Julia Middleton's thoughts on leadership

I spoke at the start of a Frontrunner (our course for university students) specifically for disabled students, which we run in association with Santander. They were a hugely focused and dynamic group who were determined to work across disability and other organisations as leaders rather than stick to networks for people with their specific disability. [...]

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When I started work, I was very lucky. My first boss gave me opportunities to lead small teams from a very early age – to learn some of the lessons at an age when I could simply bounce back from my mistakes – to mess up when the stakes were not high – to succeed [...]

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An interesting way to assess your talent. Let’s say there are five levels for project managers. Level 3 is for people who know what to do at every point whatever happens. They are crucial. Level 5 people are only recognisable to level 3′s in that they appear incompetent. They know everything that level 3′s know [...]

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With the new year came a new brochure for a new leadership event. With big names and masses of them. Global leaders. Mega names. Huge concepts. The events compete for bigger names and longer lists. Is this where we should be looking for tips, models and inspiration on leadership? I am ever more convinced by [...]

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I am very interested in the expression “earned leadership”. Leaders earn the right to lead because they do or are – what? Of course the expression “earn” implies something important. That people do not become leaders (other than in title) simply by being appointed – whatever the method of appointment. They have to earn it [...]

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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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