Field Notes

An uncomfortable truth often overlooked. When leaders can step in and step up without ego magic really happens. I've seen the opposite it far too many times, and never more so today in the emergence of AI. Fear drives when a leader’s identity is tied to performance. They become reactive, anxious, defensive, or over-controlling. You get burnout, fear-based decision-making, and team withdrawal. The internal mental load is goes like this... “I need to look right.” “I need to b

Wow. If you've not yet watched this interview with Tristan Harris on the recent episode of The Diary Of A CEO - do yourself a favour and listen deeply, and listen well. I listen to a lot of voices on AI , and Tristan seems to me the only AI voice out there who appears to not only be heavily burdened by the weight of his knowledge, his own experience and the kind of clarity he claims is needed at the top leadership of the world, but someone who is also carrying the burden

Outside of the rush of Transformations, Automations and AI... I so deeply believe, and have been witnessing gratefully, a return to more depth, to more intentional connection (and tech disconnection!) and a rise in more tech free social experiences. The world is indeed hungering for something more than this of loud noise of shallow demands and the constant pressure to keep up with an unfathomable pace in the race to win. The pendulum swings but always returns - I hope 2026 gi

Let's start the year talking about Brand. It’s astonishing to me just how many businesses don’t seem to understand or have lost sight of the dual power behind their business strategy and their brands. There’s very few who clearly translate business as brand, and leverage it's fusion it to its full advantage. Brand is what sets you apart in a sea of sameness. It drives preference, your culture, values and keeps the passion alive as things change and grow and evolve. Brand i

Just as we closed out 2025, I had the privilege of attending the final Queensland AI Hub Sunshine Coast Chapter event - "AI 2025: The Year That Was". And what a room to be in. Co-founders Craig Josic and Dr Karen Sutherland (SFHEA) guided a conversation that went far beyond what’s been, to confront the very real and societal impact and guardrails of AI as we step into 2026. There was strong focus on AI safety, and a sobering yet actionable look at how AGI and today’s AI

After the ASB Classic and now the Australian Open - it’s been a proper tennis month! And too add to the excitement, I’ve also been watching Gods of Tennis this week. Highly recommend! What an era, truly watching greatness unfold in real time. There’s a moment in the documentary where Billie Jean King talks about stepping in to coach Martina Navratilova later in her career… Martina was still extraordinary. She was disciplined and deeply committed and at an age when most have

There’s a quiet little rebellion happening around us. And I’m seeing it more and more. I saw someone recently described they had an “analog room”... and I realised we were no longer the only ones. Our main living space is our 'analog space' We have No TV in our shared living area. Phones are not present. There’s no glowing screens competing for attention. We have vinyl records spinning. Books and magazines scattered around. Board games, cards, music and most valuable of all

“It’s just a jump to the left…”… And then a giant leap to riiiiiight - and to the future of marketing. We’re time-warping to 2030 for our 4th and final piece for NZ Marketing magazine and it’s probably the most “me” article we’ve written yet. Not because I was obsessed with the Rocky Horror Picture Show. in my youth.. but because this theme leans fully into the way I think, lead, and work. Michael Friedberg and I had the chance to sit down with Editor Penny Murray again

Well this was a cool moment!! 👌 I’m feeling super stoked to have been part of the latest issue of #NZMarketing Magazine. Michael Friedberg and I sat down with Editor Penny Murray to discuss the ever-blurring lines between B2B and B2C marketing, and how the way we buy, engage, and make decisions in business has changed massively over the years. We touched on how AI tech evolution has completely shifted our digital experiences and expectations, and we talk about how buye

There’s something so incredibly powerful about deep, rich free flowing conversations, especially nowadays when everything is text, emails and written exchanges. And I had the absolute pleasure of enjoying one of those with Anna Seccombe to unpack and co-author this piece on adaptive strategy. For this discussion we explored how strategy needs to be a social process, not a boardroom one and how it can (and should) be a living system that evolves with your business, your peop

For the longest time I've talked about about my view that being reactive in a marketplace that’s always evolving isn’t playing to win. Being proactive in seeking invisible value gaps is the key to staying ahead of the game. And I believe that understanding signals for future adaptability and leading with change is always the advantage... that's much truer now than it's ever been. A few weeks back I got the chance to sit down with Penny Murray again to unpack Adaptive Strat

The traditional work environment is stuck in the old world. No longer can we expect employees to work long hours, sat at the office for...