Category Archives: Founders
A Day in the Life of a Head of People / People Director
People are often curious about what I actually do all day. The honest answer is that no two days look the same, but let me let you in on a fairly typical one. Come and sit in the passenger seat. … Continue reading
The Best Interviewee Isn’t Always the Best Hire (an honest look at “competency based” interviews)
Here’s something worth knowing if you hire people. Competency based interviews, the “tell me about a time when…” format that’s become the default in a lot of organisations, are well intentioned. They’re designed to bring structure and consistency to hiring … Continue reading
Low Risk. High Impact. The Business Case for Fractional HR.
Something I hear from founders quite a lot goes something like this: “I know I need proper HR support. I’m just not quite at the stage where I can justify hiring someone yet.” And I completely understand that instinct. Hiring … Continue reading
Growing Pains? Here’s what helps
There’s a moment every scaling business hits that nobody really warns you about. The moment when goodwill stops being enough. At the start everything works because everyone knows each other. The team is small. The founder is visible and present. … Continue reading
Psychological Safety – What does it look like?
🔇 We talk a lot about psychological safety in the workplace. But what does it actually mean in practice? It’s not about being nice.It’s not about avoiding difficult conversations.It’s not about wrapping people in cotton wool.
So, what does great leadership look like?
People perform best in an environment where they are coached, encouraged, inspired and supported to reach their full potential, and when that happens, the company reaches its full potential.
Your First HR Hire Is Not a Junior Job.
There’s a piece of advice doing the rounds that’s going to cost founders dearly, as it lacks understanding about what a build actually needs. The really worrying thing is that it’s from a source that’s supposedly credible and so has … Continue reading
What founders actually need from an HR person and why most of us get it wrong
Founders don’t need an HR function. They need someone who understands that their business isn’t a business to them. It’s everything. And that changes everything. Continue reading