Posts by Gretel Bakker

Adaptive Leadership: Thriving in Complexity

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”– Charles Darwin Our world is a complex, unpredictable ecosystem, teeming with interwoven networks—natural and man-made—that...
Gretel Bakker & Dr. Hayley Linthwaite
Insights Leadership

Faciliative Leadership: The Art of Holding Space for Transformation 

Over the many years of working in the field of transformation, I have formed the opinion that facilitative leadership is not just a skill, it’s an art, a way of being, and a constant act of self-awareness, self-regulation, and attuning...
Gretel Bakker
Insights Leadership

The Art of Connection: A Curiosity for the New Year

As one year ends and another begins, we find ourselves in a unique space of possibility—a pause between the past and the future. This transitional moment invites questions rather than answers: What have I learned? What am I ready to...
Gretel Bakker
Insights Storytelling Storytelling

Horizontal Leadership

The role of a leader is transforming. Our ever-changing environment means that organisations are adapting to be more agile, innovative, and customer-focused. Moving to deeper levels of agility is calling on us to lead “horizontally.” The leadership of the past...
Gretel Bakker & Marcus de Courtenay & Dr. Marianne de Pierres
Culture Insights Leadership Teams

Leveraging Creative and Critical Thinking for Better Decision-Making

We hear a lot about critical thinking in the workplace and how it’s needed to exercise good judgment in solving complex problems. But what constitutes critical thinking? Is it something that we practice in isolation from other forms of intelligence?...
Dr. Marianne de Pierres & Gretel Bakker
Conscious leadership Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Insights Leadership Leadership skills Storytelling

Psychological Safety: The Magic Recipe

“Today’s leaders must be willing to take on the job of driving fear out of the organisation to create the conditions for learning, innovation, and growth.” – Amy Edmondson You may recall the terrible tragedy of the Boeing 737 MAX...
Gretel Bakker & Marcus de Courtenay
Culture Insights Leadership Learning and Development Strategy Teams