2024 - The Year That Was for Me
Photo credit: Bianca Tuckwell
As I get ready to pack my bags and fly to Barcelona to spend the next three weeks, I wanted to reflect, in this last article for 2024, on the year that has been. I started writing this weekly newsletter in March 2024, and since then I have written 39 articles (40 with this one). When I started, I wasn’t sure what this experiment was going to be. I wasn’t sure about the topics I wanted to cover or whether I’d be able to maintain the consistency and inspiration to keep it going.
I have learnt a lot about myself and the way I see business through this process. The main topics that have naturally emerged have been leadership, culture, ways of working, and strategy—things I care deeply about when it comes to organisations and business. With all that in mind, here is my summary of this past year:
Subtlety Is the Key to Leadership
This year, I discovered the concept of subtle leadership, and I was—and still am—fascinated by it. Subtle leadership is defined as the type of leadership that stems from *referent power*. Referent power is based on personal traits—enduring characteristics that describe an individual’s behaviour.
In other words, subtle leadership is about the ability of anyone in the organisation to influence others based on their values, personal traits, and ways of showing up—without the need for formal power or even a following.
I love this concept, and I will keep talking about it for years to come. To me, it encapsulates beautifully how the path towards becoming a great leader is less about adopting new techniques and strategies, and more about the journey of self-discovery and alignment with one’s deeper values.
Resilience Has Been the Most Important Skill for Business Owners and Leaders in 2024
Let’s be honest: 2024 has been a tough year for many businesses, especially small ones. High interest rates, economic uncertainty, and the general state of the world have led many large organisations to reduce their investment levels, which has had a ripple effect on smaller businesses.
I feel that the capacity for leaders and business owners to adapt, recover quickly from difficulties, and display the mental toughness needed in these moments has probably been the most important skill to master this year.
This has been true for me as well, both professionally and personally. The key to getting through this year has been the strong relationships I’ve built over the years with my business partners and community, not being afraid to ask for help, and continuing to build my confidence and self-esteem.
Adaptability and Emergent Strategy Deliver Better Outcomes
I feel that when things get tough, many businesses and leaders double down on trying to predict specific outcomes and futures. Plans become more rigorous and detailed, and fear enters meeting and board rooms.
I believe these moments are when leaders need to become calmer—leaving space between events and reactions—and rely on adaptability and emergent strategy to guide their teams and organisations.
Being calm and comfortable with ambiguity is key for leaders to observe opportunities as they arise from unplanned actions and initiatives within their teams and organisations. This has certainly been true for us this year and has been the driving force behind some of the initiatives and successes we’ve had in 2024.
I’m looking forward to spending the next few weeks with my family in Spain and returning early in the new year with renewed energy—and a few more kilos! I’m very optimistic about 2025. I think the market will recover, and I believe organisations will continue working towards becoming better places for people to work while driving meaningful change for humanity and the planet.
I’ll be back in January 2025 with many more thoughts, articles, and a new website to share with you and the world. Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
