Some weeks leave you with little energy but a lot of clarity. You spend hours solving problems, navigating complexity, and showing up for others—all while trying to make sense of your own journey. What I’ve been learning is this: not all work is visible. Some of the most important work happens behind the scenes, without recognition, applause, or even acknowledgement. Yet it shapes outcomes in powerful ways.
This week was a reminder of that truth.
🚀 Endeavour: Creativity, Conversations & Building a Community
At Endeavour, I shifted gears into a more creative mode. I finally tackled some projects that had been sitting in my head for a while—not “big projects,” but the kind of ideas that shape culture and bring people closer together. Because we work remotely and only meet in person for workshops or social events, I’ve been thinking deeply about how to foster more of a sense of belonging for the team.
This week, I started experimenting with ways to showcase each other’s work, spark more meaningful conversations in our WhatsApp group, and plan another team event later this summer. None of these things may sound groundbreaking, but they matter. Because when you’re working in a distributed setup, trust and connection don’t just happen—you have to create intentional spaces for them.
On the client side, I spent time preparing for upcoming workshops and coaching sessions. These moments, where creativity meets structure, are what keep me sharp. They remind me that growth doesn’t come from one-off events but from consistency, reflection, and the courage to adapt along the way.
If I had to pick one word for my full-time work (not Endeavour) this week, it would be intense.
The company I work with is going through one of its most challenging seasons. Sales have dropped, redundancies are on the table, and leadership changes have created uncertainty. Into this mix, I found myself stepping into a highly strategic role—guiding our new general manager, shaping strategy, monitoring execution, and navigating difficult conversations at every level.
What makes this role both exciting and exhausting is that much of the work happens behind the scenes. I’m not the face of the decisions, but I’m deeply involved in shaping them. That means long hours of planning, anticipating risks, weighing outcomes, and aligning stakeholders. It also means using every skill I’ve built—through Endeavour, through scouting, and through life—to make sure the pieces fit together.
Here’s the paradox I’ve been sitting with: when you do your job well behind the scenes, nobody notices. It’s as if your fingerprints disappear once the outcome is visible. And while I’ve always been someone who works for the learning and the fulfillment, not the recognition, this week I couldn’t ignore that little voice that said: “It would be nice if someone saw how much this cost me.”
At the same time, I felt proud. Proud of the resilience I’ve built. Proud of how far I’ve come in sharpening my strategic thinking. Proud of not crumbling under the pressure—even if I felt stretched to my limits. By the end of the week, I was tired, yes. But I also knew I had given everything I had. And that, in itself, is enough.
🎙 GROWTH Schema: Leading Without Losing Yourself
Episode 70 of the GROWTH Schema podcast came out this week: “Leading From Within: How Not to Lose Yourself on the Way Up” with Dr. Maria Loumpourdi.
Maria’s insights cut straight to the core of what leadership should be about—identity, authenticity, and the deep inner work that often gets ignored in the rush for performance. We talked about reframing ambition, embracing self-awareness, and what neuroscience tells us about sustainable change.
It felt timely. In many ways, this conversation mirrored what I’ve been experiencing in my own work—the tension between external performance and internal alignment.
I had hoped to make some DIY updates to the podcast studio this week, but honestly, I didn’t have the energy. I chose rest instead. And that was a good reminder: sometimes the “leadership work” is simply knowing when to pause.
⛺ Scouts: Leadership, Strategy & Succession
Scouting was far from quiet this week. I had our executive meeting with the national team, where we reviewed progress, discussed challenges, and looked ahead.
During the week, I also had some deep, one-on-one conversations about the future of scouting and my role in it. Succession planning is becoming more real with each passing month, and while that excites me, it also makes me reflect on the legacy I want to leave behind. Leading in scouting has never been just about logistics—it’s about values, community, and building something that lasts beyond your term.
It reminded me of Endeavour in many ways. Both roles are about trust, alignment, and the courage to let others step up when the time comes.
🩺 Personal: Healing, Energy & Small Moments of Joy
Physio continues to demand consistency, and this week I started to feel the benefits. The swelling in my knee eased a little, my hamstring is slowly healing, and I’ve been adding light workouts to my routine. Each step feels small, but when I zoom out, I see progress. And that keeps me motivated.
But healing isn’t linear. Some days, the pain is sharper. Some days, I’m more tired than I’d like to admit. And some days, I just want to be “back to normal.” This week taught me—again—that recovery isn’t about speed. It’s about discipline, patience, and trusting the process.
What helped me most were the small moments: spending time at the beach with friends, laughing over nothing, or simply allowing myself to rest without guilt. These moments don’t “fix” the pain, but they remind me that life is still rich, even when you’re in the middle of a hard season.
✨ Closing Thoughts
This week tested me in multiple ways—professionally, personally, and physically. It reminded me that the most important work is often invisible: the strategic decisions made behind closed doors, the quiet consistency of physio exercises, the unglamorous effort of building community.
Not all wins come with applause. Some just come with a quiet sense of knowing you showed up.
Over to you:
Have you ever found yourself doing invisible work that few noticed—how did you deal with it?
And what’s one small, consistent habit that’s keeping you grounded right now?
Until next week, Grow Beyond!