Blackmill: not just leadership skills
You might think our mission is to teach leadership skills. Yes, we coach executives and other senior leaders. And, yes, we offer multiple different workshops...
Supporting your people leaders
High growth companies often struggle because their emerging people leaders don’t get the support they need. In reality, startups begin with very few people...
Onboarding is for promotions too
You’ve just promoted someone on your team to a leadership position. They are capable, highly performant, and with established potential to continue growing....
What's in a name?
As everyone knows, naming is hard! When we founded the company in 2017, we needed to pick a name that felt right: it had to fit what we do, and be something...
Role-modelling the behaviours you wish to see
The first time I admitted that I had fucked up, my manager at the time responded by saying “yeah, you did” and proceeded to slam his phone on the other end,...
Lack of adaptation is death
A couple of weeks ago the concept of "lack of adaptation is death" floated up in a meeting. This concept can also be described as being stuck in a rut. We do...
Risk takers
At two schools I visited in the past year the teachers encourage the children to be risk takers. I have not liked the schools' choice of phrasing. I would...
Intentional connection
Some people talk about what they get 'for free' when the team comes to the office: social interaction, deeper collaboration, team bonding, serendipitous...
Housing First
I was listening to a 99 Percent Invisible podcast titled Housing First. In the podcast, Sam Tsemberis talked about a couple of different programs to help...
How can I help you?
In 2018, NBC began airing a medical drama called “New Amsterdam”. In the show Dr. Goodwin came in as the new medical director, who set out to reduce...
Incrementally Better
G'day, As a leader, I often feel pressure or the burden of expectations to provide a truly exceptional culture and workplace. I need to have the right...
Is it people or the systems?
G'day, I came across something a while ago that stated that most organisational problems are due to poorly designed systems rather than issues with people....
Lead with authority vs influence
G'day, At RubyConf AU the other week, I caught up with a past workshop attendee, now a staff engineer. They told me their largest struggle is when to lead...
Fika Time!
I recently read a book about hygge and one of its chapters talks about the importance of fika. How both hygge and fika are about making the most of moments...
You can’t manage what’s not measured
The start of a new year is an excellent time to take stock of where you and your team are at. You can look at how your environment, systems, and processes...
Retro time!
G'day We have a team lunch every couple of weeks and the last one we had for the year included a team retrospective. We had delicious savoury mazniks and our...
Think like a scientist
In his latest book, Think Again, Adam Grant says: “we think and talk with the mindsets of three different professions: preachers, prosecutors and...
Purposeful drifting
G'day, This month, I hit my two year anniversary with Blackmill and I'm stoked about it! I have learnt so much in this space of time. From parenting during...
Where's the fun?
G'day With the rise of remote work due to COVID-19, organisations have been forced to figure out how to drive engagement, retain talent, and keep things...
Self confidence vs self doubt at work
G'day, Self-confidence and success can be a catch-22 problem: "I would be confident if I succeed but I need to be confident to succeed". The more confident...