Retaining talent…The importance of feeling known

Sep 26th, 2024

Retaining and attracting the best talent is definitely on the priority list of all my clients. The cost of losing someone you value, its impact on the team and […]

The first 100 days… Seven action points for a new leader

Jul 11th, 2024

I was delighted to be asked to write an article for Prime Resi, following Sir Keir Starmer’s appointment, to address the key actions that leaders in new roles will find […]

Eight leadership lessons to look out for during a summer of sport

Jun 19th, 2024

With a summer of sport ahead of us, including the Paris Olympics, Wimbledon and the European Football Championships, we are likely to see a number of uplifting sporting success […]

Agile Leadership – What Clients Want

May 28th, 2024

(Agile Leaders Series, No. 3) “Our intelligence is what makes us human, and AI is an extension of that quality.” – Yann LeCun […]

The value of Trust …and the danger of losing it

May 21st, 2024

Trust in leadership is a hot topic at the moment with politicians in the UK and US asking us to choose who we trust to lead us for the […]

The Competitive Advantage of Exquisite Service

May 8th, 2024

When was the last time you experienced exquisite service? Service that made a lasting impression on you that is impossible to forget? In this age of intense competition and […]

Driving Growth – 5 ways to embed a growth culture

Apr 16th, 2024

April brings with it Spring – a season of growth for the natural world around us. With many financial years running from April, it is also a time when […]

Women on Board – Your Time is Now

Mar 6th, 2024

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance” Vernā Myers As International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe on 8th March, this year’s […]

The role leadership plays in driving change… International Women’s Day 2024

Feb 28th, 2024

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day 2024 is “Inspire Inclusion”, which emphasises the critical role that leadership, particularly at the board level, plays in setting the tone […]

Communicating to influence – Rules for election campaigns and business success

Feb 2nd, 2024

With the UK and US elections looming, we are set to be bombarded by messaging from political leaders seeking to gain our trust and influence us. Whether from party […]

2024 – how leaders can focus on growth in a year of change

Jan 8th, 2024

I was delighted to be asked to write an article for PrimeResi to look at how business leaders can focus on growth during a year of change, the five priorities […]

Be ready for 2024: Six ways to reflect and revive

Dec 13th, 2023

December brings with it an often manic race to finish off projects, socialise with clients and a big push to end the year on a high. The festive break, […]

What would your Christmas advert be?

Nov 14th, 2023

Christmas adverts are back on our screens. Businesses spend most of the year planning them because, unlike normal adverts, they are not actually selling products, they are telling stories […]

What level of trust have you built with your team?

Oct 24th, 2023

As trust in politicians and the media declines, employees are placing greater emphasis on the trust they have in their employers and leaders. Understanding what your people want from […]

September Reset: 5 Tips to kick-start the final quarter and optimise the year ahead

Sep 18th, 2023

Despite the weather trying to argue otherwise, for most of us September marks the end of the summer period and the countdown to the end of the year. Having […]

Exquisite service is about doing, not saying

Jul 31st, 2023

I was delighted to write an article for PrimeResi that looked at the importance of providing exquisite service to customers and clients, with tips on how to ensure you deliver […]

10 ways to increase your influence

Jun 21st, 2023

What does it take to have influence? With influence, people are drawn to you and listen to what you have to say, even if they don’t agree. It usually […]

Critical conversations for business success …and six ways to make the most of them

Apr 18th, 2023

Many business leaders tell me that the most challenging part of their role is not driving their business forward, but the managing of people. Specifically, the need to dedicate […]

Eight ways to level the playing field for women to succeed

Mar 8th, 2023

As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 it was encouraging to read about the progress that has been made around female leadership. The proportion of women in board roles […]

Are you sitting comfortably?

Feb 1st, 2023

Why storytelling is so important to leaders This week is National Story Telling Week and children in schools up and down the country have been taking part, but […]

Seven leadership priorities for 2023

Jan 4th, 2023

I was delighted to be asked to write an article for PrimeResi to look at some of the priorities business leaders should have for the year ahead. The article below […]

Be Ready for 2023: Five Tips to Switch Off, Reflect and Revive

Dec 7th, 2022

2022 in numbers highlights just how much this year has been about constant change. Four Chancellors. Three Prime Ministers. Two Monarchs… Partridge in a Pear Tree season is therefore […]

Be Aware of Today’s Workplace Stressors … 7 insights on how to build resilience to them

Nov 9th, 2022

This week is International Stress Awareness week and its theme is ‘Working Together to Build Resilience and Reduce Stress’. As leaders, we have a responsibility to manage this both for […]

Leading with Gravitas…it’s not as easy as it looks

Oct 20th, 2022

So much about leadership comes down to gravitas and your ability to utilise it in everything you do. For a new leader coming into a role, the gravitas you show […]

The Challenge for Truss: How to build an effective new leadership team (as featured in Prime Resi)

Sep 7th, 2022

I was delighted to be asked to write an article for Prime Resi to address some of the challenges that Liz Truss will face in forming her new leadership team. […]

Overcoming ‘silo thinking’ to increase colleague collaboration

Jul 15th, 2022

No doubt we will all have our own opinions of who should and should not win the ongoing leadership contest to become the new leader of the Conservative Party […]

Is the four-day working week going to be right for you and your business? (as featured in EG magazine)

Jun 30th, 2022

I was asked by EG magazine (formerly Estates Gazette) to look at some of the key considerations that business leaders need to think about when deciding whether or not to […]

Five minutes with Oona Collins Founder and Director of Potential Plus (as featured in Property Week)

Jun 7th, 2022

Potential Plus International founder and director, Oona Collins spoke to Property Week magazine for its regular ‘Five Minutes With…’ column, answering questions on issues such as what she likes most […]

Emerging leaders are the future, so let’s equip them for leadership now

May 30th, 2022

The fast-tracking to senior leadership is a key investment for many companies I work with and is driven by succession planning for retiring senior leaders and the evolving emphasis […]

What Next After CEO? When Retiring Isn’t An Option (as featured in CEO Today)

May 6th, 2022

One result of the pandemic is that CEOs, business founders and owners in their 50s and 60s are having their own ‘great resignation’ moment. However, unlike those in the early […]

Are you ready for your business to blossom this Spring?

Apr 12th, 2022

The arrival of Spring is the symbol of newness. To one extent or other, many of us will spring clean at home or in our office to make the […]

‘A vital reminder of the gender inequalities that exist all around us’: Five prime resi leaders on why we need International Women’s Day

Mar 9th, 2022

A wonderfully candid new podcast, created by luxury property business bosses Priya Rawal and Caroline Donaghue, has landed today. The first two Real Rendezvous episode are now available, including a celebration of female leaders […]

Championing Women Leadership: 9 simple steps your business can take now

Mar 4th, 2022

“In the future there will be no female leaders – there will just be leaders” Sheryl Sandberg The theme for this years’ International Women’s Day is ‘breaking the bias’. Even […]

Can we lead without trust?

Jan 31st, 2022

“Trust takes years to build Seconds to break and Forever to repair” The issue of trust and the importance it plays in leadership has very much come to the fore […]

How to thrive professionally & personally in 2022 (as featured in Prime Resi)

Jan 6th, 2022

Where you are at the end of 2022 will be determined by the decisions you make during your start of the year reflections, writes Oona Collins, the inspirational executive coach […]

‘Tis the season for reflecting – questions to ask yourself this festive period

Dec 2nd, 2021

“Where you are a year from now is a reflection of the choices you choose to make right now” There is a common thread to the conversations I am […]

How men are challenging the gender divide (as featured in We Are The City)

Nov 19th, 2021

I have to confess that I was unaware until recently of International Men’s Day which falls on November 19 2021. This year’s theme is about promoting gender equality for men and […]

Treading the Line between Positive and Negative Stress

Nov 4th, 2021

This week has been International Stress Awareness Week, and it has got me thinking about the positive and negative aspects of stress and how it impacts leadership. ‘Stressed’ […]

Work-life balance in the post pandemic age (as featured in We are the city)

Oct 18th, 2021

For National Work Life Week (11-15 October 2021), leadership consultant Oona Collins, founder of Potential Plus International, looks at the challenge of achieving that often elusive dream. The pandemic blurred the […]

Political party conferences and the leadership lessons on show

Oct 12th, 2021

Strip back the hyperbole and policy headlines and the Conservative and Labour Party Conferences at the start of this month highlighted two of the biggest challenges faced by leaders, whether […]

Is your business really ‘hybrid ready’? Five key topics to think about right now (as featured in Prime Resi)

Sep 17th, 2021

Putting the right processes, protocols and plans in place could be the difference between retaining your best people and losing them, writes leadership coach Oona Collins… September seems to be the […]

How to nip self-doubt in the bud (as featured in Management Today)

Sep 1st, 2021

What Andy Murray can teach you about managing the gremlins inside your head. If this summer of sports has taught us one thing, it is that even athletes at the […]

It’s okay for male leaders to be vulnerable (as featured in Working Dads)

Aug 26th, 2021

Global leadership coach Oona Collins, founder of Potential Plus International, has worked with the world’s biggest companies, as well as entrepreneurs and small business owners. She explains why male bosses […]

Now is the time to pause, reset and proceed before it’s too late

Jul 20th, 2021

With the lifting of lockdown restrictions now a reality, it feels like there is a sudden rush for life to return to normal and us all to go back to […]

Is your leadership style still fit for purpose?

May 24th, 2021

“The most challenging transition is letting go of the leader you used to be” Dan Rockwell As we prepare to start embracing a future of hybrid office and home working […]

Is how we do our job more important than where? Re-designing the way we work: 8 insights to help you emerge stronger

Apr 17th, 2021

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Peter Drucker After a year of social distancing, family bubbles and online meetings, working at the office may seem […]

How to work with friends without ruining your relationship (as featured in The Metro)

Apr 14th, 2021

Potential Plus founder Oona Collins recently spoke to Metro (the UK’s highest-circulation daily free newspaper) about how to avoid ruining relationships when going into business with friends. Starting a business […]

Re-designing the way we work: Seven insights to help property pros emerge stronger (as featured in Prime Resi)

Apr 13th, 2021

With strict lockdown measures finally easing, Oona Collins, the inspirational executive coach behind some of the biggest names in property explains how leaders and their firms can use this time to […]

IWD Inspirational Female Founders Spotlight: Oona Collins (as seen in The Successful Founder)

Mar 10th, 2021

Oona Collins, founder of Potential Plus International, is a global leadership coach who specialises in developing emotionally intelligent leaders and high performing executive teams. She has over 25 years’ experience, […]

9 questions women need to ask themselves to take them to the top as business leaders

Mar 4th, 2021

“There is no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.” W.E.B. Dubois A recent International Labour Organisation survey of 13,000 companies in 70 countries shows that companies that […]

Winning hearts and minds in times of change 10 ways inspiring leaders create impact

Feb 8th, 2021

“We will lead not merely by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.” – Joe Biden Transition has been very much in the news in […]

10 Tips to Build a Resilient Mindset in 2021

Jan 6th, 2021

“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Nelson Mandela One thing 2020 has taught us […]

Oona Collins: Seven new year tips to help you and your business prosper in 2021 (as featured in Prime Resi)

Jan 5th, 2021

The inspirational executive coach behind some of the biggest names in property explains how to deal with constant change by building a resilient mindset… One thing 2020 has taught us […]

What do I really want? 7 tips on finding the answer that can make your transition a success

Nov 16th, 2020

“Transition of any kind reminds us of what matters most.” Russell Ballard Earlier this month, the world watched as the USA began a transition to a new presidency, with […]

If I say yes to this… what am I saying no to? How clear priorities can bring you balance

Oct 12th, 2020

“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” Stephen Covey As homes across the world double as offices, nurseries and schools finding a […]

Taking Back Control – because your actions today will influence where you are a year from now

Sep 17th, 2020

Control your destiny or someone else will.” Jack Welch September is a time for new beginnings. The holidays are over, it’s time to plan for a successful Q4 […]

How do I keep my team motivated in this new reality? 7 steps for you and your team to stay energised

Jul 14th, 2020

“Remember to look up at the stars, not down at your feet.” Stephen Hawking Restrictions around coronavirus are easing now, but many people, especially those still working from home, […]

Authentic Leadership – the secret to thriving in tough times

Jun 12th, 2020

“I am proudly focused on empathy, because you can be both empathetic and strong” Jacinda Ardern A former client in the property industry contacted me during the lockdown and asked […]

Navigating to the New Normal 6 questions to guide you

May 7th, 2020

‘We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails’ Bertha Calloway As the coronavirus crisis continues to unfold, businesses are having to take bold steps as they navigate […]

Compassionate Leadership that brings people together 10 useful tips (as featured in Prime Resi)

Mar 30th, 2020

“Mountaintops inspire leaders, but valleys mature them” Winston Churchill Many in the world of business today are looking for new ways of working and staying in touch with clients and […]

Authentic, Influential Women Make Impactful Leaders: 9 Practical Steps to Take You to the Top

Mar 5th, 2020

“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” Sheryl Sandberg The central focus of this year’s International Women’s Day is #EachforEqual. For me, it’s […]

Influence or Impose? 10 Important Lessons for Ambitious Executives to Increase Their Influence

Feb 4th, 2020

“The key to successful leadership is influence not authority” Kenneth Blanchard On 31st January, Britain formally left the European Union. Just weeks before that, Prince Harry and his […]

Oona Collins on: Ten tips for a healthy, wealthy & happy 2020 (as featured in Prime Resi)

Jan 6th, 2020

The inspirational executive coach behind some of the biggest names in property explains how to lead by example in the year ahead… A Healthy, Wealthy and Happy 2020 […]

2020 – 10 tips to Thrive and Flourish

Jan 6th, 2020

As we kick off the New Year, I find myself wrestling with two competing impulses. Work is starting up once again and my first impulse is to throw myself back […]

‘Tis The Season To Find Your Purpose

Dec 3rd, 2019

“When you’re surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.” Howard Schultz, Starbucks In just a few weeks, another year – and […]

Putting the Success in Succession Planning

Nov 4th, 2019

“I see my role as CEO to prepare as many people as I can to be CEO”, Tim Cook, CEO, Apple Last month, Citi Group appointed Jane Fraser as […]

Oona Collins on: Winning tactics for turbulent times (featured in Prime Resi)

Oct 17th, 2019

Successful businesses are not allowing geopolitical events to affect their ambitions, says top leadership coach Oona Collins – instead they are looking to innovate, as a mean of staying ahead and continuing […]

The Necessity of Trust

Oct 8th, 2019

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” Stephen R. Covey Trust is very much in the […]

Stop Doing and Start Thinking

Sep 9th, 2019

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.” Henry Ford Many of us will be returning to work after […]

H is for Victory: Why human connections make the difference

Jul 2nd, 2019

“Treat people like they make a difference. And they will.” Jim Goodwill As the FIFA Women’s World Cup reaches its Final, on the 7th July, football has provided spectacular performances […]

Agile Leadership in the age of AI

Apr 30th, 2019

(Agile Leaders Series, No. 2) “Humanity is the ultimate algorithm” – Suwen Chen This is the second in a series of articles by Potential Plus International of what it […]

Agile Leadership – Be the Change you Seek

Apr 2nd, 2019

(Agile Leaders Series, No. 1) Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react and reinvent – Bill Gates This is the first in a series […]

BE BOLD

Mar 7th, 2019

“There are 7 days in a week and ‘someday’ isn’t one of them”! Balance for Better is the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day on 8th March. […]

To Succeed… Who do you need to be?

Feb 11th, 2019

“There will always be someone who can’t see your worth – Don’t let it be you” Mel Robbins Marie Kondo’s Netflix series has been the surprise hit of […]

Oona Collins on: Will you take the plunge in 2019? A ten-step path to career realisation (featured in Prime Resi)

Jan 14th, 2019

Credit: Prime Resi – Will you take the plunge in 2019? Is significant change calling you in 2019? I have been struck over the past year by the growing number […]

Take Courage To Change In 2019

Jan 8th, 2019

“Anyone or anything that does not bring you alive is too small for you” David Whyte, Sweet Darkness Sweet Darkness by David Whyte is one of my all-time favourite […]

Make 2019 A Year That Matters

Dec 3rd, 2018

“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” ― Victor Frankl What role might purpose play in your strategy for 2019? I […]

Influence and the Art of Negotiation

Oct 30th, 2018

“Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood” – Stephen Covey As Brexit talks reach crunch-point and Trump announces the US is pulling out of another long-standing international […]

Think Big To Propel Your Vision

Oct 8th, 2018

“When you know clearly what you want, you wake up every morning excited about life” Every so often, amidst the current noise of interviews and speeches in the media, a […]

Pod Cast Interview: How does our upbringing dictate our current situation and future aspirations?

Sep 18th, 2018

How do we bottle the ingredients that create success? What are the childhood influences that really shape someone’s future? How can we raise kids to be confident, positive, creative and […]

Playing The Generation Game

Sep 5th, 2018

“One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming that other people think the way we think” – Author Unknown “How do I attract and keep […]

Radio Interview On Accelerating Your Career Plan

Jul 10th, 2018

Why Leaders that Listen Develop Cultures that Thrive

Jul 9th, 2018

Conventional wisdom dictates that executives are paid to have the answers, and no more so than in today’s fast-paced, disruptive environment. Column inches have been devoted to the need […]

Career Progression – Be in the driving seat

Jun 12th, 2018

A goal without a plan is just a wish. Antoine de St-Exupéry As a new financial year begins, I have been working with several boards on strategic reviews to […]

The Key to Great Performance

Apr 3rd, 2018

“Nothing can stop anyone who has a love and passion about their work.” Jerry Lewis The Key to Great Performance As the financial year comes to a close, it […]

The Art of Influencing

Feb 27th, 2018

What does it take to have influence? In a recent BBC TV interview with Andrew Marr and Emmanuel Macron, I found myself sitting up and taking notice of the […]

Bring out the Best in Female Leaders

Feb 5th, 2018

“If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.” Sheryl Sandberg This year has seen a significant rise in the number of […]

Leadership: What difference do you want to make in 2018?

Jan 15th, 2018

“Great Leaders don’t set out to be a leader … they set out to make a difference” At a client Christmas party in December, I was struck by the […]

Oona Collins on Resilience: How to turn a challenging market to your advantage (featured in Prime Resi)

Jan 2nd, 2018

2018: The Power of Personal Vision on Performance

Dec 18th, 2017

“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes.” Carl Jung Are you and your team excited about 2018? The importance of Personal Vision in accelerating performance has taken centre […]

Gain Buy-in to Change

Nov 21st, 2017

“Leaders are Dealers in Hope” Napoléon Bonaparte How do you create and maintain a high-level of energy and engagement when introducing change initiatives when your people are already overstretched? […]

Stay Ahead and Innovate

Oct 11th, 2017

“The key difference between creativity and innovation is execution” Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic Innovation is the number one challenge for today’s CEO, according to the 2017 PWC CEO Global Survey. This […]

Ask for What You Want

Sep 4th, 2017

“We don’t improve by simply living. We have to be intentional about it.” John C. Maxwell September often brings a mood of focus and determination, at both business and […]

Business Growth Through Unity

Jun 26th, 2017

“In unison there is strength.” Aesop How to prepare for business growth? This is the theme I have been working on over the past few months with boards and equity […]

Inspiring Conversations.. The Year End Appraisal

May 15th, 2017

“Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life, it’s about what you inspire others to do.” For many of my clients the appraisal season is upon us, […]

Resilience: How to Thrive in Tough Times

Apr 11th, 2017

“Resilience is a treasure that can grow out of our response to adversity.” Boris Cyrulnik Last month, I was privileged to attend a talk by the inspiring Jim Collins […]

6 ways to be bold for the future – International Women’s Day

Mar 13th, 2017

International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe on 8th March, and this year’s theme #BeBoldForChange is very relevant. I wrote an article with 6 tips on how to […]

Trust and the Client-Advisor Relationship

Feb 9th, 2017

I’ve recently been thinking about the line from Graham Greene’s novel, The Quiet American: “A man becomes trustworthy when you trust him.” Trust is on our minds right now […]

2017 Performance: Are You Ready to Roll?

Jan 12th, 2017

Are you and your teams ready to hit the new year running? The business leaders I spoke to before Christmas had this question on their minds – how to […]

How to make 2017 a great year for your career

Jan 6th, 2017

I’m delighted to be featured once again in the renown property journal – Prime Resi. In this article, I was asked to give advice on how to make 2017 a […]

To do or not to do, that is the question

Dec 7th, 2016

December is upon us. Minds are focused on wrapping up projects (no pun intended) by the 24th. What often keeps us going in this intense flurry to the finish […]

How Trump “trumped” the election

Nov 10th, 2016

Whilst it may not be the result that many people thought it would be, how did Donald Trump become President-elect? Is Donald Trump secretly a master strategist and a […]

5 tips on how to lead in times of change

Nov 8th, 2016

At times of major change people need resilient and optimistic leaders that have a clear vision and can see the opportunities in a changing market that others have not […]

Fierce Grace – The art of gracious leadership

Oct 27th, 2016

When I think of great leaders I am reminded of Jim Collins’ book Good to Great where he reflects on the rare kind of leadership that makes companies great […]

Leadership – How to reignite your motivational fire

Oct 17th, 2016

We all recognise the power of motivation and as leaders, you’ve probably spent a great deal of time thinking about how to motivate your team to deliver the very […]

Oona Collins on Leadership & Success in Property

Oct 6th, 2016

Meet the inspirational executive coach behind some of the biggest names in real estate