Alex Atherton

01/09/2026

I wanted something which would help in the work out their priorities.

When you can't see the wood for the trees it's pretty difficult.

If your

➡ workload is 'up to here' constantly (and all over your desk)
➡ evenings and weekends are 'opportunities to get things done'
➡ ability, and propensity, to delegate needs another look
➡ response to 'reporting to the board' is a cold sweat
➡ list of responsibilities includes some you barely know where to start

Then this is for you.

Maybe only one of the above applies.

But wouldn't senior leader life be much easier without it?

CLICK HERE to take a look - https://i.mtr.cool/ahryutwgnx

Less than 5 minutes of your time.

You might be able to cope with Frantic, but Fulfilled would be much better.

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!

31/08/2026

SO HERE'S THE EXCITING NEWS!

I've just won Silver for Thought Leadership at the International Business Awards.

And this time it's not (just) about the speaking.

It's the IMPACT of what I do.

The Stevie's is a big deal if you haven't heard of it.

A bunch of categories and 3,800 nominations across 60 countries.

That's a lot!

And actually I do feel a little vindication about my message and what I'm trying to achieve.

There's still too many conversations about Gen Z in the workplace which get stuck on lazy stereotypes.

I know that when I'm booked to speak or train on multigenerational workplaces, it's still the youngest ones which get the most attention.

🫨 We can't find young professionals!
🫨 When we do we can't keep them!
🫨 When we keep them we don't understand them!

is still the narrative far too often.

One sector, business, person at a time I'm doing my bit. And for this the judges were able to look at results across an increasing pile of organisations.

Not just about wanting to 'be a good speaker'.

It's what happens afterwards, and that's my whole business not the keynote.

Check out a couple of quotes from the judges in the clip (and of course how I looked at the EXACT MOMENT when I found out)*

And in a global field a Silver Stevie for little old me is something I'm going to allow myself to be proud about.

* why the photo at the end? That was because I promised Claire Macleod after the comment she made about my 'excited face' last week. 😁🍋

27/08/2026

There is always something that people can improve in their professional lives.

I'm currently taking a look with a sample of senior leaders in education and local government.

The results so far have been really interesting!

How people feel about various aspects of their senior leadership lives really varies.

📶 One person feels they can manage up really well, but their workload remains a real problem.

Elsewhere the opposite.

📶 Another says they have a handle on all their responsibilities, but only at serious cost to their well-being.

Which makes me wonder what kind of handle they really need to have if that's the consequence.

📶Then another has their workload and well-being in a good place but not the extent to which they manage their tasks and people.

Maybe that's not a bad place to be.

With the right assessment tool you can get an oversight of where you are and really want to be. Narrow it down a little, and find out the place to start.

Maybe your passion for your work has dimmed a little.

Perhaps there's aspects you thought just won't get better - but how would you feel if they did?

Imagine feeling on top of it all. It is possible.

If you are interested have a go!

CLICK HERE - https://i.mtr.cool/ryrsczdmqd

5 minutes of your time, that's it.

What are your scores?

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!

27/08/2026

YES this is my attempt at an EXCITED FACE!

But I have GOOD REASON to be excited.

And on Monday morning I will tell you why.

I've had some news recently which I'm looking forward to sharing.

❌ No it's not (yet) another book (I'm thinking about it)
❌ It's not a gig announcement (plenty of those coming)
❌ It's not anything else that might make me pull this ridiculous face.

But it is exciting. Not clickbaity honest.

Monday 8am announcement coming! 📢

25/08/2026

Sometimes you need to put things into perspective.

Sometimes you need something to help you do that.

But when you are super busy, like senior leaders in the public sector always are, you also need it to be short and helpful.

I put this 5 minute assessment tool together covering topics like

➡ Managing up and across
➡ Task management
➡ Managing your range of responsibilities

It takes just 5 minutes of your time and you get a personalised report instantly.

https://i.mtr.cool/wuybnkmiwb

What’s not to like?

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!

20/08/2026

For far too many senior leaders in the public sector, their professional life is one long concertina.

➡ 'Key' projects burning a hole in their desk.

➡ An inbox that once, in the halcyon days, had hundreds of unread messages but is now thousands.

➡ The direct report you've never actually met properly, but we 'say hello most days'.

➡ One evening, and then weekend, evaporating after another with seemingly little impact.

It does not have to be this way.

Yet it is too often taken as read.

What ISN'T happening with you in permanent 100mph mode?

If this is you click here - https://i.mtr.cool/pwlhmjhedg

5 minutes of your time to see where you really are with help on moving from Frantic to Fulfilled.

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!

19/08/2026

Check out THIS rose between two thorns!

And YIKES this TEDx is only a few weeks away now.

But this was all about appearing on the TEDx Northern Quarter podcast.

This podcast says so much about how Simran Whittam and Andy Coley are running this event.

🤩 Do they have to run a podcast to go with the event? No
🤩 Does running a podcast also mean hiring a studio, a set up, a 5 camera shoot and someone else to oversee it all? No
🤩 Did they have to organiser an absolute stellar line up of sponsors, an absolute gem of a venue and more bells and whistles than you can ever imagine? No
🤩 Is this whole thing a labour of love? YES

It really really is a passion project as well as a highly professional one.

And aren't the best things both anyway?

18/08/2026

So….how bad is it senior-leader-in-the-public-sector?

❓ Do you really have things where you want them?
❓How many meetings do you have next week which make you wince at the sight of it?
❓How much of your time is going to be spent on tasks which belong elsewhere?

And

❓How do you compare to others in the same types of jobs?

I put this 5 minute assessment tool together https://i.mtr.cool/ujdniiarrl to help you answer that question

It looks like areas such as

👑 Workload
👑 Managing up and across
👑 Range of responsibilities

It takes just 5 minutes of your time and you get a personalised report instantly.

What will your scores be?

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!

13/08/2026

Work-life balance is a hot topic for senior leaders in the public sector for good reason.

Most of them do not have much of one because of how hard they work.

I could talk about well-being, exercising, eating right and all those things. People used to talk to me about them too.

The truth is that when your workload is growing out of your ears they are not simple choices.

Just because you are hungry, thirsty and sleep-deprived does not mean you can simply flick a switch. There are reasons you arrive at that place.

Most of the time the best way to get there is to cut the work.

❌ Stop doing other people’s jobs for them.
❌ Deleting the meeting that landed in your diary without your consent.
❌ Focusing on what’s important and not looking for fires to put out.

If this is you, then have a look at the 5 minute assessment tool at https://i.mtr.cool/cskyolyfcg

You get an instant personalised report and some ideas to chew over.

Because if you don’t change the way you work, you will never fix your work-life balance.

Less than 5 minutes of your time and you will receive a personalised report Discover the key areas to unlock the next stage of your senior leadership journey. Make a start towards a more fulfilling senior life today!