David Stewart, RYP International

There is an old saying “not a lot of sense is common!” There are things that should be taken as a given in life. Things such as manners, not talking over people, being polite, saying please and thank you, looking at people who are talking to you, and assuming best intentions when dealing with colleagues. To be respected you must first be respectful. So, when our elected Members of Parliament require a code of conduct on how to act and behave to prevent bullying, sexual harassment, and inappropriate behaviour, you have to ask what happened to common sense?

Turns out this year is a unique year for the world. Over half the global population will be going to the polls in over 60 countries to elect their next leader ... When it comes to voting, it gets down to a decision of character. Who you trust. It is the same when you are recruiting people.

It seems every day there is a never-ending chorus of what we need to do, what is wrong with the world, and what is good for us. I was thinking about this the other week when I was stuck in a grid-lock traffic jam outside a university due to a student protest. They were determined to cause the most disruption to the traffic as they possibly could.

Change and comfort do not co-exist. That is a fact. If change is a constant in life, then the ability to manage oneself through all life changes is a critical personal attribute. Self-management is a core life skill. It involves our ability to control our thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and actions effectively ...

Charles Darwin was right when he said: "It is not the strongest nor most intelligent of the species that survives, but the one that is most adaptable to change!" The ability to adapt is just as important for a business as it is for staff. History is littered with organisations that failed to adapt ...

As the world gets more complex, the need to problem solve is a critical employability skill. We seem to live in a world where our “patience is appreciated” but problems are not solved. An example is when you have the misfortune to contact a telecommunications, utility, financial services, or government organisation ... Problem solving and accountability go hand in hand!

There is an old saying. Just because you said something does not mean they heard you. We live in the 24/7 communication age. The challenge for any leader is which form of communication is the most effective ... 10 communication tips for our next generation ...

The World Economic Forum and The International Leadership and Management Congress have undertaken some research to identify the critical employability skills our next generation will need to acquire and apply over their career. Employability skills are what every employer looks for in any new hire.

Last week I attended and spoke at an International Leadership and Management Conference in Liverpool UK. It is an annual conference where academics and practitioners come together to share and explore the latest research and new trends on leadership. One of the key themes discussed that impacted me was the session on how technology and AI is impacting on our next generation’s ability to critically think.

I've heard leaders who refer to themselves as “straight shooters,” who will "call people out", and "hold them to account". This is all well and good. However, if combined with an aggressive tone of voice and language, this approach can put people on edge. Such leaders might be challenged on the importance of being respectful, empathetic, and personable to be deemed credible.