🌟 I’m Ricky, the proud Co-Founder and CEO of the Delightful Food Group, founded in December 2023 as part of a strategic growth initiative.

🚀 Delightful Food Group is at the forefront of the food and drinks industry, bringing together the strengths of two well-established businesses. Our journey includes a pivotal strategic move, with IBC Simply, a renowned player in shaking up the beverage landscape for over 25 years, acquiring March Foods.

☕ IBC Simply (Italian Beverage Company) are manufacturers and suppliers of food and beverage products all around the world. Our range of Simply products are renowned for their quality and taste.

🌐 March Foods stands out as one of the UK’s leading co-packing and co-manufacturing entities, specializing in working with esteemed household names. We uniquely offer co-packing and co-manufacturing services anonymously, providing bespoke tailored bays to meet client's specific requirements.

💡 The synergy between IBC Simply and March Foods has been a driving force in our success, propelling both businesses to new heights. At Delightful Food Group, we pride ourselves on providing end-to-end expertise in innovation, product development, production, and packing.

🤝 Our dedicated teams are here to collaborate with you, leveraging insights and knowledge to bring your products to market successfully. Whether it's identifying the latest trends, presenting innovative ideas, or meticulously co-manufacturing and co-packing your products to exact specifications, we are committed to your success.

Ricky Flax

I’m really proud to share that the wonderful Tracy Southwell, Managing Director at March Foods Ltd, will be speaking at IFE – International Food & Drink Event 2026 as part of a panel on “Powering progress: Supporting women in food leadership.”

Tracy will be joining Amy Wilkinson (Fearless Foodies) and Ross Dennison from Greencore to talk about something our industry can’t afford to ignore anymore… how we properly support, elevate and retain female leadership across food manufacturing.

IFE’s theme this year is Feeding the Future, and that couldn’t be more relevant. The expectations on food brands right now are relentless. Health, transparency. sustainability, cost pressure, and innovation all at once.

You don’t navigate that with outdated leadership models. You navigate it with diverse thinking, strong operators, commercial clarity and cultures where people actually feel empowered to contribute.

I’ve worked alongside Tracy long enough now to see the impact that kind of leadership has. 

She has over 25 years of experience in the industry, she’s operationally sharp, commercially strong, and relentless about standards. 

But above all, she’s incredibly passionate about building inclusive, collaborative teams.

If we want long-term, sustainable businesses in food manufacturing, we need leaders who can build environments where the next generation actually wants to stay and grow.

If you’re heading to IFE this year, I’d highly recommend sitting in on this one!

📅 31 March 2026
🕒 11:15 – 12:00
📍 IFE Manufacturing – Trends & Innovation Platform

CEO of Delightful Food Group, IBC Simply & March Foods | Deal Partner at Boardy | 2025 Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year

Another great event at the City Food and Drink Lecture last night. Huge thanks to Roythornes Solicitors for hosting me. 

The focus tonight was the future of food and healthy eating, which is a conversation that I am super passionate about, and it’s a conversation that needs to be had. 

However, with a lack of focus on educating children, yet again, except for the ever-amazing and hilarious HRH Princess Royal. 

In the Q&A, I raised what feels like the obvious question… “Why aren’t we treating food education as a core curriculum subject?”

Because making food choices isn’t just about marketing and taste. It should be choice made by knowledge gained. 

It’s food tech.
It’s science.
It’s farming.
It’s cooking. 
It’s economics.
It’s practical life skills.

From primary school through to secondary, food should be embedded in the national curriculum and supported by properly signposted, nutritious school meals that reinforce what’s being taught.

If we’re serious about tackling health, productivity, and protecting future generations, this is a foundational lever.

Bridget Phillipson MP Emma Reynolds MP, we need to act to protect future generations. And this is something that, if done right, would have massive long-term positive impacts.

International Women’s Day is a reminder of the work still needed to ensure women have equal opportunities in the workplace, but it’s also a moment to recognise and celebrate the incredible women who make a difference every single day.

Across IBC Simply and March Foods Ltd, a massive chunk of our team is women (as you’ll see in this week's upcoming Science week series). From production and technical teams to marketing, operations and leadership, a huge amount of the work that keeps our businesses moving forward every day is driven by the women in our teams. 

We’re so fortunate and incredibly grateful to work alongside them.

I also wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today without the amazing women in my life… My wife, mum, and sister. 

They’ve always been a constant source of support, perspective and encouragement.

Today is simply about recognising and appreciating the women who help shape our lives.

I couldn’t be more thankful for those in mine.

Happy International Women’s Day 💜

One of the biggest things I’ve learnt over the years is that most founders are terrible at stepping back.

I definitely have been.

When you care about what you’re building, it’s very easy to stay switched on all the time. There’s always another problem to solve, another opportunity, or another thing you feel you should be doing.

But if you never create space, you lose perspective.

Last summer, I went to one of Tony Fields’ events on a farm.

There were no phones, emails, Teams meetings, or anything like that. But we did have so much time to think.

Honestly, it was exactly what I needed.

So I’m looking forward to joining Tony for his 5-Day Re-Set Challenge starting on 3rd March, where we’ll be talking about things that I think more business owners need to think about:

• Building something with real purpose
• Growing a business without losing everything outside of it
• The sacrifices founders make (sometimes without realising)
• And why the people around you matter much more than you think

Running a business is a long game. You need moments where you pause, zoom out and make sure you’re still building the life you actually want.

If that sounds useful, feel free to join us.

Here’s the link if you want to take a look: https://lnkd.in/eEnU_sSm

When did “build to sell” become the default setting for so many founders?

Every founder I meet seems to have the same sort of plan, and normally ends with them wanting to exit their business in 5 years.

Somewhere along the line, I think exit culture became the benchmark for ‘success’. 

I trace a lot of it back to tech. Fast-build companies, huge valuations, and eye-watering exits. It almost created a playbook that looked glamorous and repeatable.

But what worked in Silicon Valley doesn’t automatically translate to every industry.

And yet now, in food and drink especially, I see founders starting businesses with the end already in mind. Not “How do I build something brilliant?” but “How do I position this to sell?”

I’m not quite sure that’s the best way to go about things.

If you’re building to sell, you optimise for speed, for perception, and for valuation.

But when you’re building to keep, you optimise for culture, for profitability, and for resilience.

You think in decades, not funding rounds.

The danger with sell culture is that it can make businesses fragile. You chase growth at all costs. You prioritise scale over stability. You focus on what looks good externally rather than what feels solid internally. I genuinely struggle with that bit.

What’s wrong with creating a company you’re proud to run for 20+ years?

Not everything needs to be “built to exit.”

Some of the best businesses I know are boring on the surface, but incredibly rewarding over time.

Maybe I’m old school.

But I still believe there’s something powerful about building a business you actually love, and want to be working in long term

I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this…

When did this sell culture become the narrative we’ve all subconsciously adopted? And do you think it’s good for the future?

As the weather starts to lift in Spring, customers naturally start looking for drinks that feel lighter, fresher and a bit more playful. 

But that shouldn’t mean sacrificing the speed of service for cafes and coffee shops. In spring, great menus come off the back of small, smart changes.

Here’s what’s worth paying attention to for Spring 2026, and why:

1. Quick-serve drinks that don’t compromise on flavour

Smoothies, spritzes, and coolers continue to perform because they’re fast to build, easy to batch, and ideal during peak periods, which helps reduce queue times while keeping throughput high.

2. Milkshakes and frappes aren’t slowing down

Milkshakes accounted for 15% of beverage sales across UK restaurants in 2024, and demand is only becoming more creative. But the trend isn’t about novelty for novelty’s sake. It’s about bold, recognisable flavours that still feel familiar.

3. Iced chocolate

The rise of iced, indulgent drinks isn’t just about coffee. Iced chocolate sits right at the intersection of nostalgia and premium treat culture, which is why we’re seeing strong momentum heading into 2026.

4. Classic flavours… with a twist

This remains one of the most reliable menu strategies. Customers want comfort, but they also want something new. A touch of toasted, a pinch of salt, or a subtle cookie note is often all it takes to make a drink feel different.

5. Matcha is now firmly mainstream

The global matcha market is forecast to grow at a 9.44% CAGR between 2022–2027, and its move from niche to everyday menu staple is clear across the UK. It works because it ticks multiple boxes at once… functional, globally inspired, and highly adaptable across hot, iced and sparkling formats.

If you’re building your Spring 2026 menu and want proper data-led inspiration, the IBC Simply have pulled everything together in one place.

Our brand new SIMPLY Resource Page is packed with free downloads (trend magazines, recipe booklets, whitepapers and menu ideas) all designed to help operators plan smarter, not harder.

It’s worth bookmarking if you’re looking to plan your menus more thoroughly this year: https://lnkd.in/eHTch7x3

For years, citrus was treated as a garnish. A slice on the rim of a glass or a squeeze over the top.

Now, it’s a lead flavour.

The global citrus flavour market hit $4.7B in 2023, growing at 3.9% CAGR, and it now features in 22% of new global beverage launches… with continued 4% growth over the past three years.

That’s not a micro-trend.

Citrus does something very few flavours can do well:

– It brings brightness.
– It cuts through sweetness.
– It balances richness.
– It feels fresh, seasonal and functional all at once.

In a market where consumers are looking for lighter options, cleaner profiles and drinks that feel “lifted” rather than indulgent, citrus gives foodservice operators a really smart lever to pull.

And the best bit, it’s incredibly versatile…

Sicilian lemon in iced teas.
Yuzu-style twists in coolers.
Blood orange in spritzes.
Lime layered into cold foam coffees.
Citrus paired with botanicals, florals, even chilli.

You can modernise a classic menu without completely reinventing it.

That’s exactly why we’re spotlighting it in 2026.

If you’re planning spring/summer menus (or even just looking to refresh a few lines), citrus is one of the simplest ways to create energy on your menu without adding complexity behind the bar.

ps. For more flavour trends, insights and practical menu ideas, head to the link in my profile.

When people think about food science, they often imagine labs, microscopes and white coats. But a huge part of it actually comes down to creativity.

Coming up with new flavours.
Experimenting with combinations.
Turning an idea into something people actually want to drink, eat or put on their menu.

That’s where our New Product Development comes in.

As part of our Food Science Week series (inspired by British Science Week), we’re introducing some of the people behind the science of what we do across IBC Simply and March Foods.

Today, it’s Luke from our NPD team at IBC Simply.

Luke’s job is to help create the recipes behind many of the syrups, sauces and drink ingredients you’ll see in cafés and coffee shops.

In the carousel, Luke talks about:

– How an idea turns into a real product
– Why science and creativity go hand-in-hand in food development
– Why food careers are far more creative than people think.

One thing he said that really stuck with me is this:

“Food doesn’t have to be intimidating. It can be creative, expressive and fun.”

And that’s probably something we should be teaching much earlier.

More from the team tomorrow as we continue our Food Science Week series!

Food Science - Behind New Flavours!

I was reading a recent piece in Food Manufacture on soluble vs insoluble fibre and its impact on the gut. It sums up something I’ve been saying for a while now:

Not all fibre is created equal. Yet we still talk about it like it’s one single thing.

“Eat more fibre.”
“High fibre.”
“Add fibre.”

Fine. But which fibre? How much? And for who?

Around 96% of people in the UK aren’t hitting the recommended 25–30g a day. That’s staggering. At the same time, protein has been marketed brilliantly for decades, and everyone knows their protein target. Almost no one knows their fibre target.

Then we wonder why gut health is such a mess.

Emma Cahill’s article highlights that nearly 9% of the European population lives with IBS. For those people, fibre isn’t just “good” or “bad”, it’s much more nuanced. 

Soluble fibres ferment differently. Some are better tolerated. Some can actually support satiety, calcium absorption, and even help manage digestive side effects in people on GLP-1 medications.

This is where I think the industry has a real responsibility.

If someone eats a product with added fibre and feels bloated or uncomfortable, they don’t blame the specific fibre type used at a certain dose.

They blame fibre, and that perception stays around for a long time.

We have to be more intentional as manufacturers, as brands, and as retailers. If we’re adding fibre, be clear about what type. Be honest about tolerance and dosage. 

Fibre isn’t just a fortification badge, it’s a functional ingredient that can reduce sugar, support satiety, and genuinely improve nutritional profiles when used properly 

But it has to be done with expertise.

For me, the bigger issue is education. We should have learned this at school. We should have been taught about where it comes from, why we need it, and how much we need.

Instead, we grow up thinking fibre equals brown bread and digestive biscuits.

We managed to reposition protein as cool, aspirational, and performance-led.

Fibre deserves the same reset.

If you’re in food manufacturing or product development, I’d strongly recommend reading the full article in Food Manufacture. It’s a sensible, balanced take on where fibre is heading and why formulation choices matter more than ever: https://lnkd.in/eKpwJE6F

Too many people don’t realise just how much science sits behind the food they eat every day.

Shelf life.
Food safety.
Ingredients behaving consistently.
Products doing exactly what the label says they will.

None of that happens by accident.

And yet, food science is something we never seem to talk about publicly.

This week is British Science Week, and it felt like the perfect opportunity to shine a light on something we’re incredibly proud of across our businesses… the people behind the science of food!

So this week we’re running our own Food Science Week series.

We’ve been speaking to team members across IBC Simply and March Foods to talk about what they do day-to-day, and why more people should understand how the industry really works.

Behind every drink, sauce, powder or ingredient is a huge amount of science, process and discipline that most consumers never see.

To kick things off, we’re starting with Poppy, our Technical Co-Ordinator at IBC Simply.

Poppy’s role is all about making sure everything we do is safe, compliant and exactly what it says on the label. 

It’s a role that seems to sit quietly in the background, but without it, the entire industry simply wouldn’t function.

In the carousel, Poppy also talks about:

• Why “processed food” isn’t automatically a bad thing
• The surprising amount of science behind validating shelf life
• Why technical roles in food are far more interesting than people realise
• And why schools should teach more about how food is actually produced and kept safe. 

If we want the next generation to care about food, nutrition and safety, we probably need to start by helping them understand the science behind it.

More from the team coming this week!

Food Science - What Actually Keeps Your Food Safe?

Food and drink can sometimes feel intimidating with the complex terms, technical processes, and scientific language.

So a big part of our role in this industry is in how we explain it, share it, and make it useful for people.

Even the best products in the world only become valuable when customers understand how to use them, why they work, and what makes them different.

As part of our Food Science Week series, today we’re introducing Amelia Campbell. Amelia’s role sits right at the intersection of food, creativity, and communication.

Her job is to take everything happening behind the scenes and turn it into content that helps people understand and use our products.

That might mean:

• Turning industry insights into simple, practical ideas
• Jumping on set to help bring new product campaigns to life.
• Explaining flavour pairings so customers can confidently experiment with new drinks.

One thing Amelia pointed out in the carousel that I think is worth repeating is the internet is FULL of myths around food and drink.

And that’s exactly why clear communication around it matters.

Because when people understand the why behind products, ingredients and flavours… they can enjoy products with more confidence.

More from the team tomorrow!

Food Science - The Role of Marketing in Food & Drink

Master Certified Executive Coach (ICF MCC) | Chartered Fellow (CMgr FCMI) │ B Corp | Mentor | Consultant | Non-Executive Director │ Board Advisor | Accelerating Executive, Team and Organisational Performance.

As Founder &amp; CEO of Starbuck &amp; Associates, I lead an award-winning executive coaching and leadership development business that partners with organisations to accelerate performance and create sustainable change.In 2025, we were recognised as:🏆 National Coaching Awards – Coaching Business of the Year🌱 Highly Commended – Sustainable LeadershipI am also an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) a credential held by only a small percentage of coaches globally and work personally with CEOs, boards and senior leaders navigating growth, complexity and transformation.My career spans decades of leading teams, advising boards and delivering organisational change from the inside. That practical leadership experience, combined with professional coaching expertise, enables me to support clients with both strategic clarity and real-world pragmatism.Through Starbuck &amp; Associates, we partner with organisations to deliver:• Executive &amp; leadership coaching• Team and culture transformation• Board &amp; Non-Executive Director development• ICF coach training (ACC, PCC, MCC pathways)• Mental Health First Aid &amp; wellbeing training• Leadership development programmes that embed lasting capabilityMy approach is direct, honest and constructively challenging — focused on outcomes, not theory.If you’re looking for a trusted leadership partner to strengthen performance at executive or board level, I’d be pleased to connect.📞 07799 474776✉️ paul@starbuckassociates.com🌐 www.starbuckassociates.com

Paul Starbuck - MCC

A quiet but important milestone.

I’m pleased to have renewed my Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential with the International Coaching Federation.

For those who know, MCC isn’t about a title, it’s about consistent demonstration of coaching mastery, depth of presence, and the ability to partner with clients at a truly transformational level.

It requires ongoing reflection, continued development, and a commitment to the highest standards in our profession.

What matters most to me is not the credential itself, but what sits behind it:
– Years of real coaching conversations
– Continual learning, supervision and challenge
– Being trusted with people’s most significant transitions and decisions

This is also exactly why, alongside Liz Connelly 🌱 Master Certified Coach MCC, we created The Coaching Craft.

Not just to teach coaching but to develop coaches who can truly think, partner and operate at a professional level aligned to ICF standards.

Through our programmes, we support coaches at every stage of that journey:
– ACC
– PCC
– And now our pilot MCC pathway

Because great coaching isn’t accidental it’s developed with intention, rigour and practice over time.

Grateful to continue doing work that genuinely matters with individuals, teams, organisations, and the next generation of coaches.

If you’re exploring coaching whether that’s developing your own capability or working towards ICF accreditation feel free to message me.

Starbuck & Associates Executive Coaching & Leadership Development - B Corp Certified Starbuck Academy - Learning & Development Ready Made International Coaching Federation

Paul Starbuck MCC

Earlier this year, I worked with a senior team that everyone described as “high performing.”



Results were strong.

Delivery consistent.

Reputation excellent.



But internally, something felt unresolved.



During early conversations, leaders were polite, supportive and careful.



Too careful.



Eventually, I asked a question I often return to:



“What conversations has this team been avoiding?”



The room went quiet.



Not uncomfortable — thoughtful.



Then one person spoke.



And the conversation the team had postponed for nearly two years finally began.

What emerged



Nothing shocking.



No conflict explosion.



Just truths that had never found the right space:

uncertainty about priorities

frustration around decision ownership

leaders feeling pressure individually rather than collectively



What struck me most was the relief.



People weren’t defensive.



They were grateful.



Because avoidance rarely protects relationships it quietly weakens them.

The work that followed



We focused on rebuilding clarity through shared understanding:

defining how decisions would really be made

strengthening trust through open dialogue

aligning expectations explicitly rather than assuming agreement

embedding coaching conversations into leadership rhythm



This wasn’t about fixing personalities.



It was about improving how the system worked.

The turning point



Several weeks later, one leader said:



“Our conversations are harder now and much better.”


That’s often the sign progress is real.



Healthy teams don’t become easier.



They become more honest.

The outcome



Over time, measurable differences appeared:

decisions moved faster

fewer escalations

clearer accountability

stronger cross-team collaboration



But the most powerful change was cultural.



Leaders began modelling openness across the organisation.



And that ripple effect extended far beyond the original team.

What continues to inspire me is this:



When leaders choose honesty over comfort, organisations change far more quickly than expected.

👉 What conversation might your team already know it needs to have?

No alternative text description for this image

Over the past year, I’ve worked with a leadership team that, on paper, looked incredibly strong.



Experienced leaders.

High performers individually.

A clear organisational strategy.


And yet something wasn’t working.


Progress felt slow.

Decisions kept circling back.

Meetings were frequent but rarely energising.


When we first met, one leader summed it up perfectly:


“We’re all working incredibly hard but it feels heavier than it should.”


That sentence comes up more often than people realise.


Because most struggling teams aren’t failing.


They’re functioning just not functioning together.

What was really happening


Everyone cared deeply about results.


But underneath the professionalism were patterns the team hadn’t noticed:

conversations staying at surface level

assumptions replacing curiosity

priorities interpreted differently by each leader

accountability sitting with individuals rather than the team



No conflict.

No drama.


Just quiet misalignment.

And misalignment is exhausting.

People compensate by working harder, longer, faster which ironically creates more friction.

Where the work really began


We didn’t start with strategy.


We started with understanding.


Through facilitated conversations, reflection, and structured team coaching, the leaders began exploring how they actually experienced working together.

Not roles.

Not titles.

Relationships.

At first, the conversations were cautious.


Then honesty arrived.


One leader admitted:


“I didn’t realise others experienced our meetings this way.”


That moment changed everything.

Because awareness removes blame.

What shifted

Over time, several things changed not dramatically, but meaningfully:

Leaders began challenging ideas earlier.

Meetings became shorter but more decisive.

Ownership moved from “my area” to “our outcome.”

Trust grew through small, consistent behaviours.


The biggest change?


Energy.


The team described feeling lighter.


Not because work reduced but because friction reduced.

The outcome

Months later, the organisation noticed:

faster decision-making

clearer communication across departments

stronger collaboration beyond the leadership team

increased confidence in direction



One leader reflected:



“We didn’t need new people or a new strategy. We needed to work differently together.”


That’s the part of this work I love most.



The capability already exists inside teams.



Sometimes they just need space, structure, and support to unlock it.

👉 Where might effort in your team be compensating for misalignment?

One of the things I appreciate most about our work at Starbuck & Associates is that no two leadership journeys ever look the same.



Recently, an organisation approached us after trying several leadership programmes elsewhere.



Their feedback was honest:



“They were good programmes but they never quite connected to our reality.”


And that matters more than people realise.



Because leadership development only works when leaders recognise themselves inside it.

Understanding before intervention



Before designing anything, we spent time listening:

understanding organisational pressures

exploring team dynamics

hearing individual leadership experiences

identifying unspoken challenges



Patterns emerged quickly.



This wasn’t a skills gap.



It was an alignment gap.



Leaders were capable but operating with different interpretations of success.

Building the journey together



Instead of delivering content, we co-created a journey combining:

immersive leadership sessions

team effectiveness work

executive coaching conversations

digital reinforcement through ongoing resources



The goal wasn’t inspiration.



It was sustainable behavioural change.

What happened next



Gradually, leaders began describing noticeable shifts:

greater confidence in collective decisions

clearer priorities

improved psychological safety

stronger relationships across functions



One participant said something that stayed with me:



“For the first time, development feels integrated into how we actually work.”


That’s when change lasts.

The outcomes



Months later:

collaboration improved across teams

leaders reported reduced decision fatigue

engagement increased

organisational momentum accelerated



But perhaps the most meaningful feedback was this:



“Leadership feels enjoyable again.”


And honestly that’s one of the best outcomes imaginable.



Because when leaders enjoy working together, performance becomes sustainable.

👉 What would leadership development look like if it truly reflected your organisation’s reality?

The March edition of our FREE monthly leadership magazine, COACHED, is now live.

This month we explore a theme I’m seeing repeatedly in senior teams:

Leadership judgement under pressure.

Not speed.
Not volume.
Judgement.

Inside the edition we explore:

• Why information overload weakens decision quality
• The hidden weight leaders quietly carry
• Why culture is built through everyday behaviour
• How trust becomes the performance multiplier

I’m hosting a Team Effectiveness & Culture Information Webinar on:

🗓 17 March
⏰ 1pm (UK)
⏳ 45 minutes

What we’ll cover

What team effectiveness really means in today’s organisations
The link between culture, leadership behaviour, and performance
Common challenges preventing teams from performing at their best
Our structured approach to improving team dynamics and outcomes
How organisations are using coaching-led development to accelerate performance
Programme overview, delivery options, and next steps


It’s an information session for leaders and organisations who want to understand what genuinely strengthens culture.

The magazine subscribe link and webinar registration are in the comments.

If you’re leading a team right now - what’s the biggest cultural tension you’re navigating?

COACHED MAGAZINE March 2026 Edition

High-performing teams don’t happen by chance.

On 17 March at 1pm (UK), I’m hosting a 45-minute Team Effectiveness & Culture Information Webinar.

I’ll share what genuinely drives team effectiveness, how culture impacts performance, and introduce our STEP™ Team Effectiveness model the structured framework we use to strengthen team dynamics and outcomes.

If you lead a team or shape organisational culture, this session will be relevant.

Booking link https://lnkd.in/eG-QwzHY

I look forward to seeing you.

The March edition of Coached Magazine 

This issue explores some of the realities many leaders are navigating today the hidden weight of leadership, why judgement matters more than speed, and how trust is built through everyday leadership behaviour.

You can read the latest edition here:
👉 https://lnkd.in/eCQyhZKX

Alongside the magazine, I’m also hosting two short information webinars over the coming weeks which may be useful depending on what you’re currently exploring.

1️⃣ ICF Coaching Information Webinar
📅 18 March | ⏰ 5:00pm (45 minutes)

For anyone curious about professional coaching or considering an ICF-accredited coaching qualification, I’ll be walking through the ACC, PCC and MCC pathways.

Register here 👉
https://lnkd.in/eH6rwHKQ

2️⃣ Non-Executive Director (NED) Information Webinar
📅 Thursday 16 April | ⏰ 1:00pm (45 minutes)

An introduction to Non-Executive Directorship, what boards are looking for, and the development pathways available for those considering stepping into board-level roles.

Register here 👉
https://lnkd.in/eyGxdXeU

Both sessions are relaxed, practical and there will be time for Q&A.

Thank you for being part of our community.

View newsletter: Starbuck Associates  Magazine

Coached Magazine (March 2026) Modern leadership is becoming more complex. Leaders today are navigating constant information, increasing expectations, 

Open article: Coached Magazine | March 2026 by Paul Starbuck MCC • 1 min read

High-performing teams don't happen by chance.

And neither do the conversations that unlock them.

Most senior teams I work with know exactly what conversation they're avoiding.

They can feel it in the room.

The topic that gets skirted around in meetings.

The tension that sits just beneath the surface.

The decision everyone knows needs revisiting but no one wants to reopen.

The problem isn't awareness.

It's knowing how to start the conversation without making everything worse.

Creating conditions for truth 

In our team effectiveness work, we don't force vulnerability or engineer confrontation.

We create conditions where truth can emerge safely.

That starts with three things:

1️⃣ Name the pattern without blame 

"I've noticed we tend to move quickly past certain topics" is different from "We're avoiding the real issues."

One invites reflection. The other triggers defence.

2️⃣ Frame it as collective exploration 

This isn't about fixing individuals.

It's about understanding what the team needs to function more effectively together.

3️⃣ Contract for honesty 

Explicitly agree that difficult truths are welcome and that the goal is alignment, not comfort.

The question that shifts energy 

Once the conditions are set, there's a question that consistently changes the room:

"What conversations has this team been avoiding?"

Not "What's wrong?" or "Who's not performing?"

But what conversations.

Because when you ask about conversations rather than problems, you remove the personal threat.

And truth starts to surface.

Holding the space when it arrives 

This is where most leaders struggle.

When honesty finally emerges, the instinct is to fix it immediately.

Resist that urge.

Let silence do its work.

Validate what's been said without rescuing people from discomfort.

The breakthrough isn't in solving the issue on the spot.

It's in demonstrating that difficult truths can be spoken and heard.

What happens after 

The conversation itself isn't the outcome.

What matters is what you do next:

– Translate honesty into clear commitments 
– Embed new conversation norms into how the team operates 
– Follow through on what was surfaced 

Because if nothing changes after people take the risk of being honest, trust erodes faster than it was built.

Why this matters 

The conversation your team is avoiding is probably the one that unlocks everything else.

Greater alignment.

Faster decisions.

Reduced friction.

Stronger relationships.

And often, leadership that feels enjoyable again.

But it requires someone to create the conditions where that conversation can actually happen.

👉 If you're leading a team right now, what's the conversation you know needs to happen but haven't started yet?

#Leadership #TeamEffectiveness #Coaching #OrganisationalDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching

taplio

The Battle

Ricky Flax

Paul Starbuck - MCC

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Performance ScoreRicky Flax's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScorePaul Starbuck - MCC's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

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The Battle

Ricky Flax

Paul Starbuck - MCC

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Ricky Flax's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScorePaul Starbuck - MCC's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRicky Flax's LinkedIn Performance