Paul Morton - Exec Coach & Advisor

Paul Morton - Exec Coach & Advisor 1:1 coach & advisor | Management foundation group training | Executive team coach

16/04/2025

The Power of Self Assessment

What’s it like to be led by you?

Most leaders go quiet when I ask that. A bit of a gut check.

But here’s the thing:

You’re not just reacting to your environment —

You’re shaping it, every day, with your presence.

The way you walk into a room.

The way you speak — or don’t.

The way your mood ripples through the team.

Your energy sets the tone.

Your presence builds the culture.

And I think it’s your degree of self-awareness that defines your impact.

You can dive into personality types and leadership models all you like (and I’ve bought most of the t-shirts):

But if you’re not asking the honest questions, none of it lands.

So start with this:

**What’s it like to be on the other side of me?**

Ask it properly. Listen to the answers.

11/04/2025

**There was blood everywhere.**

Dripping into his sandals from a good old skinned knee.

He was a brave eight. He fell hard.

Not a whimper. Just a grunt.

Wiped his face with a dirty sleeve. Got back up.

Later, I asked him, “Didn’t that hurt?”

He shrugged.

**“Yeah. But I didn’t want to miss the game.”**

And there it is. (Insert proud dad bit here…)

Some folks fall and make it / let the fall become their identity.

Others fall, feel it, and keep moving.

We don’t get to choose the fall.

But we *do* get to choose what we do next.

Fear says: “Sit down. Stay safe.”

Love says: “Get up. You’ve got more to do.”

You’re allowed to bleed.

Just don’t let the pain hold the pen.

09/04/2025

Every time I’ve tried to ‘fix’ what’s broken in myself or someone else

it ends the same way: this far you may come, but no further.

Here’s what does work:

👉 Find what someone’s already good at.

👉 Help them do more of it, better.

👉 Watch them grow, thrive, and light up.

Strengths and joy travel together.

Follow the one, and you’ll find the other.

08/04/2025

When your company rolls out a big change, like moving from spreadsheets to Salesforce, what employees *actually* hear is:

*"What you did before doesn’t matter."*

And given how tightly people align themselves to what they do at work:
That’s an identity shift.

*"Your old work doesn’t matter anymore, so neither do you."*
**The real struggle**

It’s not about the tools. It’s about *closure*.

People stay stuck in the last chapter because they never had the chance to finish it. To feel like their work *mattered*.

We have to help them do that *before* we can expect them to step into what’s next.

**What you need to do:**

**Separate purpose from tools**

- Purpose is constant. Tools evolve.
- They may have used Excel for 20 years, yet that doesn’t define them.
- Remind them *why* they started, not just *how* they’ve worked.

**Honour the past**

- Don’t erase it.
- Acknowledge the contribution.
- Closure creates confidence.

**Frame it as evolution**

- It’s not “You did it wrong.”
- It’s “You did it well and now here’s how we’ll do it even better.”

**This is practical leadership:**

Not pushing change.
But guiding people through the story of their own growth—chapter by chapter.
What have you found most helpful when leading people through change?

20/09/2024

"Revealing true skills through pattern disruption." - Mark Smith
Learn how introducing unexpected changes during assessments can uncover real talents. Mark Smith shares this innovative hiring technique on The Practical Leadership Podcast.
Listen here: The Practical Leadership Podcast - https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

Find Mark here: https://buff.ly/4cCMOKx
Listen here: https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

19/09/2024

"How are you going to respond to kind of a realistic work situation?" - Mark Smith

Discover the power of role play assessments in hiring.

On The Practical Leadership Podcast, Mark Smith explains how these scenarios reveal true candidate capabilities.

Listen here: The Practical Leadership Podcast -https://buff.ly/3wVQ049


Find Mark here: https://buff.ly/4cCMOKx

18/09/2024

"And if you're hiring, you shouldn't really care where the knowledge, where the skills came from." - Mark Smith

On The Practical Leadership Podcast, Mark Smith discusses why focusing on skills over credentials is key to better hiring.

Don’t miss this insightful conversation on skills-first hiring.


Find Mark here: https://buff.ly/4cCMOKx
Listen here: https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

17/09/2024

"The bad hire typically occurs because it's a bad personality fit." - Mark Smith

In our latest episode of The Practical Leadership Podcast, we explore why personality mismatches often lead to bad hires.

Mark Smith sheds light on how understanding personality fit is crucial for successful hiring.


Find Mark here: https://buff.ly/4cCMOKx
Listen here: https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

16/09/2024

Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Smith, a respected HR consultant with a PhD in organisational psychology.

Mark is also the author of "A Better Choice: The Manager’s Guide to Skills First Hiring."
We dive deep into the realm of hiring and uncover how adopting a skills-first approach can significantly improve your hiring success.

In this episode, Mark shares his extensive experience in talent acquisition and organisational assessments, offering practical advice and insights for leaders looking to enhance their hiring practices.

Introduction to skills-first hiring
The importance of evaluating candidates based on their skills, abilities, and motivations rather than their educational background or years of experience.

Challenges of traditional hiring practices
The common pitfalls of traditional hiring practices, such as over-reliance on education and experience as indicators of job performance.

Structured interview processes
The importance of structured interviews. Mark explains how asking consistent questions and evaluating responses in a standardised manner can enhance the reliability and validity of the interview process.

Role play assessments and pattern disruption
Mark introduces the concept of role play assessments and pattern disruption to reveal true candidate capabilities. By simulating realistic work scenarios and introducing unexpected changes, employers can better gauge how candidates handle real-world challenges.

Find Mark here: https://buff.ly/4cCMOKx

Listen here: https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

13/09/2024

"Everyone's doing their best, even when it doesn't look like it, including yourself." – Aaron Ross

Need a reminder that we're all doing our best?

Listen to Aaron Ross on The Practical Leadership Podcast for a dose of inspiration.

Listen now: https://buff.ly/3wVQ049 and where ever you find your shows

12/09/2024

"Love is a skill, not a feeling." – Aaron Ross

Want to know how to practice love in leadership and life?

Check out our latest episode of The Practical Leadership Podcast with Aaron Ross.

Catch the episode here: The Practical Leadership Podcast - and where ever you find your shows https://buff.ly/3wVQ049

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