The change room rule

Every change room has a rule. Say what needs to be said, and what’s said here stays here. Most people hear that as a rule about silence. It isn’t. It’s a rule about location. The team that keeps its laundry inside is usually the team that washes it inside....

Say it once

The first time you say it, they listen. The second time, they listen for the tone. By the third time, they no longer hear the message. They are hearing you. Frustrated, precise, a little louder. The conversation is now about your feelings, and the work that needed to...

Who decides what’s scraps

We are remarkably quick to decide what has no value. The heel of the loaf. The cheese rind. The bruised pear. They go in the bin before a second thought. We do the same with people. In 2015, while Milan hosted a world’s fair about feeding the planet, chef...

The metrics you’re watching

A CEO pulled up their phone during a session last month, scrolling through analytics before we’d even said hello. Follower count was up. Engagement was up. Everything looked good. Then I asked: did revenue move? Silence. That pause tells you everything about...

The lunch you never take

Somewhere between the second course and the third, it hits you. Nobody at this table is checking a phone. Nobody left their napkin to answer an email. Two hours in, and it’s still just food, conversation, maybe an espresso to close it out. Then you’re...