Julia Middleton's Thoughts on Leadership

There is a lot of discussion and commentary at the moment in the UK about boards and governance following the Financial Reporting Council’s publication of the UK Corporate Governance Code (formerly the Combined Code).
It’s all about how you ensure that the boards of the future protect us from the disasters over the last couple of [...]

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So the first of the great televised debates for the top political job in the UK takes place tonight, and I am wondering which lens we should all be watching it through…
Shall we focus on what these three men have to say on policy? Or the issues? Or will we scrutinise their competency? Or the [...]

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When I was 29 and full of ideas for Common Purpose I met Anita Roddick for tea at the Meridian Hotel in Piccadilly, London. She had no idea who I was. I had begged a friend of a friend to introduce us. Over tea I told her my ideas and asked her to chair Common [...]

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Making Good Society is the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland, published by the Carnegie UK Trust this month.
I think the report speaks to some strong points, but I do take issue with some of the content.
Alarm bells go off for me when [...]

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This week I read an article by Robert Bruce in Financial Director that highlighted the need for some plain speaking honesty from financial directors. It really hit the nail on the head for me when I think how arrogant and self-important ‘closed shop’ speak can be, and how flawed the communications skills of many leaders [...]

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In amongst all the noise from Davos – and I’m only concerned that there is so much to listen to that people will switch off – but it is lovely to hear from a banker in this film who actually did do a great job in 2009.
What comes across when he speaks about the World [...]

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“Dialogue without difference is pointless.”
I wrote that down fast when the chair of a Strategic Health Authority in the UK said it to me the other day. What’s the point in talking things through with people who agree with you? So why do we spend our time doing it? And why do we get so [...]

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I am on holiday now. My main challenge has become producing daily picnics for large numbers of teenagers in Scotland!
 There was a feature on BBC breakfast this morning about what your holiday reading choice says about you. As it happens, I made the terrible mistake last week of sending lots of friends  a text asking [...]

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It is interesting that the word brave is so often watered down. “No, no”, they say, “you don’t mean brave, you mean take calculated risks.” Well I don’t really – I mean be brave. Things are moving fast, and by the time most things are fully calculated the opportunity is likely to be gone. I [...]

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I was brought up to have no respect for any position, age, background or title. My father told me that no one was better than me other than as a result of their ability, experience, achievements or character. At best people like this in me, and at worst they think my lack of deference is [...]

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