EDITION 1126
22 JUNE 2026

Tomorrow marks the tenth anniversary of one of the most consequential decisions in modern British history. On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

Whatever your view of Brexit, it serves as a reminder that leadership often involves making decisions with incomplete information and uncertain outcomes. The challenge is rarely predicting the future perfectly. It is navigating uncertainty thoughtfully.

This week’s edition explores trust, resilience, decision-making and the importance of thinking beyond the immediate horizon.

Last week’s poll asked whether the UK should have a long-term population target. This week we’re asking a different question: what should replace the five-day week?

William Montgomery
Editor

1. HOW TO STAND OUT IN AN INTERVIEW. Most candidates spend their time preparing answers. The best candidates spend their time preparing stories. An interview is not an exam designed to catch you out. It is a conversation intended to determine whether there is a good fit between you and the organisation. Interviewers are not just assessing what you know. They are assessing how you think, communicate and behave under pressure. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your chances of success. READ MORE

2. MORE NEWS, LESS TRUST. For the first time, social media and video platforms have overtaken traditional news organisations as the most widely used source of news. At the same time, trust in news has fallen to its lowest level since records began. The lesson is not that people have less access to information. Quite the opposite. We have never had more information available to us. The challenge is knowing what to believe. Leadership depends on trust. When trust falls, people become sceptical, disengaged and divided. The same is true in organisations, communities and societies. Information may attract attention, but trust earns influence. In an age of unlimited content, credibility is becoming one of the most valuable leadership assets of all.

3. THE COST OF UNCERTAINTY. The Bank of England has held interest rates at 3.75% for the fourth consecutive meeting. The reason is not that everything is clear. Quite the opposite. Inflation remains above target, wages are rising faster than expected, and conflict in the Middle East continues to create uncertainty about future prices. Faced with incomplete information, policymakers have chosen to wait. Leaders often feel pressure to act. Yet sometimes the most responsible decision is to pause, gather more information and avoid making a situation worse. In leadership, as in economics, uncertainty carries a cost. The challenge is knowing when to move and when to hold your position until the picture becomes clearer.

4. IS THE UK SERIOUS ABOUT DEFENCE? The Government’s Strategic Defence Review set out an ambitious vision for Britain’s armed forces. Yet questions remain about how that vision will be funded and delivered. Reports suggest senior military leaders sought significantly more funding than the Treasury was prepared to provide, while the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan has still not been published. With the NATO summit approaching, pressure is mounting for greater clarity on how capability gaps will be addressed and priorities funded. The issue extends beyond defence. Leadership is ultimately about aligning ambition with resources. Announcing a strategy is relatively easy. Delivering it requires clear priorities, difficult choices and sustained investment. If something is genuinely important, it should appear not only in your strategy, but also in your budget, your timetable and your actions. Strategy without delivery is merely aspiration.

5. THE FIVE-DAY WEEK. This year marks 100 years since Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour, five-day working week. Before that, most people worked to the rhythms of the seasons, daylight and the demands of daily life rather than a fixed Monday-to-Friday schedule. The seven-day week may be ancient, but the way many of us work today is surprisingly modern. As organisations rethink hybrid working, productivity and wellbeing, it is worth remembering that the working week is not a law of nature but a human invention. Good leaders understand that work should serve people and purpose, not simply tradition. Sometimes the most established practices are the ones most deserving of review. The five-day working week turns 100 this year. What should replace it?  VOTE HERE

6. WHO WANTS TO BE A TRILLIONAIRE? Back in 2008, Elon Musk was reportedly days away from bankruptcy. Tesla was struggling, SpaceX had suffered three consecutive launch failures, and both companies were running out of money. Then came Flight 4. The mission succeeded and secured a $1.5 billion NASA contract, providing the lifeline SpaceX desperately needed. What looked like failure suddenly became the foundation for something much bigger. SpaceX has since floated on Nasdaq at a valuation of $1.77 trillion, the largest IPO in history, helping Elon Musk become the world’s first trillionaire. Whether that valuation proves justified remains to be seen. The company has never generated a profit and its ambitions include thousands of reusable rockets, orbital data centres, global internet coverage and, ultimately, a city on Mars. Many people still think the vision is unrealistic. Then again, many people once said reusable rockets were impossible. Leadership is not the ability to predict the future. It is the willingness to keep going when the future is still invisible.

7. THE POWER OF THE STRATEGIC PAUSE. Many leaders believe their value lies in having an immediate answer to every problem. Early in my career, I often thought the same. Experience has taught me otherwise. When everything feels urgent, nothing is. The most effective leaders know when to act, when to wait and when to simply gather more information. A strategic pause is not procrastination. It is the discipline of creating space between an event and your response. In a world that rewards speed, thoughtful restraint is becoming a competitive advantage. Leadership is not always about making the next move. Sometimes it is about deciding not to make one yet. A strategic pause is not surrender. It is preparation. If you’d like to explore this idea further, see my recent article, Carry On Regardless. READ MORE

8. THE HIGH COST OF LOST TRUST. Nearly seven in ten consumers say they would abandon a brand they no longer trust. That should concern every leader. Trust takes years to build, minutes to lose and much longer to regain. Yet many organisations continue to focus on visibility, marketing and growth while overlooking the one asset that underpins them all. The challenge is becoming greater in the age of artificial intelligence. Consumers increasingly question what is real, what is automated and who is accountable when things go wrong. The lesson extends far beyond business. Whether leading a company, a team or a community, credibility remains your most valuable currency. Trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets.

9. BACK ON THE BRIDGE. Last week I found myself discussing Russian warships, warning shots and collision regulations on GB News. Thirty years in the Royal Navy had unexpectedly become relevant again. The story centred on a British yacht and a Russian frigate in the English Channel. Many were quick to describe it as an act of aggression. My instinct, shaped by years navigating ships around the world, was to ask a different question: what do the facts actually tell us? The repeated warning signals suggested a navigational concern before a political one. Leadership is often the same. The loudest explanation is rarely the most accurate. The best leaders resist the pressure to react and instead take the time to understand. Whether on a bridge, in a boardroom or at home, good judgement begins with good information.

10. THE BOTTOM LINE. With 1.25 million young people potentially facing a future outside work, education or training, Britain risks more than an economic problem. Work provides purpose, confidence and belonging as well as income. I joined the Royal Navy at sixteen and have worked every day since. It gave me opportunities that shaped the rest of my life. Leadership begins by opening doors. The question is whether we are opening enough of them for the generation that follows.