Why businesses stall even when the strategy is sound

by Marie Proctor | Mar 16, 2026 | Leadership Accountability

When businesses stall, the first instinct is to question the strategy. Boards revisit the plan. Leadership teams commission another offsite. Consultants are asked to review market positioning or competitive threats. But in many organisations, the strategy is not the...

The missing layer in M&A due diligence: People risk

by Marie Proctor | Mar 6, 2026 | People Risk & Commercial Readiness

When companies enter an acquisition process, due diligence becomes intense. Financials are analysed.Margins are scrutinised.Debt structures are evaluated.Legal contracts are reviewed. Entire teams work to understand the financial and commercial risks behind a...

Workforce planning is where leadership credibility quietly breaks

by Marie Proctor | Feb 27, 2026 | Leadership Accountability

Workforce planning is usually treated as an HR exercise. Headcount forecasts. Skills matrices. Spreadsheets. In reality, it is one of the clearest indicators of leadership quality. When workforce planning is weak, the damage does not show up in HR metrics.  It...

Rising wages are now a structural business risk

by Marie Proctor | Feb 26, 2026 | People Risk & Commercial Readiness

Rising wages are no longer a cost issue.  They are a business model issue. Minimum wage has almost doubled in a decade. By 2026, it reaches £12.71 in the UK and €14.15 in Ireland. That is not inflation.That is structural redesign of how labour behaves inside your...

Employment law is tightening. leadership discipline has to follow

by Marie Proctor | Feb 20, 2026 | People Risk & Commercial Readiness

Why the Employment Rights Bill is a leadership test, not a legal one The UK employment landscape is tightening. What started as a political reform has become a structural shift in how work is regulated, managed, and enforced. From 2026, leadership teams will operate...