I’ve been thinking a lot about listening recently, even more than usual. And how often we just assume we’re “good listeners” simply because we’re paying attention.

Most workplace conflict doesn’t begin with an argument or a formal complaint. More often, it starts in quieter, more subtle ways – a comment that lands awkwardly, feedback that feels sharper than it was meant to, or a conversation where two people walk away with very different interpretations of what just happened.

There are often parallels to be drawn between the sporting world and the corporate one, so I thought I’d share a few thoughts about the leadership lessons I took from the Lionesses’ journey to another spectacular Euro victory.