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HOW TO BUILD YOUR POWER SKILLS

William Montgomery — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Technical knowledge may get you noticed, but it is rarely what makes people want to follow you. As leaders become more senior, success depends increasingly on judgement, communication, empathy and the ability to influence without relying on authority. These so-called power skills are not soft at all. They are often the hardest skills to develop because they require self-awareness, discipline and practice.

HOW TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR TEAM

William Montgomery — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

HOW TO RISE ABOVE ABUSE

William Montgomery — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

I endured serious abuse from my father as a child. That sentence is difficult to write, but it perhaps explains why people sometimes ask how I rise above abuse today. The answer is not that it doesn’t hurt. It is that I refuse to let another person’s behaviour determine mine. Rising above abuse is not about accepting it; it is about choosing how you respond.

HOW TO LEAD WHEN YOU KNOW DIDDLY SQUAT

William Montgomery — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

HOW TO MAKE AMBITION SERVE YOU

William Montgomery — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:00:00 +0000

For most of my life, ambition was an ally. It helped me join the Royal Navy at 16 with no qualifications, rise from the lower deck to become an officer, build a second career in financial services and create TEN. Every chapter rewarded the same formula: aim higher, work harder and do more. But ambition has a shadow. It can turn every achievement into the starting line for the next. At 64, I am not less ambitious; I am learning to be more selective about what deserves my time and energy.

HOW TO GET YOUR BOSS TO WANT A COACH

William Montgomery — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Senior leaders often receive less honest feedback precisely when they need it most. Suggesting that your boss needs help, however, is unlikely to end well. The secret is to make coaching feel like an opportunity they have chosen, not a remedy you have prescribed.

HOW TO BECOME THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE

William Montgomery — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Most of us know the person we want to become: fitter, calmer, kinder, more disciplined or courageous. The difficulty is not deciding; it is doing. Lasting change rarely comes from heroic acts of willpower. It comes from small, deliberate behaviours repeated until what once required effort becomes who you are.

How to build a team that never stops improving

William Montgomery — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of teams, from the Royal Navy to the boardroom. The best weren’t always the smartest, the biggest or the best resourced. What set them apart was their willingness to keep learning. They created an environment where people shared ideas, solved problems together and looked for ways to improve every day. If you want your team to perform at its best, these are four habits worth developing.

10 questions leaders should never ask

William Montgomery — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Leadership is often portrayed as having the right answers. In reality, great leadership is more about asking the right questions.

Questions can open minds, build trust and encourage innovation. Equally, they can shut down discussion, create defensiveness and reveal more about the leader’s insecurities than the issue being discussed.

How to create a sense of belonging

William Montgomery — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0000

People rarely leave organisations, clubs or communities simply because of the work. More often, they leave because they no longer feel they belong. Leaders cannot control every disagreement or disappointment, but they can create an environment where people feel valued, connected and part of something worthwhile. A strong sense of belonging doesn't happen by chance. It is built deliberately, one interaction at a time. Here are three ways to strengthen it: