Fit For the Future

As a leader, would you like the people in your team to take more initiative? You might say, “Of course I want them to take more initiative! That’s a no-brainer.” If that’s what you think, good – because I’ll show you how to start encouraging people to take more initiative. But I should warn you this isn’t always what you want. It’s not always a “no-brainer” that you want people to take more initia...

When you’re operating in a world where more and more things feel unpredictable, that uncertainty puts pressure on how your team functions. You can’t shut the door on that chaos and uncertainty, but there’s one surprisingly simple thing your team can do to reduce stress and anxiety. https://swiy.co/go-the-dependability-gap A few weeks ago, a Tesla driver driving across Australia got stranded half-w...

Do you have people in your team pushing back on change? It might not be because they’re difficult, but they’re just exhausted by it. With constant, overlapping demands coming from every direction, it’s no surprise their motivation dips and their resistance grows. Instead of trying to force people to get on board, there’s a simple step you can take to get them started. It doesn’t instantly remove r...

If you want real, lasting change in your team, understand what truly motivates each person. Everybody shows up to work for different reasons, so connect the change you’re asking for with what matters to them personally. When people see how change benefits them – not just the organisation – they’re far more likely to choose it, support it, and sustain it. https://swiy.co/go-this-time-its-personal I...

You don’t always need big initiatives or expensive training to bring people along on a change journey. Sometimes the difference comes from a tiny adjustment in how you work. These tiny levers can have a big effect, especially if you foster a team culture that seeks them and embraces them. https://swiy.co/go-tiny-levers What small changes are you making that could make a big difference in your work...

https://swiy.co/go-get-out-of-the-way Are you getting in the way of your team being more open, flexible, and innovative? I was working with a group of about twenty senior leaders a few years ago, running my two-day “Future Scenarios” program. Everybody was fully immersed for the full two days, except for the CEO, who stepped in for a while at the start of day one and then returned partway through...

You want your team to embrace change, but just telling them what to do rarely works. People move at different speeds, and many will wait to see whether something actually works before they commit. One of the best ways to build momentum is to share success stories. When people see colleagues trying new ideas and getting good results, it lowers the risk and makes change feel possible. Instead of pus...

You might have an idea or message to share, but most people aren’t automatically ready to listen. They are busy, distracted, and thinking about their own priorities. For your message to land, you first need to shape their frame of mind. That means answering the four questions already running through their head: Why you? Why me? Why this? and Why now? When you address those questions upfront, you b...

Your customers are already using AI in ways you probably don’t see: asking for advice before they contact you, checking what questions to ask, recording interactions with you, and sometimes even deciding whether they need you at all. Regardless of how YOU are using AI, your customers are comparing you with what they can get instantly, cheaply, and privately. If you’re only thinking about how you’r...

As a leader, you can use AI to turn raw data into clear dashboards, spot patterns in customer feedback, and monitor performance. That’s powerful, and you should be using AI for that. But the next step – getting AI to make decisions for you – is a step too far. Use AI to inform your thinking, not to do your thinking for you. https://swiy.co/go-dashboards-not-decisions As a leader, how are you plann...

AI shows up in different ways across your organisation – some people are only using it in their personal life, others are applying it every day in their professional role, and a few teams might be experimenting with focused AI projects or even building AI into core platforms. Your key leadership challenge is understanding where people are right now, what they need and want next, and how AI can add...

You probably use generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot to boost productivity, but 2026 offers new opportunities – but it comes with risks. AI agents are now live and can work autonomously behind the scenes, which opens up massive potential. It’s tempting to jump into this, but you need to do it with care. It’s not just about what AI can do – it’s about what it SHOULD do, and how much control...

You’re constantly told your team needs to “upskill” – but what does that actually mean today? In a world where AI, automation, and information overload are the norm, it’s time to rethink what skills are essential, so you strike the right balance between deep expertise and broad, transferable capabilities like collaboration, attention management, and embracing diversity. https://swiy.co/go-skills-t...

When you’re looking for solutions and planning for the future, it’s tempting to look outward – to trends, consultants, or customer data – but some of your most valuable insights are already in the room. Tap into skills, perspectives, lived experience, and wisdom of everybody, even the most junior staff. Listen, reflect, learn, share and make sense of the future together. https://swiy.co/go-interna...

Of course it’s a challenge dealing with uncertainty, but what about the certainties right in front of you? Sometimes it’s not the unknown that disrupts you, but rather the things you know are coming (like regulatory changes or major shifts in technology). The best leaders get ahead of this change by acting now rather than waiting to be disrupted. If you can see what’s coming, what are you doing ab...

As a leader, your role is to help others make sense of the world. It’s about filtering the noise, choosing what really matters, learning how to adapt to external shifts, and then sharing those insights in a meaningful and engaging ways. Your ability to create clarity and purpose shapes how you, your team, and others succeed. https://swiy.co/go-leadership-is-sense-making As we start a new year, and...

If you’re serious about staying relevant and building future-ready skills, start sharing what you learn. You don’t need to become a professional podcaster or YouTube influencer, but having a platform – even a simple one – gives you the discipline to take in information, make sense of it, and communicate it clearly. That habit (which is the skill of sense-making) sharpens your thinking beyond just...

It’s easy to keep doing what worked in the past, but that comfort can quickly become irrelevance. Look at libraries — which where once silent spaces for reading, but are now vibrant community hubs full of energy, events, and connection. They didn’t change just for the sake of it; they changed because the world changed around them. And, to their credit, they reinvented themselves to stay relevant a...

When uncertainty rises, performance often drops – but it’s not just about risky, it’s about whether you feel in control. A surprising psychology study using electric shocks and virtual snakes shows that people are more stressed when they can’t predict outcomes, even if the danger doesn’t increase. That means building mental agility and a sense of agency are key to staying resilient in unpredictabl...

As a leader, you must ensure you provide – and continue to provide – AI education and literacy in your workplace. The real risk is not in the technology, but in the lack of education about using it. When you introduce AI into your workplace, you must also include professional development for your team to build the right mindset, skills, and practical knowledge about using it. https://swiy.co/go-ed...

In a world full of data, noise, and information overload, a key skill for the future – for yourself, your team, and others in your community – is you ability to make sense of it all. This is the skill of sense-making, and it helps you absorb, filter, and share what matters now and for the future. https://swiy.co/go-make-it-make-sense How good are you at making sense of the world for yourself and o...

Your customers know what they need next – but maybe you’re not paying attention. Shifting expectations, subtle frustrations, and new aspirations are all signals that can shape how you evolve your products, services, and experiences. To stay competitive, meaningful, and relevant in the future, focus on solving your customers’ problems and helping them achieve their goals. https://swiy.co/go-future-...

You might think it’s OK to be cautious with AI, but there’s a risk of being TOO cautious – waiting for the perfect tools, the perfect policies, the perfect rollout. But whle you’re waiting, smaller, more agile organisations are experimenting, learning, and sprinting past you. You don’t have to be reckless, but you do need to make space for trying, failing, growing, and trying again. https://swiy.c...

The biggest risk with using AI in your team is not the technology, but how you use it. Deloitte discovered recently how badly things can spiral out of control when they use AI-generated content without doing even basic checks. This should be a lesson for all leaders: Embracing AI is important, but you also need the right education, oversight, and mindset to avoid getting it wrong. https://swiy.co/...

You and your team are probably already talking about AI – with each other, customers, and friends and family. What really shapes these conversations is not the technology, but the stories. Whether it’s robotic dogs helping residents in aged care, AI stopping bank scams, or AI contributing to climate change, the stories you share influence how your team feels about AI and how ready they are to embr...