ego and can't share credit. Not exactly covering yourself in glory, huh? You probably got to where you are because you were an EXCELLENT individual contributor, and were celebrated and rewarded for what you achieved. But leadership is a whole different skillset - it's no longer about what you can achieve, but what you can enable your team to achieve. And sometimes that means stepping aside to let them take the (calculated) risks and reap the rewards. _____________________________ Hi, I'm Daria 👋🏻 I'm the creator of The Strengths Deck, author of Unleash Your Awesome, and the energy bolt that fuels ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡ In ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡, we cover lots of topics, including how and when to delegate, and how to develop your team members so they can accelerate their growth and contribution. We also cover strategies to recover when delegation goes wrong (because it will!), and how to preserve everyone's dignity in the process. Doors to the Lab open soon, and there are limited spaces, so make sure you sign up to the waitlist to be the first in the know when it goes live. You'll also receive valuable leadership resources FOR FREE, to give you a taste of what you'll get in the Lab. #leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #FirstTimeLeaders #TheLightningLeadershipLab #TLLL ____________________ Image description: A text-based graphic. in bold text at the top: "Don't just do something, stand there!". The last two words are in the blue brand colour of The Lightning Leadership Lab. Underneath is TLLL logo, with the bylines "by Daria Williamson" and "Grow your leadership, fast", and the URL 'thelightningleadershiplab[dot]com' Completing the graphic are the TLLL lightning bolt, and a headshot of Daria Williamson

Don’t wait until 2025 to plan your leadership development programme—you’ll already be behind. Every day your emerging leaders go without the right support, they miss opportunities to grow, your team risks disengagement, and performance gaps widen. Leadership isn’t learned in a single day—it takes time, structure, and practice. That’s why ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡ is built around a monthly rhythm, delivering tools and strategies that build momentum from day one. Give your new leaders the competence, confidence, and community they need to thrive, so they can hit the ground running for 2025. 💡 Doors open soon, and there are limited spaces available. Don’t miss out on giving your new leaders the best chance to get ahead. And if an online programme isn't quite what you're looking for, get in touch to discuss the options for on-site, tailored workshops for your organisation. #LeadershipDevelopment #EmergingLeaders #PlanAhead #PeopleDevelopment _________________ Hi, I’m Daria 👋🏻 ✨ I help leaders develop for good through coaching and workshops that develop you personally and professionally 📖 I created ⚡The Lightning Leadership Lab⚡ to help first-time leaders to build their competence, confidence, and community to lead for good 💡 Follow me for tips, strategies, and tools to lead more effectively by using your unique strengths _________________ Image description: A pale yellow wooden sign hanging on a white surface. The black lettering reads "Plan ahead", but the final "d" is on a second line because, well, the signwriter didn't!

"I can't do X, because of Y" How often have you used that formula to excuse yourself from taking action? 🙋🏻♀️ If you're anything like me, it's way more often than you'd like to admit. Your present circumstances might be really, REALLY hard. I'm not pretending that they aren't. But your present circumstances aren't your "forever and ever amen" reality. Today is the starting point of the rest of your life. So: ❓ Where are you starting from? ❓ Where do you want to get to? ❓ What's the smallest first step you can take in the right direction? ❓ What support do you need? ❓ Which of your personal strengths will help you? ❓ Who do you know who might be able to lend you a hand? If you need coach who will walk the journey with you, offering encouragement, support, challenge and accountability, let's talk. Send me a DM or comment below and we'll set up a chat. _________________ Hi, I’m Daria 👋🏻 ✨ I help professionals find and work in their Zone of Genius. ➡️ I work with teams and individuals. 💡 Follow me for ideas on how to build sustainable performance by understanding individual strengths. #excuses #change #action #coaching #accountability

Would you take a job you had never done before, where, if you're VERY lucky and manage to hit ALL your targets, you MIGHT be offered one or two days of training several years after you take the job? (By the way, I don't blame you if you think that's a crazy question). No one in their right mind would take a job that was explained that way - and yet the absurd thing is that we do this to new leaders all the freaking time! I've lost count of how many leaders I have trained and coached who were promoted because they were excellent individual contributors. Everyone assumed that qualified them to lead other individual contributors. But "doing the thing", and "leading the people who do the thing" are totally different skillsets. A title change and a salary bump don't give you leadership skills - they have to be learned. There are two ways to learn them: ❌ The painful approach: making every mistake in the book, hurting everyone around you (including you), slowing down results, wasting time, energy, and resources, and eventually - hopefully - figuring out better ways to do things ✅ The strategic approach: getting training, mentoring, and coaching in bite-size pieces in a way that allows you to immediately put into practice what you're learning, and get guidance, advice, feedback and encouragement along the way There's been WAY too much of the first approach, and not enough of the second. So I'm using my 20+ years of leadership and training experience to fix that. Launching in early 2025, I'm offering a leadership development programme with a difference, aimed at first-time leaders, and designed to fit into your busy schedule while maximising your learning. Interested in finding out more? Drop me a DM, or comment below and I'll get in touch. _________________ Hi, I’m Daria 👋🏻 ✨ I help leaders develop for good through coaching and workshops that develop you personally and professionally 📖 I created The Lightning Leadership Lab to help first-time leaders to lead with skill, courage, and confidence 💡 Follow me for tips, strategies, and tools to lead more effectively by using your unique strengths ____________________ Image description: A studio portrait of Daria. She is a dark-haired woman wearing a black, red, yellow and blue dress. Her hair is down around her shoulders, and a silver drop earring and necklace are visible. She is sitting on a wooden chair, with her hands crossed in a relaxed way on her knee. She is looking directly into the camera with a gentle smile on her face. 📸: Amanda Billing