Featuring: Road Racing Journalist of the Year 2025: Stevie Rial Toucan Ventures: Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025: Rasha Saïd & Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025 Visual Communication Innovator of the Year 2025: Laura Evans-Hill Visionary Leadership Awards 2025
About the SME Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 Phone: 01283 365204 Website: smenews.digital Sofi Parry Senior Editor No information contained on or in this website constitutes investment advice or an offer to invest or to provide management services and is subject to correction, completion and amendment without notice. Neither AI nor any of its associated entities are authorised to give financial advice of any nature nor are they regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Prior to making any investment, AI recommends that any prospective investor should consult with its own investment, accounting, legal and tax advisers to evaluate independently the risks, consequences and suitability of that investment. AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Celebrating the Leaders Shaping the Future of UK Business At SME News, we understand that true leadership goes beyond titles and job descriptions. It’s about vision, resilience, and the ability to inspire meaningful change. In a business environment that’s constantly evolving, the role of leaders has never been more critical. From navigating economic uncertainty to embracing digital transformation and promoting inclusive practices, today’s leaders are tasked with driving innovation while staying grounded in purpose. The Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 has been launched to recognise and celebrate the individuals who are not just responding to change but actively shaping the future of UK business. These are the trailblazers who lead with clarity, integrity, and ambition, turning challenges into opportunities and ideas into action. This campaign highlights the value of purposeful leadership in all its forms. Whether you’re transforming internal operations, fostering sustainable practices, advancing technology, or guiding people through complex transitions, your contribution matters. Our goal is to shine a light on those who are setting new standards, breaking boundaries, and leaving a lasting legacy in their sectors.
Contents 4. Road Racing Journalist of the Year 2025: Stevie Rial 5. Toucan Ventures: Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025: Rasha Saïd & Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025 6. Visual Communication Innovator of the Year 2025: Laura Evans-Hill 8. The AI Advantage Gap: Bosses Benefit While Workers Miss Out 9. Unlocking Collective Genius: The Leader’s Guide to Crowdsourcing Innovation from Your Employees 11. Trouble at Work? How To Move From The Drama Triangle
Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 / 4 Road Racing Journalist of the Year 2025: Stevie Rial Few journalists are as passionate about what they do as Stevie Rial, who has been the owner and editor of Road Racing News, a website offering the best online coverage of pure road racing, since 2014. Road Racing News never misses a story, and for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the site every month – for whom this is the most exciting sport on planet earth – the insight Stevie provides into this world is something they cherish deeply. To find out more about both the website and his career, we caught up with Stevie. The year before he established Road Racing News, Stevie graduated from Leeds University/Hull College Art & Design with a degree in digital media journalism, marking his first steps on the road to achieving his dream of becoming a journalist. Recognising a gap in the market for worldwide coverage of road racing, something he has always been a fan of, Stevie created Road Racing News to provide the public with objective, up-to-date news on all things racing. This includes race reports and interviews, with stories from around the world being published daily. “Our ethos is to show the world the positive side of road racing, along with safeguarding its rich heritage.” Across his role as the editor of Road Racing News, Stevie sees his responsibility as being not only to the website and its international fans, but also to the wider sport. His dedication as a journalist and status as an acclaimed author – Stevie has written four books on the sport to date – has helped to take real road racing to a level of popularity not seen for decades. Aside from the website and his books, this is seen further through his presence as a live blogger, something which has earned him respect from fans both in the UK and globally. Regardless of whether he is writing for Road Racing News or his latest book on the sport, Stevie always strives to report without bias, share the truth, and never pursue baseless rumours for the sake of a story. To this end, before anything is published, Stevie makes sure to consult with the individuals the story concerns, ensuring their quotes are correct and that they are happy the content is accurate. Such an approach makes Stevie well admired by his fellow journalists, many of whom have been in the industry longer than him. “Everyone understands Road Racing News’ dedication to reporting the truth”, Stevie told us. This has been a cornerstone of Stevie’s brand since day one, even in the early days when he was struggling to fit into the clique of established journalists. By remaining relentless in his pursuit of accurate, unbiased journalism, Stevie began to receive openings for meets and racing magazines, which only strengthened the output quality and readership of his site. Today, Stevie has written more than 10,000 articles for Road Racing News. As integral as he is to the brand, Stevie could not have done it alone, and the photographers whose outstanding images complement Stevie’s words have proven equally pivotal in the website’s success . Along with this, Stevie also credits his family – Debra and Steven Rial – as well Jack Sowden of Sowden Digital, without whom Road Racing News would not be the resounding triumph that it is today. Despite Road Racing News’ enduring popularity, Stevie is aiming to take the website and its brand higher and further – employing more people, interviewing new racing connections, and striking partnerships with like-minded businesses. Stevie added: “I will also continue to try attending different events, endeavouring to report freelance to national newspapers for greater exposure for the sport of road racing and keeping it at the forefront of motorsport.” It is thanks to people like Stevie Rial – who is really the only the journalist of his kind to be working with such in-depth statistics and information in this space – that pure road racing has experienced a surge in popularity through the likes of social media and online news, even with traditional print publications rapidly decreasing. People from more than 180 countries today visit his website, a figure that Stevie never could have imagined possible. Although the season in the UK finishes around October, the rest of the year remains busy for Road Racing News, which will continue to report on stories and events from around the world. To stay up to date on all of the latest coverage of road racing, simply follow the link below, where visitors will also find an exciting range of Road Racing News merchandise, from books and t-shirts to gifts. Contact: Stevie Rial Company: Road Racing News Web Address: https://roadracingnews.co.uk/ AIS-Aug25368 A
Toucan Ventures is home to the Toucan Project, which helps to support students in building better lives with access to education, vocational training, and internship opportunities. Aiding students from disadvantaged backgrounds, Toucan Ventures’ project ensures that they are each welcomed into this community of Toucan Fellows. Here we highlight visionary leader Dr Rasha Saïd for her dedication to the business’ mission. Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025: Rasha Saïd & Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025 Toucan Ventures Building Better Lives As Founder of Toucan Ventures, and CoChair of The Saïd Foundation, Dr Rasha Saïd’s goal is to spread the word in addition to providing the best opportunities for disadvantaged individuals around the world. With a rich academic background herself, Rasha wishes to share her experiences with other people. Although studying medicine at college, she swiftly came up with the idea of leading a business which helps people to receive the education and opportunities that they deserve. She told us that this was something she expected to build, but the more she has developed the company the more she has realised how integral it is to communities and society as a whole. Empowering people to make a positive change in the world, by providing access to the education everyone should receive if they wish, Rasha and her team at Toucan Ventures work tirelessly to partner with an ecosystem of trusted partners. These partnerships are collaborative and highly ambitious to ensure that individuals can receive the higher education they need to be vocal as the #nextgen of global leaders. Pairing with universities and foundations to create an online world of micro universities for micro courses, Toucan Ventures brings the best education to students around the world. In addition, these micro universities extend to physical spaces for students to learn, collaborate, and expand their horizons. These universities can also be built anywhere around the globe and, therefore, this blended education approach continues to enrich the lives of many disadvantaged students who may not have had access to higher education at all, or to this degree. This blended education angle, stemming from Toucan Ventures’ desire to offer its best-in-class services, has made many partnerships possible as well as unwaveringly strong. Rasha told us that she is always excited and very aligned with the company’s pursuit of excellence and purpose which results in sharing conversations, shared learning, and the Toucan Project’s all-encompassing service. Rasha is immensely grateful for the partnerships that mean the micro universities mentioned are possible. Working with the UNHCR, DAFI, The King’s Trust, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, and more, Toucan Ventures continues to offer the support required to shine a light on students and partners while delivering exceptional and high quality work. Rasha also enjoys being on the same page as a platform, so that her work, and the work of the entire company including its partnerships, makes a true impact. As some UK universities look to merge, which may be an emerging trend due to a lack of funding, Rasha commented that Toucan Ventures, and its community, needs extra support in the sector. The business is working hard to come up with solutions to this as it collaborates with many different partners. She believes that we all need to stick together for the greater good of the future ahead – keeping the future generations in mind, as they will be our future leaders and influencers. As more partners and collaborations are needed, while upkeeping the high standards of higher education and internship opportunities, Rasha is truly proud of what this project is achieving so far. This is a time of sticking together and shining a light on each other’s brilliance. She always wishes to shine a light on those businesses and business models, celebrating success and not competing. As Toucan Ventures pushes to collaborate not compete, the future is looking increasingly bright for students across the map especially as they will be the individuals and communities shaping the way our society operates. Rasha is an optimist at heart who turns challenges into windows for opportunity. She ensures that everyone is on the same page, sharing a common vision and language. Whether that’s for students, women in work, or simply anyone looking to partner up with Toucan Ventures to change the world for the better. “If you see something that’s a natural obstacle, nothing is impossible.” We’re delighted to celebrate Rasha’s success in our programme as Higher Education Visionary of the Year 2025, and we’re also proud to award her with our Community Empowerment Excellence Award 2025. Here’s to a better future ahead as Toucan Ventures creates more opportunities for individuals who will inevitably become #nextgen leaders for our world. Contact: Dr Rasha Saïd Company: Toucan Ventures Website: https://thetoucanproject.com/ AIM-Aug25140
Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 / 6 Visual Communication Innovator of the Year 2025: Laura Evans-Hill From ancient cave paintings to modern murals, visual storytelling is a fundamental aspect of human expression. Our brains are wired to respond to visual cues 60,000 times faster than text and this method of communication allows audiences to process information more efficiently, bridging the gaps between languages, skillsets, and understanding. Championing this ethos is Nifty Fox Creative, a forward-thinking company helping researchers and public sector organisations engage to audiences and find clarity in complexity through visual storytelling with impact. Based in Barnsley, Nifty Fox Creative is an award-winning research communications agency helping academics and public sector leaders translate their insights into impact through visual storytelling. At its core, the agency believes in using visual storytelling for social good and ensuring that all voices are heard to make meaningful change, whether through infographics and animation, live scribing and co-design, or visual communication training. This mission is headed by Laura Evans-Hill, Founder and Director of Nifty Fox Creative. Before founding the agency, Laura trained as a social researcher and worked in universities for ten years in widening participation. Her role entailed translating the work of universities into languages and mediums that people who do not traditionally engage with universities would understand. Laura saw firsthand the sheer volume of exceptional research that promised to truly make a difference yet is ignored simply due to poor communication. “I knew that my purpose was to drive positive societal change by helping researchers communicate differently so that their message landed with audiences,” she told us. “I would have continued to do this within the university sector. However, I developed chronic fatigue syndrome and was bedbound for 12 months, forcing me to leave my job and take time out to rethink my future. This is where Nifty Fox was born – out of a frustration that academic and higher education could be doing better, and the need to do something that allowed me to be creative and flexible.” In 2017, Laura started by working one day a week, which was all she could manage at the time. Laura’s experience as a researcher in widening participation has given her the sectoral expertise to offer a unique, tailored communications package to a sector typically hesitant to work with creatives, whilst her management experience and knowledge of team cultures has enabled her to develop a positive, people-first team of her own. What’s more, Laura’s time with chronic fatigue syndrome had equipped her with the compassion, drive, resilience, and purpose that are essential to surviving the challenge of running a high-growth business. Today, Laura has made a full recovery and applies herself to the agency full-time. In less than a decade, she has expanded to a team of ten, successfully established a seven-figure business, and worked on projects that truly make a difference to the world. Over time, Laura has found her role to shift from Founder and “Doer” to serving as the rudder of the Nifty Fox ship, ensuring her crew are clear on their direction and empowered with the sails and oars to propel the agency further. This has required a significant shift in mindset for the Founder, an ongoing journey that has doubled as a substantial opportunity for the team. “Every business challenge is a manifestation of the individual at the heart of it. I personally have had to grow for us to level up as a business, and my team around me in the same way too,” she shared. “Challenges have ranged from dealing with the chaos of high growth whilst building a team; maintaining a stellar client experience whilst training that team; and staying nimble, energetic, and restless in an ever-changing landscape. As the team grows, changes, and contributes, we are going further than I ever thought possible.” Under Laura’s leadership, Nifty Fox Creative has worked with more than 50 universities internationally, over 3000 researchers, and more than 80 public sector organisations, including the NHS, UK Government, the UN, and international parliaments needing to tell their stories in a way that will make their audience listen. Looking ahead, the agency intends to continue building upon its success, with the theme for 2025 and 2026 being “scaling smart.” Ultimately, Laura hopes to leave a legacy of supporting leaders to collaborate, communicate, and change-make through visual storytelling. Since entering the industry, she has worked tirelessly to make meaningful change through creative communication and has remained wholly steadfast in her mission for more than a decade. For her exceptional efforts in simplifying complexities, engaging audiences, and driving true change through purposeful pictures, Laura Evans-Hill has been rightfully recognised as the Visual Communication Innovator of the Year 2025. Contact: Laura Evans-Hill Web Address: www.niftyfoxcreative.com AIM-Aug25143
Subscribe to SME News for quarterly content & updates View the latest issues of our quarterly digital magazine which features business profiles and features of leading industry insiders who are thriving in the small business sector. Subscribe Now!
Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 / 8 The AI Advantage Gap: Bosses Benefit While Workers Miss Out • Employment Hero’s Work that Works report reveals a growing divide in AI usage across job levels and generations • Nearly three-quarters (73%) of senior managers use AI monthly, compared to just 32% of entry-level staff • Millennials are the heaviest users of AI, ahead of Gen Z • Poor AI rollout in the workplace is linked to a 50% drop in employee productivity New research from global employment platform, Employment Hero, has revealed the emergence of an “AI advantage gap” across UK small businesses, with senior leaders far more likely to use and benefit from AI than junior staff. The “Work that Works” report has uncovered a stark divide in how AI is being adopted at work – with bosses and older millennials seeing the benefits in their day-to-day productivity, while entry-level workers risk being left behind. While nearly three-quarters (73%) of senior managers use AI monthly, this drops to just 32% for entry-level employees. Despite popular claims that Gen Z are leading the AI charge, it’s millennials who are actually the heaviest users. This generational and professional divide is creating an uneven playing field, with AI tools largely concentrated at the top. Leaders are setting the pace, but many workers lack guidance, or access to tools relevant to their roles. As one respondent from the report highlighted: “The installation of AI and making employees aware about how to use it, is the biggest challenge for our business nowadays” Head of People, business size 50-99. Poor AI rollout linked to productivity loss While over half of UK business leaders credit AI for improving productivity, the report also finds that poor implementation is harming output. Employees who feel excluded from AI initiatives report a 50% decline in their own productivity. Productivity is also halved if a business has no/low level introduction and adoption of AI. Small businesses at higher risk The gap is even more pronounced in smaller firms. The data shows that companies with fewer than 50 employees are half as likely to have implemented AI, despite technology being cited as the number one driver of productivity growth. Compared to larger firms, SMEs are: • 28% less likely to invest in technology • Nearly half as likely to prioritise technical knowledge in staff • More likely to say they are operating in “survival mode” Without greater support, smaller businesses face falling further behind. Cutting through the AI myths The research also helps redefine AI’s impact on workers, confronting the widespread belief that it’s merely a shortcut. According to the report, when employees use AI tools regularly, the impact is overwhelmingly positive – 40% feel less overwhelmed and 38% report better quality output. These figures suggest that AI isn’t replacing work, but improving it. Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director of Employment Hero said: “AI is only delivering productivity gains for some, and that’s a huge problem. “For technology to drive meaningful change, it needs to be in the hands of everyone. That means investing not just in access to tools, but in the training, support and confidence people need to actually use them. “We need a trickle-down , human-centred approach to AI adoption. One that starts with leadership, but quickly and intentionally reaches every corner of the business. “Closing the AI advantage gap is essential – not just for the success of individual companies, but for improving productivity across the UK economy.”
Many organizations aspire toward unique, creative ideas that set them apart in the marketplace. Instead of looking outward, companies should look to their employees and leverage their expertise through crowdsourcing and collaboration. Unlocking Collective Genius: The Leader’s Guide to Crowdsourcing Innovation from Your Employees The Importance of Collaboration Great ideas often come from multiple sources, making collaboration and group ideation an excellent breeding ground for discoveries. Open crowdsourcing and collaboration allow different ideas to come together. People with different disciplines bring various perspectives that can lead to breakthroughs in a specific field. These differences can also lead to better chances at solving problems or adapting to new situations. People can look at an issue or goal from various angles, sharing ideas or approaches that others might miss. Take Bell Labs in Holmdel, New Jersey, for example. It was once an idea factory with an office architecturally designed to encourage serendipitous encounters between experts across various fields, fostering innovation and creativity. 6 Tips for Crowdsourcing Innovative Ideas in an Organization Crowdsourcing for innovation requires more than conducting a survey. It entails creating environments and systems where ideas can thrive and flow freely within the organization. Leaders can leverage these best practices to effectively source innovative ideas from employees: 1. Inform Employees About Organizational Priorities Even within a larger group, crowdsourcing requires specificity. Leaders must offer detailed parameters about what they’re looking for. It’s best to inform the team about the company’s goals and priorities, as this information will allow them to start more productive conversations and offer helpful insights and solutions. For example, instead of asking employees for ideas on improving general sales, leaders might want to explore how the company can increase its sales in a specific city. If the company is concerned about its cybersecurity posture, it might want to crowdsource ideas for better team engagement, especially since criminals often target minimally trained employees. Conversations don’t have to be restrictive — ideas can veer from the main topic and touch on related concerns. However, asking specific questions guides the discussion and ensures the company meets its goals. 2. Establish Safe Spaces People need to know their ideas are welcome. Leaders must create an environment where anyone can share their ideas without fear of harsh evaluation or punishment. Building this type of culture doesn’t happen overnight. Managers must demonstrate their commitment to creating such a culture through constant communication, asking questions and constructive conversations. 3. Encourage Diverse Perspectives It’s vital to be proactive in seeking out diverse perspectives so that all employees feel represented. A recent study found that 80% of an organization’s members found it important that the organization provides valuable and targeted content. This type of content could include a personalized approach based on members’ demographics. Leaders must prioritize creating an inclusive workplace where different cultures and ethnicities feel welcome. When crowdsourcing ideas, leaders may want to conduct focus groups or one-on-one conversations where various groups can speak their minds. 4. Practice Active Listening According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer report, listening is one of the top three actions that builds trust across multiple sectors, including business, nonprofits and the government. Active listening is a critical skill for effective collaboration. It ensures that participants understand one another and are responding based on shared goals. Active listening allows teams to maintain productive conversations and build on each other’s ideas — processes essential to innovation. 5. Set Criteria for Evaluating Suggestions If employees feel inspired and welcome, leaders will likely receive many ideas. However, not all suggestions might make the cut. When announcing the crowdsourcing initiative, leaders should also mention the criteria for the suggestions they would implement, especially for more project or policy-based entries. Communicating these guidelines in advance ensures transparency and dispels potential rumors of favoritism or bias. 6. Recognize and Reward Contributions Coming up with new projects or campaigns for the workplace takes effort. Teams should celebrate and reward these contributions, especially the most successful ones. Acknowledge notable contributions across various work-related channels, whether in person or on the organization’s intranet. If possible, teams should reward chosen suggestions financially or with desirable work-related perks. Workforce Empowerment for Innovation Engaging employees and encouraging feedback and collaboration helps develop a wellspring of innovation. When members see the value of the organization’s goals and its openness toward new ideas, innovation will flow.
Visionary Leadership Awards 2025 / 10 If you often find yourself walking on eggshells with a colleague, or want to rescue a coworker who is struggling, or feel you often need to give guidance to others who then don’t take your advice, you may be unknowingly trapped in a dysfunctional and damaging dynamic known as Karpman’s Drama Triangle. According to CIPD’s Good Work Index 2024, eight million UK employees, which is one in four, experienced workplace conflict in the previous year. This drama in the workplace disrupts relationships, productivity, performance, engagement, collaboration and morale, and undermines leadership. Recognising The Drama Triangle At Work In the workplace, the drama triangle provides a set of behavioural frameworks that people instinctively resort to in times of crisis. The Drama Triangle comprises three psychologically unhealthy roles: the Victim, the Rescuer, and the Persecutor, and their relationship involves a routinely used yet ineffective response to conflict and crisis. The victim constantly seeks help and approval, the persecutor is perceived as the pot stirrer, and the rescuer wants to be seen as virtuous but gets overly involved. A lot of effort goes into establishing or trying to escape these roles. A healthier resolution is to move away from personal validation and the drama, towards solutions. The Victim employee constantly feels overwhelmed, powerless and unsupported, employing an unhealthy mindset of “Why is this always happening to me?”. They passively rely heavily on others to fix their problems rather than using their initiative and taking ownership. This erodes the Victim’s self-confidence and problem-solving skills, as they never feel they have the answers or resources. The Victim may use early escalation to senior management or HR, making complaints or grievances, or going off sick, thereby possibly also sabotaging their own progress at work, as well as other relationships, projects, or processes. The Rescuer repeatedly intervenes to deescalate conflicts without being asked to because they feel it is the right thing to do. While driven by good intentions, they often take over tasks completely rather than empowering the Victim to find their own solutions, creating dependency and undermining the Victim’s professional growth. This often results in the Rescuer colleague prioritising others’ needs over their own, potentially damaging their career, prolonging the drama, and reinforcing the Victim’s sense of helplessness. The Persecutor(s) may be unaware of their role in the triangle, or they may not mean to create drama but inadvertently contribute to it, partly due to their style and personality. Narcissists, for example, don’t necessarily recognise what they are doing and the effect they have on others. Persecutors are likely to be demanding and have a desire for control. They often blame others without offering guidance or constructive criticism and have a mentality which just wants things done. We can also move between the roles.For example, in attempting to reclaim their voice, the colleague in the Victim role may unintentionally adopt an aggressive or defensive tone, slipping into the ‘Persecutor’ role instead. Why This Matters in the Workplace Drama in the workplace can be caused by just about anything, from personality clashes, different points of view, backgrounds, narratives and perspectives and miscommunication. The Drama Triangle can also go undetected, especially when it becomes embedded in poor work culture. As we become more polarised, conflict escalates more rapidly and we become both adversarial and aggressive, unable to explore and seek to understand alternative narratives. Finding ways to de-escalate is increasingly likely to be paramount for organisations going forward. How To Break The Cycle At Work 1. Be more self-aware and recognise the roles we all play. Gain awareness that you are involved in drama and gain understanding of your pattern of reactivity, defensiveness and victimhood. Determine your position in the triangle and notice whether you feel trapped. Show curiosity and actively decide to free yourself from these invisible but limiting roles. To step away, develop your assertiveness, compassion, empathy, and, most importantly, self-awareness. 2. Step into the Triangle’s centre and recognise the elements of all three roles. Pause and reflect before reacting to conflict. Then move outside it using your new selfawareness. Ask yourself: Am I expecting others to fix my problems without explicitly asking them? Am I blaming colleagues when we have different objectives? Noticing your patterns is key to adapting them. Identify the real issues. 3. Embrace the Empowerment Dynamic. Developed by David Emerald Womeldorff, the Empowerment Triangle offers an alternative to the dysfunctional roles of the Drama Triangle. The roles change from Victims to Creators, Rescuers to Coaches and Leaders, and Persecutors to Challengers, who work together to move from problems to finding good outcomes and building trust. Being a Creator means taking ownership of problems and proactively seeking solutions rather than waiting for someone else to fix them. They set boundaries and remain focused on their core responsibilities, trusting their judgement in isolation from the ‘Rescuer’. The Coach encourages others to explore solutions for themselves while being compassionate and asking guiding questions, offering resources, Trouble at Work? How To Move From The Drama Triangle
or simply holding space for a colleague to resolve their issues. They can also say no when appropriate. Challengers can continue to maintain high standards but change their communication style to ask questions, offer constructive rather than harmful feedback, and encourage others to think differently. This approach motivates and uplifts, giving others a chance to reflect and grow. 4. Take a critical step back and recognise your response to conflict. Consider the alternatives available to shift the dynamic from drama and excuses to solutions. Think differently and deeply to challenge accepted narratives. 5. Stay in adult mode. Recognise your responsibility and accountability and what goes with your role and communicate effectively. We are often encouraged and drawn to convenience and the easy way out these days. Recognise responsibility and where to draw the line in supporting people. 6. Use calm, non-blaming language And focus on empathy, clarity and understanding to harmoniously shift conversations away from blame and towards practical solutions. 7. Review the options for solutions. Understand the expectations and experience of everyone involved. Do you need to gather more information? What do you need to do to look after yourself whilst you are in the midst of the drama? Sometimes people become very entrenched in their roles and resist moving beyond the drama triangle, especially if their roles have not been self-identified. Ask someone to help you with this, such as a coach. Leaders 8. If you notice a ‘drama’ playing out in your team, the first thing is not to join in. Aim to remain independent and in a calm state. See who else is being dragged into the drama triangle. Ensure you have a broad perspective on the issue. Encourage them not to escalate but to find their own solutions with support and to be self-determining. 9. Have a resolutionary framework Or processes in place that empowers colleagues to explore issues early, before they get stuck in specific roles and conflict. 10. Build a healthy culture Of good communication, open dialogue and deep listening. A victim mentality, for example, can get embedded into a culture very quickly. Ultimately, tension is defused by creating psychological safety within the workplace, where people feel supported rather than attacked.
smenews.digitalRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTY1MjM3