Leadership & Mindset
Rucking and leadership
This was me rucking with 80 lbs. I got home late. I was tired. The easy choice was obvious: eat, rest, and call it a day. But discipline rarely shows up when it is convenient. So I put the weight on my back and went back out the door. Not because I felt motivated. Not because I had extra energy. Not because anyone was watching. Because sometimes the standard you set for yourself has to be stronger than the excuse you are ready to accept.
Email Isn't Broken. We Are.
Twelve years ago, I wrote a post called “7 tips to make email more acceptable”. At the time, I believed email had become one of the great productivity drains in modern work.
I wasn’t wrong. I was just looking at the wrong problem.
Is Remote Work Creating an Invisible Mental Health Challenge?
A new peer-reviewed study published in Science suggests that one of the largest workplace transformations in modern history may be carrying an unintended consequence: increased social isolation and declining mental health among remote workers.
Researchers analysed data from more than 588,000 American workers across five nationally representative surveys conducted between 2011 and 2024. Their conclusion was clear: remote work increases time spent alone and is associated with measurable declines in mental well-being, particularly among individuals who live alone.
Remote work option ending for thousands of workers in 2026 Starting in 2026, thousands of workers will see their remote work options end, requiring them to return to the office full-time. This shift impacts provincial employees who will be expected to work five days a week in person.
The "10 Per Cent" Myth: Why AI Capability Does Not Equal a Pink Slip
The headlines are everywhere, and they are designed to stop your scroll: “AI to Replace 1/10 of the Workforce.”
It is a terrifying number. It represents millions of livelihoods reduced to a statistic. But as a chief information security officer, I do not deal in headlines. I deal in risk, audits and rigorous data analysis.
When you strip away the hype and audit the primary sources released in late 2025—specifically from Project Iceberg (MIT), Yale and McKinsey—a completely different reality emerges.
We are confusing technical exposure with actual displacement.
Here is the fact-based reality of the AI labour market as we enter 2026.
Geoffrey Hinton says tech giants can’t profit from AI investments unless human labor is replaced | Fortune According to Geoffrey Hinton, tech giants cannot profit from their AI investments without replacing human labor. He believes that the massive capital expenditures by companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Alphabet are predicated on the idea of widespread job displacement by AI, though he acknowledges AI’s potential for good in fields like healthcare and education.
Built to fail: the structural indicators that doom CISOs
If nearly a quarter of Fortune 500 chief information security officers last just one year in the role, we need to stop asking what’s wrong with CISOs—and start asking what’s wrong with how we set them up.
The great resignation is over. Welcome to the era of 'job clinging.'
In an uncertain economic climate, a new trend is emerging in the global workforce: “job clinging.” Workers, increasingly anxious about their prospects, are choosing to stay in their current roles — often delaying job searches despite dissatisfaction. This phenomenon, born of economic pressure and a cooling labour market, has significant implications for employees, businesses, and the broader economy. While its roots are visible in the United States, its effects are rippling across the world in different ways.
Book Summary: The Languages of Leadership by Wendy Born
The Languages of Leadership by Wendy Bourne Key Message Being an effective leader requires mastering a set of core behaviours and communication styles. These "languages of leadership" styles can help you influence your team, peers, and superiors. Focus on Yourself First Leadership starts with self-improvement. Avoid blaming others and focus on your circle of influence, not your circle of concern. Take things personally—enough to care and grow, but not to the point of burnout. Improve interpersonal skills by engaging with others beyond email—use face-to-face communication to build connections.
Book Summary: The Tyranny of Email by John Freeman
Email's Origins and Control Historically, long-distance communication was the domain of the powerful—governments and the Church—who used it to consolidate control. From the Persian Empire's horse posts to the Catholic Church's scrolls, the common population had no access to reliable long-distance mail until well into the 19th century. Rise of Public Mail Postcards and letters became accessible in the late 1800s due to education reforms and infrastructure investments. Mail turned personal and widespread, spawning new social behaviours such as chain letters, anonymous insults, and early versions of spam.
Book Summary: The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Key Idea Managing energy—not time—is the key to high performance, personal renewal, and sustainable productivity. Instead of cramming more into our days, we should seek to better manage our four energy dimensions: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Managing Energy Over Time Time is finite, but energy can be expanded and renewed. Many professionals burn out because they focus on time management while ignoring their energy depletion. Regular breaks and aligning with natural energy rhythms can enhance focus and productivity.
How to Match Your Experience to Job Descriptions Using AI
TL;DR: Customizing your application to match job descriptions directly boosts your chance of securing interviews. Generative AI helps you strategically align your skills and experience with employer expectations. AI & HR Expert Insights: Prompt Engineering Tip: Ask AI to identify gaps between your resume and the job description. For example: "Compare my resume to this job posting and suggest areas for improvement." Human Oversight: Critically assess AI suggestions to ensure they genuinely enhance your application without misrepresenting your qualifications.
How to Boost Your LinkedIn Profile Using Generative AI
TL;DR: LinkedIn is a global platform where your professional story is visible to recruiters 24/7. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help create stronger headlines, summaries, and experience sections that attract opportunities. AI & HR Expert Insights: Prompt Engineering Tip: Use prompts that define your professional brand. Example: "Create a LinkedIn summary for a cybersecurity expert with 10 years of experience in cloud security and compliance." Human Oversight: Ensure that the AI-generated content aligns with your personal brand and accurately represents your career journey.
Book Summary: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
Keywords: #TimeManagement #MorningRoutine #WorkLifeBalance #PersonalGrowth #CareerDevelopment #GoalSetting #EarlyRiser #SelfDiscipline #ProductivityHacks #IntentionalLiving #Habits #Routine #WeekendPlanning #QualityTime #LifeDesign #Motivation #Mindfulness #Focus #Resilience #SelfCare #FamilyTime #Reflection #SuccessMindset #Planning #WorkSmarter #DailyRoutine #HighPerformance #LifeHacks #Efficiency #EnergyManagement #LifeBalance #Leadership #Accountability #DreamBig #TrackYourTime #MeaningfulWork
Book Summary: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
Summary Life often feels like a blur of tasks and responsibilities. Laura Vanderkam presents a framework that helps individuals make the most of their mornings, weekends and work hours. Through strategic planning and consistent routines, success can be designed into daily life. The central message: the most successful people don't wait for time—they make time, starting in the morning. Start the day with what matters most Early mornings are an underutilized asset. By doing non-urgent but meaningful activities like exercise, reading or long-term projects before the day begins, you can gain a sense of accomplishment and direction.
How to Use AI to Write Tailored Cover Letters for Cybersecurity and Privacy Roles
TL;DR: Cover letters remain critical for standing out to employers. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help craft tailored, impactful letters aligned with specific cybersecurity, privacy, and IT roles. AI & HR Expert Insights: Prompt Engineering Tip: Provide AI with specific details about the job and your relevant experiences. For instance: "Draft a cover letter for a Privacy Analyst role at XYZ Corp, emphasizing my experience with GDPR compliance." Human Oversight: Customize AI-generated drafts to reflect your unique voice and motivations.
How to Use Generative AI to Optimize Your CV for Cybersecurity, Privacy, and IT Jobs
TL;DR: A CV has only seconds to make an impression, and many are filtered out by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before a human review. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can help tailor, format, and sharpen your CV to meet cybersecurity, privacy, and IT industry demands. AI & HR Expert Insights: Prompt Engineering Tip: When using AI tools, specify your role and the job description to get more tailored suggestions. For example, prompt: "Act as a cybersecurity recruiter. Analyze my CV against this job description and suggest improvements.
Book Summary: The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
The 5 Second Rule By Mel Robbins Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence With Everyday Courage Summary The 5 Second Rule presents a deceptively simple but powerful behavioural tool to disrupt negative patterns, stop procrastination, and build everyday courage. Mel Robbins argues that five seconds is all it takes to change your life. The method is rooted in psychology and neuroscience, and its simplicity makes it universally accessible. Key Ideas 1. The Five-Second Rule Can Change Your Behaviour Mel Robbins was in a personal slump—unemployed, in debt, drinking too much, and losing momentum.
Book Summary: Free to Focus by Michael Hyatt
Our concept of productivity is flawed Productivity isn't about doing more—it's about doing more of the right things. We're surrounded by a culture obsessed with "more": more meetings, more emails, more hours. We mistakenly think that if we can work faster, we can finally get ahead. But this mindset leads to burnout and diminishing returns. Research shows that people working more than 55 hours a week are actually less productive than those working fewer hours due to fatigue and stress.
Book Summary: Do Breathe: Calm Your Mind, Find Focus, Get Stuff Done by Michael Townsend Williams
In Do Breathe, Michael Townsend Williams reminds us that calm, clarity and effective productivity aren't born from constant hustle—they come from pausing, breathing, and returning to the fundamentals. Life's chaos, deadlines and distractions often pull us in every direction, but regaining balance is less about doing more and more about doing differently. Williams' core thesis is straightforward: when life feels overwhelming, the answer is not always to press forward but to step back—to breathe, reflect, and reset. His guidance touches on areas like breathwork, simplicity, habit change, mindfulness and physical wellbeing, offering practical techniques to foster sustainable productivity and personal growth.