After nearly forty years of driving, I had never had any traffic offences, not even a speeding ticket. That was until this summer!

Whether you’re a driver, a leader or both, you are never far from coming unstuck by making assumptions about how to deal with what looks like a familiar situation.

“Versatile managers are consistently regarded as the most effective leaders in their organisations.”

If this conclusion on research is true, then why wouldn’t you want to become more versatile as a leader?

How a strategy I worked with one client to develop has survived contact with the real world and is now delivering real business results.

I wonder, do you take any notice of the advice about getting away from your screen a few times a day so you can rest your eyes?

By refocussing on something just outside the window or across the office (if you remember those days), you flex your eye muscles and you reduce the risk of long-term eye damage.

When my wife and I celebrated a significant wedding anniversary a few years ago, we decided to visit Edinburgh for a long weekend. As we set out excitedly on our journey one bright, sunny morning, we closed the front door behind us.

A few hours later, we had successfully reached our destination, the suitcases were unpacked, and we were getting ready for our evening meal.

I regularly walk my dog in Coventry’s War Memorial Park. Though not as famous as New York's Central Park, it's the closest thing Coventry has to it - well-loved and well-used by the local community.

But going to the same place pretty much every day can, quite frankly, be boring. Sound familiar?

It struck me recently that listening is a bit like driving. What I mean is that most people would probably say that they are a good listener, in the same way they would probably say they are a good driver. After all, who would want to admit to being bad at either?

I'm sure that many of you, like me, have returned from your holiday this summer and looked at your home with a fresh pair of eyes. Maybe it’s much clearer to you which room you should decorate first or you’ve finally found the motivation to start that building or garden project you’ve been thinking about.