Travel and Perspective

There is a reason high-performing leaders make a point of travelling, even when it is inconvenient: stepping out of your usual environment forces your brain out of its well-worn grooves. The novelty of a new city, a different language, or even just a different way people queue sharpens attention and disrupts automatic patterns. But you do not need a long-haul flight to access that shift.

The real insight lies in translating the mental state of travel, curiosity, presence, openness, into your ordinary week.

These posts explore how to borrow the cognitive benefits of being away from home to reset your perspective, solve stubborn problems, and lead with fresh eyes. Whether you are physically on a plane or mentally checking out for an hour, the goal is the same: to notice what you would otherwise miss.

If you feel stuck in a loop of familiar problems and familiar reactions, a shift in perspective might be exactly what you need. I help senior leaders break through cognitive deadlocks by changing their environment and their mindset. Let me know if you would like to discuss how a reset could work for you.

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What did you notice this week?
What did you notice this week?

The clearest view of your work often comes right after you step away. It doesn’t last long.

See you next year
See you next year

Like many of you, today’s my last day of work before the break. I’ll be offline until mid-January, and then heading straight into a long-planned sabbatical in Paris - three months of language school, dark and cold days, many pastries... to say I am excited is something of an understatement.

Five ways travelling is good for your brain, and five ways to get the same benefits at home
Five ways travelling is good for your brain, and five ways to get the same benefits at home

One of the reasons I love travelling is that it nudges my brain out of its well-worn grooves. What’s encouraging is that you don’t need a long-haul flight to access that shift. You can recreate many of the same effects in the middle of your ordinary week. Here are five ways travel helps your brain, and how to bring those benefits home.

5 ways to keep your cool when someone is angry at you
5 ways to keep your cool when someone is angry at you

Sometimes pushing back can be particularly challenging when a stakeholder is angry and/or powerful. It requires a delicate balance between maintaining the relationship and respecting your own limits. Here are 5 strategies that you can use to push back effectively in these difficult situations.

I need your help fixing my team
I need your help fixing my team

From time to time I will have a meeting with a potential client about working with them or their team.

Want to know a big red flag?

If you’re not your work, who are you?
If you’re not your work, who are you?

Imagine two circles. One represents you, one represents your role at work. How much overlap is healthy? Here’s an exercise to help you answer that question.

If you feel stuck in a loop of familiar problems and familiar reactions, a shift in perspective might be exactly what you need. I help senior leaders break through cognitive deadlocks by changing their environment and their mindset. Let me know if you would like to discuss how a reset could work for you.

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