Noticing what works. Technological optimism and appropriate fear. When authentic leadership backfires.

One “must” for this week: noticing what works

What’s the one thing that went wrong today?

Easy to answer, right? Now, what are three things that went well?

If that second question is harder, you are just a human like me 😅

Even if I have an amazing day, my brain will focus on the one thing that went wrong: a comment that did not land well in a meeting, or a task I forgot.

This is a feature by default, not a bug. Our brains are fantastic problem-finders and hardwired to scan for danger.

It’s how our ancestors evolved and survived, but in 2025, it keeps us from enjoying life if we allow it.

This negativity bias often clouds my vision. I am incredibly lucky: I’m healthy, I have two amazing kids, and I live in a place I love.

And still, my mind often remembers only what went wrong, was missing, or stressful in a day, and keeps thinking about it.

So, a few years ago, I started a simple ritual that helped me to see the full picture of my days.

Every night, I write down three things I’m grateful for, one win from the day (big or small), and one thing I struggled with.

Giving space to the struggle is important for me, since it’s not forced positivity, it’s instead allowing the good stuff equal (or more) airtime.

It’s how I override my brain’s default settings, manually training my attention to notice that even on the tough days, there is progress and moments of joy.

What’s one small win you had today?

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Personal development

• Noticing what works

• 102 lessons from the 102 books I read this year

• Charitable giving is best done in secret

• Gaining career purpose through lightning bolts

• How to coach yourself through complex problems

• Taylor Swift’s career strategy: be at the center of gravity

• The costs of entry in life

• The modern world

Innovation

• Technological optimism and appropriate fear

• Agentic design patterns

• AI slop is destroying the internet

• Artificial intelligence and the ‘Gods behind the Masks’

• Chimeric talent: the workforce AI is quietly creating

• On the vital question by Nick lane

• The evidence ladder: validate before you build

• What can we learn from Xiaomi’s monumental EV rise

Leadership and management

• When authentic leadership backfires

• Care and swear

• Five ecological concepts for working in organisational change

• Introducing the GAIN framework for feedback

• Stop resisting feedback

• The hidden beliefs that hold leaders back

• The new age of jazz leadership in China

• Unschooling leadership: It’s time to stop teaching leaders

One book

“Breath: the new science of a lost art” by James Nestor.

See you next Saturday

Roberto