Exalto Consulting

What’s your appetite to risk? I’m not talking about skydiving or base jumping, but in the day to day of running a business. Whether you have thought about it previously or not, your appetite to risk plays a key part in your decision making. Making a critical hire is a good example. It’s well documented that diverse teams often lead to higher performance. However, when it comes to selecting a suitable candidate for the position it is often the person who has done the job for a competitor or worked in the same industry previously who gets appointed. I’m not saying that this is necessarily wrong, but it could be viewed as the “safe” option. I was chatting to a senior executive last week who told me that they actively look for people from different industries and backgrounds to create diversity of thought in their leadership team. This person is at the top of their game, full of confidence and when speaking to them you can feel they truly believe in their decision-making abilities. You could argue that their risk appetite is greater than others, and perhaps this has helped them achieve what they have in their career. How aware are you of your own appetite to risk? Where are you now and where would you like to be?

🚨April's Blog - the power of shared values in high performing teams🚨 This month’s blog inspired by my podcast with Cassy Calvert, Hub Director at Sogeti, looks at the power of shared values and psychological safety when building high performing teams. Each blog uses the experience of my podcast guests, and aims to deliver actionable insights, strategies, and stories to help leaders at all levels enhance team performance and culture. What would you add to the above from your experiences.❓ Writing blogs is well outside of my comfort zone, as recruitment is my day job. So, any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated. Have a great day 😊

Struggling with meeting overload, generational gaps in your team, or the environmental impact of your tech stack? 🤔 You’re not alone, and there are some smart ways forward 🙌 Over the last few weeks, our CTO Tim Lewis has been out and about, picking up insights at Agile Yorkshire, a roundtable with Exalto Consulting in collaboration with Clement Pickering, plus joined the panel on the "Powering The Future – Tech’s Carbon Dilemma" podcast with Evolution. We’ve condensed the best bits into a 3-slide carousel for anyone building digital products, managing teams, or shaping the future of tech in sport and beyond. 🔍 Agile project management still matters 👥 Why Gen Z should mentor Gen X 🌱 What your company can actually do to shrink its digital carbon impact Swipe through for the good stuff and nick the ideas that work for you! Many thanks to all the companies involved, event hosts, speakers, members of the roundtable, panellists and host of the podcast also! Amardeep S. / Steve Martin / Ian Watson / Joe Bamber / Somayeh Taheri / Joe Thornton / James Milner / Cleveland Henry / Fran Gledhill / Thomas Pomfrett / James Locker / Ella Jackman / Helen Curtis / Rich Story / Kyle Thomas / Christopher Henderson / Oliver Martin-Hirsch / Adam Cockburn / Rocco Volpe / Lorraine Henderson / Dr Louise Ellis-Jones FRSA / Codie James / Geraint Jones

Is it time to look for a new job...❓- 5 signs it might be ❗ Toxic behaviours erode your happiness and your ability to grow in your career. If these signs resonate with you, it may be time to explore new opportunities. Five major red flags that indicate it’s time for a change: 💡 Fear-based management - Leadership driven by intimidation and fear creates a culture of anxiety and distrust. Employees are often afraid to speak up, take risks, or address critical issues, leading to stagnation and stress. Great leaders inspire confidence, not fear. If your workplace thrives on fear, it’s worth questioning how this affects your performance and mental well-being. 🏆 Lack of recognition - Consistent hard work deserves acknowledgment, whether through words of encouragement, rewards, or career advancement. If your efforts go unnoticed, you might feel undervalued and unmotivated. A healthy workplace celebrates contributions and makes employees feel appreciated. 👥 Favouritism - When certain individuals receive preferential treatment for reasons unrelated to merit—be it access to promotions, better projects, or praise—it undermines fairness and trust among colleagues. Favouritism breeds resentment and makes collaboration and team spirit difficult to foster. 🤝 Poor conflict resolution - Disputes and disagreements are inevitable, but how they’re handled speaks volumes about an organisation’s culture. If conflicts are swept under the rug, ignored, or exacerbated, it points to deeper dysfunction. Effective workplaces resolve issues constructively, ensuring all parties feel heard and respected. 🔍 Micromanagement - Constantly hovering managers who control every detail stifle creativity, growth, and autonomy. Employees need space to perform and innovate without excessive oversight. Great leaders trust their team and empower them to succeed independently. Have you encountered any of these challenges in your workplace❓How did you navigate them❓ If you’re looking for a new role, reach out to one of the team at Exalto Consulting.

Great feedback Seth Parkin - well done 👏 "All through the process, I have been fully and regularly supported by Seth Parkin. The communication & dialogue have been regular and prompt. Seth is a consummate professional and a genuinely helpful ( as well as nice ) individual. It will be a pleasure to recommend Exalto Consulting in the future. MNY thanks for the help & support. "

Big thanks to Joe Graves for inviting me on to his Mastering Business Growth podcast yesterday. I really enjoyed the conversation around recruitment, coaching and all the ups and downs of running a business. Look out for it in a few weeks time

After successfully testing with a select few customers I’m excited to announce the official launch of Exalto Consulting's - Exalto Accelerator. Exalto Accelerator combines a dedicated search and selection campaign, industry leading psychometric evaluation and executive coaching. Exalto Accelerator fast tracks the hiring and onboarding process in critical hires, whilst minimising risk, allowing comfort in hiring decisions and protecting your investment. Looking to make a critical hire? Want to maximise the chance of success whilst minimising your risk? Check it out 👇

Thank you 🙏 A huge thank you to everyone who took part in Exalto Consulting's Mind the Gap roundtable event last week, in collaboration with Clement Pickering. The topic focused on how to lead multi-generational teams effectively. Some great discussions, insights and varying perspectives which was fantastic to see. One of the key takeaways for me was the use of reverse mentoring, and how effective this can be to help bridge a generational gap. Keep an eye out for our next event 😊 James Milner, Cleveland Henry, Clement Pickering, Fran Gledhill, Thomas Pomfrett, James Locker, Ella Jackman, Tim Lewis, Ian Watson, Helen Curtis, Rich Story, Kyle Thomas, Christopher Henderson, Oliver Martin-Hirsch, Adam Cockburn, Rocco Volpe, Lorraine Henderson, Dr Louise Ellis-Jones FRSA, Codie James, Geraint Jones.

Great to be out and about at Roundhay School with Ahead Partnership last Wednesday to run Interview Practice Sessions with Year 10 as part of their industry day. As things have got a bit busier at Exalto Consulting I have done less of these days, however every time I do one I thoroughly enjoy it. The students massively value speaking to adults who are in a variety of jobs and learning about career paths and skills needed for the world of work. If you have a chance to get involved I would highly recommend it. As ever it was very well run by the Ahead Partnership team - shout out Alison Langan for running this one!

🚨Looking to hire Python software engineers❓ Understand how Exalto Consulting supported a financial services client who required Python software engineers for an application upgrade project. Struggling to find high quality software engineers? Reach out to one of the team at Exalto Consulting.