Publications and White Papers

AI and leadership - getting it right

The use of AI in organisations is increasing exponentially, and potentially without any limits. Organisations are naturally keen to

benefit from the efficiency and cost savings that AI can bring, however – as with any new innovation that is sweeping the world

– there is a risk this is the ‘in’ thing to do, and may often be pushed faster than is appropriate.

Successful hybrid working ‘requires personalisation’

The attitudes and values of leaders also needed to shift to enable successful hybrid working, said occupational psychologist and chief executive of leadership development firm Real World Group, Juliette Alban-Metcalfe.

Hybrid team leadership – a chance to up our game

So what does effective leadership of hybrid teams look like? This is the subject of in-depth research at Real World Group, building on our previous two decades of leadership and teamworking studies. While we are busy establishing through large-scale study what are the day-to-day leadership behaviours that enable hybrid working to produce the highest quality outcomes, here is what we have learned so far are the key guiding principles.

Engaging Leadership – a better approach to leading a team?

Engaging Transformational Leadership is an approach to leadership that is conducive to good-quality care because it nurtures staff’s confidence, motivation, ability to work with others and willingness to innovate

Surviving and thriving through Disruption: Building organisational and individual resilience in "the new normal."

Real World Group’s latest white paper in partnership with the PPMA addresses what can leaders do to increase productivity whilst preventing burnout, maintaining wellbeing, and increasing the engagement and resilience of employees.

The Psychology of leading change in the time of Covid19

In this article we discuss some of the factors that those in leadership roles need to consider
when supporting their staff/colleagues in preparing for, coping with, and actively engaging in,
organisational change.

Leading to Quality

Findings of a major regional study creating a new model of effective team working in the NHS

Cultivating Entrepreneurs with Vision

Municipal Journal article discussing leadership culture in today’s successful Councils

Rethinking leadership assessment to reduce work-related stress

Leaders today can genuinely assert that their jobs are much tougher than their predecessors’ were. No wonder stress is regarded by the World Health Organisation as the epidemic of the 21st century, with work-related stress arguably the major factor in this phenomenon.

Published in Association for Coaching

Five principles of high-performing teams

In a volatile environment, organisations need teams that are engaged, productive and know what they’re working towards.


The good, the bad and the downright overdue

Published online in the HR Magazine


An honest look at Integrity

Published online in the CIPR Influence Magazine

Hitting the Wall

Why mindset matters when growth stalls

Diversity and the bottom line

Published in Natwest Content Live Magazine

How 360 degree feedback enhances leaders'success

Why leaders who undertake 360 are more equipped to thrive in organisations

CIPD report

CIPD report providing an overview of Engaging Leadership and its impact through practical application

How 360 degree feedback helps enhance your success as a leader

Development of a Private Sector version of the Engaging TLQ

Published in Leadership & Organization Development Journal

The Need to Get More for Less

Award-winning CMI Management Article of the Year


Engagement and Safety

Understanding the link between employee engagement and increased workplace safety


Lean and Engaging: A winning formula for sustainable success

How organisations must enhance engaging leadership to benefit from LEAN processes

Development of a New Transformational Leadership Questionnaire

Published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology

Leading from the Top

How leaders can ensure the rail industry rises to today’s challenges

Reliability and Validity of the Local Government 360

Reliability and Validity of the Local Government 360

Cultivating Entrepreneurs with Vision

Municipal Journal article discussing leadership culture in today’s successful Councils

Engaging Leadership in CRTs: Longitudinal Study

Unique, longitudinal research demonstrating a direct, causal link between engaging leadership and team performance

Darzi and Leadership: Too important to get wrong!

Exploring how leadership directly contributes to quality of care for patients

Leading to Quality

Findings of a major regional study creating a new model of effective team working in the NHS

Transforming the Culture in the NHS

Health Service Journal article describing how effective NHS Boards lead, govern and work as effective.

Engaging Boards

The King’s Fund Leadership Review chapter exploring how Boards’ levels of engagement influence quality of care and employee wellbeing

Closing the Gap

Mayor of London published case studies from the City of London addressing gender equality

Effective Culture for Recruiting and Retaining Disabled Managers

Report published by the National Disability Authority, Ireland

I&DeA Prospects

Major study of barriers to career progression for diverse leaders in local government

I&DeA Perceptions

Exploring bias in performance appraisal by ethnicity and gender through 360-degree feedback

Engaging Leadership Part 1: Competencies are Like Brighton Pier

Leadership is much more than being competent as this article explains

Integrative Leadership, Systems Thinking and Wicked Problems

Published in The International Journal of Leadership in Public Services

Lean and Engaging

How organisations must enhance engaging leadership to benefit from LEAN processes

Cast in a New Light

People Management article exploring evidence for Engaging Leadership enhancing performance

The challenges of creating a genuine learning culture in organisations

Published online in the CIPR Influence Magazine

Boardroom leadership is the key to lower employee stress

Published online in Personnel Today

Leadership & Psychological Safety

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all aspects of people’s lives. What was
believed to be generally predictable suddenly became extremely uncertain.

Levelling the playing field

Published on HRDirector