APRIL 2025 INSIGHTS

Spiral staircase — Xenia Wickett - Wickett Advisory

April 2025 Insights

Something shifted in September last year that has put my business on a new trajectory. I don’t know exactly what it was—was it something I did, or was it the context changing? Either way, it’s exciting, hard work, and a bit of a mystery. If you have thoughts on what it might be, I’d love to hear them.

The hardest thing I did this month was deliver a TEDx talk on "How to Ask Powerful Questions". (Text coming soon; video next month.) The challenge? I had to memorise a 10-minute speech—something I hadn't done for decades. More reflections on that below.

Meanwhile, here are my ‘signals’ for April:

What I’ve Learned About the Context

India’s evolving foreign policy: India is moving from non-aligned to ‘poly-amorous’.
The future of work: 83% of global CEOs expect a full return to the office within three years (KPMG 2024 CEO Outlook ). Yet almost half of recent graduates surveyed say they won’t apply for a job without hybrid options. The real question isn’t ‘remote or office’—it’s what function best suits the work. (Worth reading more from Gib Bulloch on this.)
Reinvention is now a core competency: According to Accenture and the Reinvention Academy, disruption levels have surged 200% in five years. Over half of companies are reinventing themselves, and CEOs now dedicate 47% (and aim to increase to 57%) of their time to continuous reinvention. (Take a look at The Reinvention Summit for more brilliant insights on a similar theme.)
Tariffs revisited: According to Olu Sonola, head of US economic research at Fitch Ratings, US tariff rates are back to levels last seen in 1920 (NYTimes). Yet, sources close to Trump suggest the goal isn’t protectionism—it’s negotiating leverage to drive global tariffs toward zero. These two things are not mutually exclusive.
Generalists win in complex environments: The more repetitive a challenge, the more likely it will be automated. Big breakthroughs will favour those who can apply ideas across domains. (David Epstein, Range: How Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World) [NOTE: the book is well worth reading in its entirety]
Europe's defence evolution: A new multilateral Defence, Security, and Resilience (DSR) bank could be a catalyst for a more efficient European defence framework. Procurement challenges remain the biggest hurdle. (Great explanation from Rebecca Harding) Link here

What I’ve Learned About People

Know yourself, know your opponent: "If you know the enemy and yourself you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." (Sun Tzu)
Fight groupthink with an external perspective: “When you have group think and blind spots, circumstances are accepted and not questioned and you have conformity and collusion.” (John Blakey and Ian Day, Challenging Coaching)
Traits vs. states: Traits are enduring; states are temporary. We often misdiagnose challenges because we mistake one for the other. (Thank you for the reminder, Katie Muldoon)
Breadth matters in uncertainty: Specialists excel with well-defined problems. But as ambiguity rises—now the norm—breadth becomes a critical advantage. (As noted by Andy Ouderkirk from 3M, in David Epstein’s Range)

What I’ve Learned About Myself

Stretching my comfort zone: I went way out of my comfort zone this month giving a 10-minute TEDx talk. Writing the speech was easy; committing it to memory was the real stretch. It didn’t necessarily improve the talk—but it improved me. It reminded me that genuine growth often feels uncomfortable—and, as my brother said, it's still fun to scare yourself in your 50s (mostly). It’s a good sign that I’m still doing so.
Two steps forward, one step back: At times, I feel like I’m learning faster than ever; at others, I’m relearning things I thought I’d mastered. Changing habits and ways of working is hard. It requires constant attention—and I think sometimes, the right move is to let go and simply be.