EDITION 1121
18 MAY 2026

On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case that racial segregation was constitutional provided facilities were “separate but equal”. In reality, the decision legitimised decades of profound inequality and discrimination.

History repeatedly reminds us that systems can appear lawful, organised and widely accepted while still being fundamentally unfair. True leadership therefore requires more than simply following rules or preserving tradition. It demands the courage to question whether the systems we inherit genuinely serve people well.

This week’s edition of 10 THINGS explores leadership, confidence, authenticity, adaptability and the consequences of complacency in a rapidly changing world.

William Montgomery
Editor

1. How to avoid ambiguity in relationships. Most people can cope with bad news. What quietly drains morale, trust and emotional energy is uncertainty. In leadership, relationships and life, ambiguity often creates more anxiety than honesty ever does. When people are left constantly decoding mixed signals, second-guessing intentions or wondering where they stand, confidence slowly erodes. Strong leaders understand that clarity is kindness. That does not mean being blunt or having all the answers. It means communicating honestly, consistently and respectfully, especially when conversations become uncomfortable. Over time, people rarely resent clarity. What they remember is confusion. READ MORE

2. Politics punishes complacency. The proposed Makerfield by-election has quickly become about far more than a single parliamentary seat. With Andy Burnham seeking a return to Westminster and Reform UK gaining momentum across parts of northern England, the contest, proposed for 18 June, the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and almost a decade after the Brexit vote, is already being framed as a test of Labour’s future direction and electoral resilience. What makes it interesting is not simply the politics, but the underlying leadership lesson. Success can create the illusion of permanence. Parties, organisations and leaders often assume traditional loyalties will endure, right up until they suddenly do not. Public sentiment shifts gradually, then all at once. That is why strong leaders never mistake past victories for future guarantees. Relevance must continually be earned, renewed and defended.

3. Forecasts are not destiny. The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the first quarter of the year, outperforming expectations and delivering its strongest quarterly growth for 12 months. Particularly surprising was March’s 0.3% expansion, when many analysts had predicted contraction. It is a useful reminder that forecasts are exactly that: forecasts. In leadership, as in economics, people often confuse predictions with inevitability. Momentum can change faster than expected, especially when confidence, investment and belief begin to return. The lesson is not that every problem has been solved. Far from it. But overly pessimistic narratives can become just as misleading as unrealistic optimism. Good leaders acknowledge reality, while still leaving room for the possibility of improvement.

4. Your CV has 11 seconds. Recruiters reportedly spend just 11 seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to continue reading. That creates a modern paradox. AI can now produce polished applications in minutes, yet the easier it becomes to create a professional looking CV, the harder it becomes to create a memorable one. The strongest CVs are rarely the longest. They communicate impact quickly, sound unmistakably human, and leave the reader curious to know more. That is why I have long believed in the discipline of the one-page CV. Not because people only have one page of experience, but because clarity beats clutter and authenticity beats jargon. If helpful, I’m always happy to share a copy of my own one-page CV as an example of a different approach. ASK HERE

5. Staying young is not just physical. New research from University College London suggests that singing in a choir, painting, crafting or visiting museums may help people stay biologically younger. Researchers found that regular engagement with arts and culture was linked to slower ageing, with benefits comparable to some major lifestyle improvements. The findings reinforce something many people instinctively know. Staying well is not only about diet and exercise. It is also about stimulation, connection, creativity and joy. Interestingly, similar benefits have also been linked to activities such as playing tennis, maintaining strong social connections and continued learning. Perhaps healthy ageing is less about avoiding life and more about continuing to engage fully with it. Maybe even by still reading newsletters like 10 THINGS. Which contributes most to healthy ageing? VOTE HERE

6. We are more connected than we think. Scientists believe a powerful El Niño weather pattern could help make 2027 the hottest year ever recorded, bringing increased risks of floods, droughts and extreme heat around the world. Some experts even warn Britain could again experience 40C temperatures. Beyond the climate debate itself, the story highlights something bigger: how interconnected modern life has become. Weather patterns influence food supply, migration, insurance costs, infrastructure, energy demand and economic stability. Problems that once felt distant increasingly arrive on our own doorstep. It is a reminder that leadership today requires systems thinking. Decisions made in one part of the world now have consequences far beyond national borders. We are all more connected than we sometimes realise.

7. Events can overtake strategy. The King’s Speech set out an ambitious legislative agenda for the year ahead, including plans on housing reform, nuclear energy, water regulation, asylum policy and digital identity. Yet much of the coverage focused less on the content itself and more on whether the prime minister will survive long enough to deliver it. That is a leadership lesson in its own right. Organisations often spend months building detailed strategies, only for events to change the landscape faster than expected. Political crises, market shocks and shifts in public confidence can quickly render carefully prepared plans obsolete. Good leaders understand that strategy matters, but adaptability matters just as much. Because the real challenge is rarely writing the plan. It is surviving reality.

8. Personality still matters. English golfer Aaron Rai became the first Englishman in more than a century to win the US PGA Championship. His success was built not on glamour or bravado, but on years of discipline, humility and relentless self-improvement following relatively modest beginnings. Yet one of the things people notice most about him is his set of knitted iron head covers, inspired by values taught to him by his father when he was young. In a sport increasingly driven by sponsorship and technology, they reveal something deeply personal behind the performance. There is a leadership lesson in that. Competence earns respect, but authenticity creates connection. In a world drifting towards sameness, personality still matters.

9. Even tennis stars think they’re underpaid. Top tennis players are increasing pressure on Grand Slam organisers over prize money, with some suggesting the sport’s biggest names deserve a larger share of tournament revenues. One player even hinted that a boycott may eventually be needed to force change. It all feels rather familiar to anyone who has ever played social doubles at my own “chez away from chez” at Wildmoor and discovered the winners receive a bottle of prosecco and the enduring respect of at least three people in the café. Still, the debate raises an interesting point. In almost every profession, people eventually compare the value they create with the reward they receive. Recognition matters. Respect matters. Feeling valued matters. Even when the prize fund comes chilled.

10. The bottom line. More people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since 2018 than Allied troops landed on D-Day. Whatever your politics, it is hard to argue this is not one of the defining leadership challenges of modern Britain.