THE CHALLENGER SPIRIT

We have become a society in which the status quo is no longer a viable strategy. Disruption, disturbance, change, transformation, agility, boldness and creativity – these are the essential characteristics of a new leadership age.

Together, they require those leading our businesses to be challengers of the status quo.

The Challenger Story

Why offer this work now?

Who is this work for?

What can you expect from the work?

CLIENTS

It is one of the great ironies of our digitally disruptive age that too many companies and leaders are unwilling to wrestle themselves from entrenched legacies.

Just when they need to be more fluid and agile, they appear determinedly stuck – with out-dated doctrines, habits and methodologies.

At Relume, we help you to break free of those shackles, build more empowering connections and unleash your challenger spirit.

We have partnered with the CEOs and executive teams of these organisations in the U.K. and across the world.

BLOG

Short pieces of writing that share insights and mindsets in support of Challenger Leaders.

Be willing to be altered

The outcome of a skilful confrontation is increased awareness. But that can only happen if you are willing to be altered by other people taking you on. If you are stung by someone else's confrontation - that may not be a bad thing. If you can breathe through it,...

Live in a hut while building your cathedral

If previous years are anything to go by, clients return from their holidays having consciously or unconsciously reflected on their current role and career trajectory. Wondering if now is the time for a change.If you are doing so don't forget to treasure the intrinsic...

The weaker the establishment becomes the more righteous it sounds

Do you find yourself captivated by colleagues that are very certain in their opinions?The more anxious they get about the future the more they cling on to a version of predictability. In challenging settings conviction can be very attractive. A simple cut through all...

Resilience is a social quality not a personal one

Most of our work at present is so ambiguous, iterative, confusing, uncertain and risky that we better learn to navigate it well or it burns us out.Work surprises us and this is part of what keeps us alive. (Otherwise we are just completing set after set of...

Stand still when you want to react

As a Challenger springing into action is an over-used mode. Learning how to pause before reacting is part of our work. A lot what you want to say, doesn't need to be said. If you can stand still and be peaceful, much of what needs to appear will reveal itself. We...

Be unreasonable without being unfair

Being ‘unreasonable’ is a quality we admire in those that are challenging the status quo. But this is not the same as being unfair to those that you work with.Some of the behaviours that clients report in our work this year include:- unpredictable, explosive...

Look forward to your next apology

We work in highly unstable and insecure environments on a regular basis. They require something special from the teams inside them. The ability to apologise to each other quickly and well.Instead, we often slip into the desire to be proven right. Or if we are honest,...

Being Real Beats Looking Good

"I love it here, but I look at the senior leadership roles and think it’s not worth the stress…I’m not up for playing politics or dealing with egos anymore…leadership here means being big and loud and fake…there’s not much space left in the room when it’s all been...

CASE STUDIES

Mechanistic, predictive leadership calcifies an organisation and its staff. Instinctive, connected leadership – feeding off disruptive uncertainty – fuels creative problem-solving by dismantling barriers and defences. We believe working with vulnerability and acknowledging flaws strengthens our ability to get unstuck.

Anxiety, fear, defensiveness, anger, blame, accusation are all consequences
of this process. Especially anxiety. Our skill is to help leaders and teams work with that anxiety to understand what causes it, how to deal with it and how to use it as an enabling energy rather than a destructive one.

Airline

Asset Management 01

Asset Management 02

Banking

Executive Coaching 01

Executive Coaching 02

Executive Coaching 03

FMCG

Insurance 01

Insurance 02

Pharmaceuticals

Technology

WRITING

There are a range of books published that now carry our research. The writing is a combination of traditional organisational analysis combined with personal, story based explorations into the intense demands on those that lead some of the world’s most successful businesses.