We Can’t Lead the Future in Yesterday’s Skin
In the final hours of the Year of the Snake, there’s a leadership metaphor worth considering. When the snake sheds, it’s because its old skin no longer fits, and because it’s necessary for the next stage of growth. So as we prepare to embrace our inner Fire Horse, it’s worth considering: have we sloughed that […]
Closing Out 2025, Opening the Door to 2026
As I wrap up my working year and get ready for a much needed break, I’ve found myself reflecting on the year that was 2025—what it asked of us, and what it quietly changed. When I try to describe 2025, I don’t get a neat image, I get a mix. Long hours, too warm laptops, […]
The Fit of Work: Why Great Leaders Think Like Designers
I remember going clothes shopping with my daughter when she was a teen. We’d gone into one of the ‘cool’ stores and filled her arms with clothes she was excited to try. It wasn’t long before she was distressed because nothing looked good. This is the problem with poor design – we can feel that […]
Lessons in Leadership from a Music Festival
Last weekend, I went to a summer outdoor music festival for the first time in many years. It was a scorching hot day and the vast number of attendees were in a great mood. Over the course of the next nine hours, we were hit with two separate thunderstorms that forced everyone off the green […]
R U ok? R the kids ok?
In the context of R U OK Day, I was reading a particularly vulnerable post yesterday from a successful business leader, who shared their powerful story about being strong until the load became too heavy to bear. His post resonated with so many. Those of us who lead high achievement lives are often well skilled in displaying […]
The Transformative Power of a Clear Head
This photo was me a couple of months ago, towards the end of my 3 week Camino de Santiago adventure, at the end of a full day of hiking with all my worldly goods on my back. Despite being sore and tired, as I sat ordering my dinner, I was relaxed, clear and happy. I’ve […]
Fear it or face into it. Camino life lesson number four.
I made it. I finished my hike, walking 429 kms over a 3 week period. It was a big personal achievement for me and I surpassed the goal I set for myself going in. I never thought I would have been capable of that level of physical commitment, but I loved it. It was most […]
We have lost the trust in sharing ourselves fully. Camino life lesson number three.
I am having a truly unique experience. I am hiking a globally famous trail that is frequented by a diverse mix of people from every corner of the globe – young and old, all shapes and sizes, all demographics, all united by a common purpose. It is seen as a bucket list experience so people […]
It’s always all about the journey. Camino life lesson number two.
Yesterday I slowed right down. I’d walked close to 150kms in the last 6 days and my body was letting me know that it was tired. I’d been pushing myself to the limit, determined to achieve as much as possible – as is my pattern. Then I woke up with a burst blood vessel in […]
When the path ahead is steep, small steps get you further. Camino life lesson number one.
I started climbing the Pyrenees yesterday. It was steep and long, and considerably harder than I was expecting. At times I questioned whether I could go on as the uphill road was seemingly never ending. When debriefing the climb at the end of the day, a hiker more seasoned than I asked if I was […]