Every day, we make decisions based on risk. We look both ways before crossing the road, check the weather before heading out, put passwords on our devices and insure our homes and vehicles. We do these things, just in case something should happen.

Yet, when it comes to business, we can be surprisingly good at ignoring it. Why is that?

It is not because we don't understand that risk exists, but I truly believe because we become accustomed to it.

Something starts as a problem. We react quickly and we find a workaround. We adapt. We put a process in place that allows us to keep moving. This process is not always ideal, but it works for the moment. Unfortunately, this intermediate “fix” eventually becomes the new normal. That's where risk can become dangerous.

When risk becomes the norm

Take a moment and think about the things you have learned to “work around” in your business.

• Perhaps there is one person who holds all the important knowledge. If they're away, everything slows down.

We justify the situation by say, “No worries, we can address this issue when they get back.”

• Maybe there is an employee whose behaviour creates tension, but everyone has learned how to manage around them.

We justify the situation by say, “That’s how they behave, we need to just accept it.”

• Perhaps you're the person who needs to approve everything because “it's quicker if I just do it myself.”

• Maybe your business relies heavily on one major client, but because you've had the relationship for years, you don't see it as a risk.

We justify the situation by say, “They have been with us for years, they’re not going anywhere.”

• Or perhaps you haven't reviewed your processes, financial position, succession planning or business continuity for some time.

We justify the situation by say, “We’ll do this when we get quieter, or we’ll tackle this in the new year.”

None of these situations necessarily feels like an emergency and we’ve done a great job at justifying them.

This is precisely the point.

Risk doesn't always announce itself with flashing lights. Sometimes or most of the time it’s pretty subtle, it looks like business as usual.

Our brains are very good at adapting

As humans, we are remarkably adaptable. When something is present for long enough, we can stop noticing it. The same thing happens in business.

We compensate for the inefficient process. We remember the information that isn't documented. We step in when a team member doesn't perform. We stay late because that's what we've always done.

The business keeps operating, so we assume everything is okay. A business can function while carrying significant risk. The real question is:

What happens if something changes?

What happens if your key employee resigns?

What happens if your biggest client leaves?

What happens if you can't work for several weeks?

What happens if your systems fail?

What happens if the market changes?

What happens if you are suddenly unable to be the person holding everything together?

That's when the risk you've normalised can become very real.

Risk management isn't about predicting the future

We can never eliminate risk from business, nor can we predict every possible scenario. Good risk management is about identifying what could disrupt your business and putting sensible measures in place to reduce the likelihood or impact. It starts with awareness.

Take some time to step outside the day-to-day operation of your business and ask yourself:

• What currently depends too heavily on one person?
• Where are we relying on a workaround rather than a robust process?
• What conversations are we avoiding?
• What would cause the biggest disruption if it happened tomorrow?
• What information exists only in someone's head?
• Where are we most vulnerable financially, operationally or with people?
• What risks have we simply become used to?

That last question may be the most important.

Don't wait for the crisis

A risk assessment shouldn't be something you pull out when something goes wrong. It should be part of running a healthy, sustainable business. The goal isn't to create fear or spend endless hours preparing for every possible disaster. It's about creating enough visibility to make better decisions. Sometimes the biggest risk isn't the thing you don't know about. It's the thing you know about, but have stopped seeing.

So, when was the last time you genuinely looked at the risks in your business?

Risk isn't always obvious. Sometimes it's the issue we've lived with for so long that we've stopped noticing it. Take a step back, look at your business with fresh eyes and ask yourself: What have I normalised that could become a problem tomorrow? Identifying the risk is the first step to doing something about it.

We teach them the systems, policies, procedures, compliance requirements, health and safety, and company values. We show them where the toilets are, explain the communal fridge rules, and proudly announce the company culture of Friday afternoon drinks.

We do our best to explain "how things are done around here." We give them a taste of the culture, and to a certain extent, we're winning.

However, here's the real question...

How often do we onboard them into the people?

It's a strange question, but an important one.

While systems help someone do the work, it's relationships that help them truly succeed.

Very little time is spent helping new employees understand the people they'll be working with. The result? They know what to do, but they don't know how to work successfully with the people around them.

Starting a new role can be incredibly nerve-racking. New team members are often under immense pressure—not only to learn the ropes and perform quickly, but also to make a good first impression with every person they meet.

It's no wonder the first few weeks can feel overwhelming.

So, what if we started onboarding people into the team, not just the role?

1. Help People Understand How the Team Works

Every workplace has its own rhythm. Some people are direct and decisive. Others prefer time to think before responding. Some love talking ideas through, while others prefer everything in writing. Some thrive on detail; others focus on the big picture.

None of these approaches are right or wrong—they're simply different.

Yet we often expect new employees to work all of this out through trial and error.

Imagine how much easier those first few months would be if people understood not just who they were working with, but how those people preferred to communicate, collaborate, and make decisions.

Helping people understand the team from day one reduces misunderstandings, builds trust more quickly, and creates confidence.

2. Belonging Drives Performance

Many organisations measure successful onboarding by how quickly someone becomes productive.

I think there's another measure that's just as important.

How quickly do they feel like they belong?

People rarely remember every policy they were shown on their first day. What they do remember is how they were welcomed. Whether people made time for them. Whether they felt included in conversations. Whether they felt safe asking questions.

When people experience a genuine sense of belonging, confidence grows. There is a sense of psychological safety.

When confidence grows, contribution follows, and when people contribute, performance naturally improves.

Belonging isn't a "nice to have." It's one of the strongest foundations for engagement, collaboration, and retention.

3. Relationships Are the Shortcut to Success

It's common to hear leaders say, "It takes around six months before someone really finds their feet."

Perhaps they're not spending six months learning the job.

Perhaps they're spending six months learning the people.

They're figuring out personalities, communication styles, team dynamics, decision-making processes, and the unwritten rules that no induction manual ever explains.

Every misunderstanding, every awkward conversation, and every incorrect assumption slows down trust and productivity. Not because people aren't capable, but because relationships take time to develop.

As leaders, we have an opportunity to shorten that learning curve.

By intentionally introducing people to the personalities, behaviours, and working styles within the team, we help new employees settle faster, build trust sooner, and contribute with greater confidence.

Great onboarding isn't just about preparing people to do the work.It's about preparing them to work with the people.

People don't just join organisations, they join teams.

Does your onboarding process prepare people for the job... or does it also prepare them for the people they'll be working with?

When we intentionally onboard people into the people, not just the position, we don't just accelerate performance.

We build stronger relationships.

We create connection.

And we give every new employee one of the greatest gifts a workplace can offer from day one - A genuine sense of belonging.

A brilliant idea, but also a recipe for disaster, when it is not executed properly.

I see this happen all the time.

Someone is technically brilliant, consistently delivers great results, knows the job inside out, and is respected by their peers.

Or perhaps they've been with the company for so long that a promotion is seen as the natural next step. Longevity often gets mistaken for leadership readiness, but that's a topic for another article.

In either case, the assumption is the same.They're successful in their current role, so they'll be successful leading others.

The natural next step, in the eyes of their manager?

Promote them into a leadership role, they will be fantastic!

In certain situations, like promotion, we need to challenge and encourage people to grow and develop, I am all for that. But, before we do that, there is one question to be asked first.

Have we actually asked them if they want to lead people?

In many businesses, leadership is viewed as the reward for being good at your job. It's often the only visible pathway for career progression. The problem is that technical excellence and leadership capability are two very different skill sets.

Being a great technician doesn't automatically make someone a great leader.

Leadership requires a completely different focus. Instead of solving the problems yourself, you're developing others to solve them. Instead of concentrating on your own performance, you're responsible for creating an environment where others can perform. You need to communicate effectively, coach, influence, manage conflict, hold people accountable, and navigate difficult conversations.

Not everyone wants that responsibility.

Some people genuinely thrive in specialist roles. They love being the expert, the problem solver, the person who gets things done. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, many businesses need strong technical experts just as much as they need strong leaders.

When we promote someone purely because they're good at their job, we risk creating several problems:

• We lose an exceptional performer in the role they excelled at.
• We place them into a role they may not enjoy.
• Their confidence can take a hit when leadership challenges emerge.
• Team performance may suffer under inexperienced leadership.
• Frustration grows for everyone involved.

I've seen talented people go from being highly engaged and successful to stressed, overwhelmed, and questioning their abilities, not because they weren't capable, but because they were placed in a role that didn't align with their strengths or aspirations.

Before promoting someone into leadership, consider asking a few important questions.

• Do they actually want to lead people?
• What motivates them in their work?
• Have they demonstrated leadership behaviours, not just technical capability?
• What support and development will they need to succeed?
• Are there alternative growth pathways available?

Leadership should be a choice, not an assumption.

The best organisations create multiple pathways for success. They recognise and reward technical expertise while also developing those who genuinely aspire to lead. They understand that career progression doesn't always have to mean managing people.

The result?

Stronger leaders. Happier employees. Better performance.

Sometimes, when you pause and think about it, the best thing you can do for a high performer isn't to promote them into leadership.

It's to actually help them become even better at what they already do brilliantly.

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak.” — Jim Rohn

Leadership always finds its real expression in tension.

Not the comfortable, planned kind of tension, but the kind that shows up in real time when expectations aren’t met, behaviour shifts off track, or performance starts to drift.

Most leaders understand the importance of people and performance. The challenge is how these two work together in practice, especially when the conversation becomes uncomfortable.

There is a point in every leadership journey where technical skill is no longer the differentiator. What truly matters more is the ability to step into moments that feel difficult and stay steady inside them.

A team member underperforming. A pattern of behaviour that is affecting others. A missed commitment that can’t be ignored.

These exact moments ask for clarity, not avoidance, but more importantly they also ask for restraint, respectful tone, and awareness of impact.

If you think about it, the courageous conversation itself is rarely the issue. It is actually how the conversation is held that determines what happens next.

Many leaders experience hesitation here. The concern is often about how the message will land, whether the relationship will be affected, or how the other person might respond emotionally. In that space, it becomes tempting to soften the message so much that the meaning becomes unclear. The message gets bubble wrapped.

On the other side, some leaders push the message through with force. The focus becomes correction, and in that shift, the person can easily feel reduced to the problem rather than supported through it.

Neither approach creates long-term strength in a team. Trust is not built in either situation.

Clarity without care tends to create resistance. Care without clarity tends to create confusion.

Effective leadership skills are developed, when the leader has the ability to sit between those two pressures and remain steady. The focus shifts from managing discomfort, looking “good” to managing responsibility.

Responsibility for standards, for people and for outcomes.

What changes at this level of leadership is not the willingness to have hard conversations, but the quality of how they are approached.

A grounded conversation has a different rhythm. It is direct, but not rushed. It is honest, but not heavy-handed. It focuses on observable behaviour and agreed expectations, rather than personality or assumptions.

It also leaves space for the other person to respond, reflect, and re-engage with clarity rather than defensiveness.

Over time, this consistency builds something more valuable than short-term compliance. It builds trust in the leadership itself. People begin to understand where they stand. They know what is expected. They trust that issues will be addressed without unnecessary escalation or avoidance.

One of the most overlooked aspects of accountability is that it is often experienced as respect when done well. People may not enjoy being challenged, but they do respond to being treated with dignity while being held to a standard.

This is where leadership becomes more precise.

The goal is not to reduce discomfort at all costs, nor is it to rely on intensity to drive change. The goal is to stay present, clear, and composed while addressing what needs to be addressed.

Over time, leaders who develop this capability tend to notice a shift in their teams. Conversations become quicker. Issues surface earlier. Expectations become more stable. Performance conversations become less about surprise and more about alignment.

At the centre of it all sits a simple but demanding capability: the ability to hold standards without losing sight of the person in front of you.

That is where leadership earns its credibility.

Holding the Line, Holding the Person

However, by the time we see these actions in play, they have already been decided—one way or another. The leader has already made a decision in their mind, before entering the room, about whether they see themselves as a leader or not. That decision sets the scene for all future interactions, unless they consciously choose to change how they see themselves.

Leadership is a mindset before it is an action.

Before every conversation, decision, and reaction, there is a quieter version of leadership at play. It’s the internal dialogue constantly running in the background, the stories we tell ourselves when we’re challenged, questioned, or pushed outside our comfort zone.

It’s the split-second judgement we make before we choose how to respond. That internal space between the external trigger and the response is where leadership is formed.

What goes on in our heads doesn’t stay there. Those thoughts, feelings, and judgements always find a way out. We don’t suddenly become calm, clear, and decisive in the moment if that’s not something we’ve practised privately.

In pressure situations, we don’t miraculously rise to the occasion, we fall back on what is familiar, and what is familiar is shaped by our thinking patterns, our habits, and the standards we hold ourselves to when no one is watching.

This is where many leaders come unstuck. They focus on the external performance of leadership, what to say, how to act, how to be perceived, without doing the deeper work required to shape the mindset that drives those behaviours. Without that foundation, those actions lack depth, consistency, and intention.

If our internal dialogue is built around needing to have all the answers, avoiding uncertainty, or resisting what’s in front of us, it will show up as control, defensiveness, or hesitation. If, on the other hand, our thinking is grounded in curiosity, ownership, and intention, our leadership will reflect clarity, steadiness, and direction.

The situation may be the same, but the outcome will be very different.

How we lead starts with how we lead ourselves.

We cannot lead others beyond how well we lead ourselves. The standards we set or fail to set internally become the ceiling for our leadership.

If we avoid difficult conversations with ourselves, we will most likely avoid them with others. If we allow our own standards to slip in private, consistency will be hard to maintain in public. If our emotional responses are unchecked, our team will feel the impact, whether we believe we’ve concealed it or not.

Leadership is not simply about managing people; it is about managing our own thinking, emotions, and behaviours first.

In those unseen moments, there is a constant choice being made, often unconsciously. We either step into responsibility, or we default to justification.

It’s easy to point to external factors, the team isn’t performing, the workload is too high, there isn’t enough time, the situation is difficult. All of those may be true, but leadership begins when we look at ourselves first and ask the difficult question, "What is my part in this?"

Not as a form of self-criticism, but as a way of reclaiming control. Taking responsibility creates options, it opens up dialogue, ownership, and forward movement. Excuses, on the other hand, shut things down.

The good news is that leadership is not built through grand gestures or dramatic shifts.

It is shaped through small, consistent habits. Pausing before responding rather than reacting instinctively; questioning our thinking instead of accepting it at face value; taking ownership quickly rather than letting defensiveness take hold; setting personal standards that are not dependent on mood or circumstance; and reflecting regularly on where we led well and where we drifted.

These are simple practices, but over time they compound into something far more powerful - consistency, trust, and credibility.

Leadership is not built in front of an audience. It is built in the quiet, often uncomfortable moments, when things don’t go to plan, when frustration kicks in, and when no one is there to hold us accountable.

That is where our mindset is shaped.

That is where our leadership is decided and eventually, whether we intend it or not, that invisible leadership becomes visible to everyone around us.

In theory this should be a winning recipe for success, but it isn’t. There is one thing that so often gets overlooked, and that is how you as a business owner lead your business and team.

You can have the best products and services, the most skilled individuals on the pay-roll, the perfect model, but without your leadership, the business cannot be sustained. A business cannot successfully operate on auto-pilot, it must be driven by you the business leader.

What does this mean in practical terms? How do you lead your business well?

1. Visionary Thinking: A good leader has a clear vision for the future and, very importantly doesn’t keep it to themselves, but is able to communicate this vision consistently and effectively to inspire and motivate their team. Good people want to be lead, they want to be working towards a goal that is bigger than themselves, to be part of a collective vision. It is the leader’s role to provide that clear vision to all.
2. Effective Communication: Good leaders are excellent communicators. They listen actively to seek understanding, provide clear instructions, and ensure that there is open, non-judgemental and honest communication within the team. They keep everyone informed and aligned with the business objectives. Good leaders know that effective communication builds trust, which is an essential component of a strong business foundation.
3. Integrity and Ethical Behaviour: A good leader acts with integrity and maintains high ethical standards. They lead by example, demonstrating honesty, fairness, and accountability in all their actions. They do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
4. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing one’s own emotions, as well as empathising with others, is crucial for a good leader. They are able to build strong relationships, manage conflicts, and create a supportive and inclusive work environment.
5. Decisiveness: Good leaders make decisions confidently and promptly, even in uncertain situations. They gather necessary information and include specialist within the business if required. They weigh up the pros and cons, and they always take responsibility for their choices, learning from and sharing any mistakes with others. No blame, no judgement or denial.
6. Adaptability and Resilience: In a constantly changing business environment, good leaders are adaptable and resilient. They embrace change, stay positive, and guide their team through challenges and setbacks with determination and flexibility.
7. Empowerment and Delegation: A good leader trusts their team and empowers them by delegating tasks and responsibilities. They provide the necessary resources and support, allowing team members to grow, develop, and take ownership of their work.
8. Continuous Learning and Development: Good leaders are committed to their own personal and professional development as well as that of their team. They seek out new knowledge, skills, and experiences, and encourage continuous learning within the organisation. The goal is to build a learning organisation, where knowledge and skills are not lost when someone leaves. That information is passed down from one person to the next, ensuring not only that the knowledge is maintained, but that all individuals are operating confidently in their roles.
9. Collaboration, Inclusion and Team Building: A good leader fosters a collaborative work environment where teamwork is valued. They build strong teams by recognising individual strengths, promoting cooperation, and ensuring that everyone feels valued and included.
10. Results-Oriented and Accountable: Good leaders are focused on achieving results and hold themselves and their team accountable for performance. They set clear goals, monitor progress, provide feedback, and celebrate successes while addressing areas for improvement constructively.

None of the above points have anything to do with financial models, product development or marketing strategies. These points are fundamental in achieving your success. I believe that once business owners understand the importance of being great leaders, only then will they run exceptional businesses.

What do you need to start working on to become a good leader within your business?

Over the past year I’ve seen a number of “experts” present guidelines around how to network well. Some advice I’ve taken on board and used, which has been great and others I’ve done a hard pass on.

Why? Well, the one thing that always comes up for me is the quality vs quantity factor.

One piece of advice which I did not take was that you “needed to build 10 strong, meaningful and impactful relationships every week.”

I think my definition of a strong, meaningful and impactful relationship is quite different to this suggestion. Perhaps I should have asked for a bit more detail? If I’m lucky I can probably count on my two hands those strong and meaningful relationships I have built in my entire life. How do you build 10 every week?

If you can achieve that, then I take my hat off to you. I know I can’t. And perhaps that is were the difference lies.

For me, it’s not about the quantity of people you connect with on a weekly basis, but more so the quality of the connection you make.

So what makes a quality connection? I’ll be the first to admit I’m no networking guru, but these are my suggestions:

1. BE GENUINE

People are not stupid and they can pick up fake from a mile away. If your initial intention is to see what you can get out of someone, then you are not being genuine. Simple. You may win a few points now, but in the long run, this type of approach is not going to serve you.

These tips can help you become more effective in becoming more genuine –

• Practise active listening. Instead of thinking about your next line, just listen to the other person.

• Don’t interrupt the person

• Give them 100% eye contact when they are talking. Looking at your phone or watch does not keep you engaged.

• Going into the conversation, ask yourself “what am I going to learn here?” instead of “what am I getting out of this?”

• Paying lip-service is also not recommended. Insincere comments or creating a false image of support will backfire on you.

2. GIVE FIRST

It’s not just about you. In any strong and meaningful relationship our focus is on the other person and how we can help them. We need to give our focus and attention first, before we ask for something in return.

The one golden rule and question I like to apply when networking in person or online, is asking myself this “Would I treat my best friend in this manner?”

You are both nervous and excited and you want to make a good first impression. You decide to make your famous Tagliatelle Carbonara for dinner. It’s your favourite, so there is no doubt it would be theirs too.

You spend the entire day slaving away in the kitchen. Making the pasta from scratch, cleaning the house, and polishing the fancy cutlery that you only use for important occasions.

Your new colleagues start arriving for dinner and everyone settles down at your table to eat.

Out comes the food and there are some awkward shuffles and dead silence.

What is going on?

Well, out of the 6 people you invited.

• One of them is a vegetarian and cannot eat the bacon or egg in the pasta
• One of them is lactose intolerant and cannot eat the milk based sauce
• One of them is celiac and cannot eat the pasta

What a disaster!

If you had just known ahead of time about these people’s dietary requirements, the situation would have been very different.

What has this situation got to do with behaviour profiling? A lot actually.

Firstly, many of us tend to fall into the trap that everyone around us thinks like us. They like what we like, they are motivated and get triggered by the same things. Doesn’t everyone enjoy a good bowl of Tagliatelle Carbonara? This, of course, is untrue and can get us into trouble.

Once we understand this concept, we are able to be more curious about the people around us. How they think and how they tick.

Why would you want to do that?

If we know more about how the people around us operate we can communicate better with them. We start to understand them better. We have more empathy and patience with them. We can establish realistic expectations of them and we can start to build trusting and loyal relationships.

Behaviour profiling is a tool that we can all use to help us understand ourselves and then understand the people around us.

Extended DISC profiling will not tell you if they eat pasta or not, but it will share with you some of these gems.

• Some people prefer clear, detailed instructions before starting off a new project and others will jump in and figure it out as they go

• Some people like to work in teams and others independently

• Some people need to be motivated by others and some people are intrinsically motivated

• Some people naturally like to lead while others follow

• Some people love change and get super excited about the idea of change, other people need to feel safe during the change process

If you knew these unique details about your team mates, employees, colleagues , how would it influence your relationship with them? How would it improve your interactions?

Hand on heart, if you used the tool properly, it would make a world of difference to you and to them.

Instead of trying to work blindly or assume, encourage your team to get profiled. Then use these learnings to improve your communications with them. You won’t be sorry