Ideas on leadership, strategy and how work actually works

Transformation is messy. Leadership is harder than the frameworks suggest.

This is where I write about what I see, what the research says, and what I actually think. Some of it is practical. Some of it will challenge the way you think about work.

Topics range from making strategy real and building leadership capability, the quiet fear epidemic running through modern workplaces, what neuroscience actually tells us about performance, how AI is reshaping the way we work and lead, and why being a decent human being is still the most underrated leadership skill there is.

No theory for theory's sake. Just ideas worth your time.

Catherine Russell 8/3/26 Catherine Russell 8/3/26

AI isn’t the real threat to your brain. Your organisation is.

Everyone's suddenly worried about what AI is doing to our brains. But I've been watching what organisations do to them for years. The research is finally catching up — and the real problem isn't the tool you're reaching for. It's the system you're working in

Catherine Russell 12/1/26 Catherine Russell 12/1/26

The Missing Middle: Why Most Organisations Struggle to Execute Strategy

The strategy is solid. The team is capable. But somewhere between "here's where we're going" and "here's what we're doing about it," everything gets fuzzy. That's where the damage happens—and it snowballs all year because of it.

Catherine Russell 18/9/25 Catherine Russell 18/9/25

Part 1: Brains on: how to work with AI without switching your thinking off

AI can boost speed and creativity — if we keep our thinking on. This post shows five simple guardrails to avoid automation bias: frame the decision first, compare drafts and sources, check the source+date trail, run a counter-prompt, then make (and log) a human call. Use AI as a power assist, not a replacement for judgment.

Catherine Russell 15/9/25 Catherine Russell 15/9/25

Before we go faster: protecting our thinking in the age of AI

AI is moving fast. The real risk isn’t just bias—it’s our thinking. Here’s how to keep brains ‘on’ and pair speed with judgment

Catherine Russell 28/8/25 Catherine Russell 28/8/25

Psychological Safety: The Hard Edge of Performance

Many leaders brush off psychological safety with “let’s just get on with the work.” But without it, performance suffers. In this post, I share why safety is the foundation of high-performing teams — and a few tips leaders can use to strike the right balance.