Xenia Wickett - AI After a demanding June, July gave me space to reflect, reset, and work on some of the longer-term institutional goals...

For 80 years, the US anchored the global system. Now, uncertainty reigns. Will America turn inward, fuelling division and instability, or recalibrate and remain a key—if less dominant—global player? For business leaders, preparing for both futures is essential as geopolitics becomes a central concern. Which path will rise, and how will you navigate the complexity ahead?

The pace and pattern of change today demands more than traditional leadership instincts. In a world that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, clarity is no longer a luxury—it’s a strategic asset. This short piece explores the structural shifts I believe every senior leader should understand—from fracturing global trust and economic headwinds, to demographic divergence and the strategic implications of the energy transition.

Wickett Advisory May 2025 Insights This month I’ve been focused on what I am trying to achieve, for myself and my business. My behaviour...

It’s time to talk about optimism. Not the fluffy kind. Not delusion or denial. But serious, grounded, strategic optimism. The kind that helps us see possibility amidst uncertainty. The kind that fuels bold decisions and creative action. The kind that helps you lead. Because here’s the truth: optimism is not the opposite of realism. It’s part of it.

Xenia Wickett - Wickett Advisory April 2025 Insights Something shifted in September last year that has put my business on a new...

The pros and cons of expanding access to coaching support If you’re a senior exec in the US and you don’t have a coach, people will start...

When you’re stuck-looping through the same problem overthinking decisions, one of the most effective strategies is change your perspective

Xenia Wickett - Wickett Advisory Welcome to January 2025 Insights. I hope the year has started well for you. A couple of weeks ago, I...

Confidence in what you know, and humility in understanding, accepting, and openly exploring what you don't

What do you do when you decide, whether voluntarily or otherwise, that you’ll no longer follow the path you’ve been on for many decades.

Coaching is not a scientific operation…but if you strip away the jargon, you end up with an intuitive, collaborative, process.

What do successful transitioning executives need to know? Forget the ‘First 100 days’ concept, most senior executives state that it takes...

As Scott Keller and Mary Meaney show in this linked McKinsey article, senior leaders are typically underprepared for and undersupported...

When to coach and when not to... I often get asked what is the perfect client. To which the answer is that they can be anybody. Far...

Here are 7 key insights I’ve learned from 25 years as a senior geopolitical advisor that are great guides to frame leadership...

How do you measure success, and how far does your perception of success rely upon external validation?

Do you have too many decisions to make and not enough time? Or information? Or both? Are you spending too much time on the urgent rather...

Stepping away from a successful career can dismantle the struts that underpin your sense of self-worth. Finding a new definition of oneself

President Putin has failed on many levels – organisational, strategic and geopolitical, to name just three. If I were his executive...