For most kids growing up in the 70s, 80s, and maybe even the 90s, the picture of achieving success was one of climbing the corporate ladder. One in power attire, like a corporate champion. Perhaps influenced by the previous generation of what 'success' means to them, but not necessarily to a new generation.

There is a sense that the traditional linear career path of climbing a predefined ladder within a single function or organisation is becoming obsolete. The rapid integration of AI, shifting workforce expectations, and economic volatility are reshaping how careers evolve.

For HR and L&D leaders, this transformation presents both challenges and opportunities.

The AI Disruption Is Real

AI is massively disrupting workforces. I have a vision of us in a world where one person, through AI, automation, robotics, predictive workflows, and AI agents, will take on most of the work we used to do.

Tasks that take a 50-person team may now be done by one.

This vision has its it's following implications:

• Massive Job Displacement: Up to 800 million jobs could be displaced by automation by 2030, with as many as 375 million workers needing to switch occupations (McKinsey).
• Corporate Restructuring: Companies like Microsoft have laid off thousands, reallocating resources toward AI growth areas (Economic Times).
• Workforce Adaptation: Around 47% of U.S. workers are at risk of being replaced by AI over the next decade (Exploding Topics)

These shifts signal that traditional, step-by-step career progression is no longer a reliable blueprint.

Non-Linear Careers: The New Normal

This means non-linear career paths, characterised by pivots, lateral moves, and unconventional trajectories, are becoming the default. This is driven by:

• Changing Workforce Expectations: Younger generations seek purpose, autonomy, and ongoing development over hierarchy.
• Economic Volatility: The unpredictability of today’s business environment encourages people to diversify their skills and roles.
• Technological Disruption: The pace of change means workers must constantly adapt, re-skill, and evolve.

For organisations, supporting non-linear growth leads to more agile, empowered, and future-ready teams.

Key Takeaways for HR & L&D Leaders

1. Shift Focus to Skills and Strengths: Move beyond rigid job titles. Embrace strengths-based development and build talent around potential, not just pedigree.
2. Design Flexible Career Pathways: Create frameworks that allow movement across departments, roles, and projects, empowering people to grow in ways that fit evolving business needs.
3. Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning: Embed development into the daily rhythm of work. Make learning accessible, relevant, and aligned with future capabilities.

If you want to hear how real professionals are navigating reinvention and non-linear growth, check out the latest episode of the Wild & Wise Podcast:

There’s been a wave of layoffs again. You've seen it on the news.

It's sad, but that is the reality of the business landscape today if you are an employee.

Behind every announcement is a human story.

For the person affected, it’s not just the end of a job, it’s the beginning of a very personal, very real psychological process that we don’t talk about enough.

A layoff doesn’t just disrupt your career. It can disturb your identity, your sense of control, and sometimes, your self-worth.

In my work with leaders and creatives navigating reinvention, I’ve seen how important it is to understand what’s happening under the surface. Here’s what research tells us, in simple terms, about the emotional and mental journey and how we can navigate it with clarity and care.

1. The Shock and the Shame

Even when you know it’s not personal, it feels very personal.

The first question that comes up is often: What did I do wrong?

From a psychological perspective, this reaction is hardwired. A layoff triggers our brain’s fear response, especially the amygdala, which processes it as a threat to our stability and safety. Studies have even likened this to the early stages of grief.

What may help: Let yourself feel the loss. It’s okay to grieve. Talking to someone or simply acknowledging what’s happening internally makes a difference.

2. The Spiral of Self-Doubt

In the days or weeks after, it’s easy to slip into comparison mode.

You see others posting about new jobs or promotions, and start questioning your value. You might even feel pressure to “bounce back fast.”

But research consistently shows that job loss affects self-esteem, particularly when we link our worth to our work.

What may help: Give yourself permission to pause before reacting. Instead of rushing into job boards, take time to reflect. Take a short break if you can. What do you truly want now?

3. The Narrative Breakdown

Most of us carry a mental story about where we should be by now.

By 30, I should be a manager. By 40, I should be regional head.

A layoff can shatter that script if the job is tied closely to your identity.

Psychologists call this a disruption to our “narrative identity.” When the storyline breaks, it’s disorienting.

What may help: Reframe your story. Start small. Instead of “I failed,” try “I’m in transition.” The language you use matters.

4. The Silence and the Shame

You may go quiet. You will perhaps temporarily stop replying to texts. You may avoid LinkedIn.

But staying silent only deepens the shame. And shame, left unchecked, can grow in the dark.

What may help: Reach out to a few people who’ve been through it. You don’t need a massive support group, just a few people who understand. You’d be surprised how quickly honesty leads to connection. You will find your tribe when you reach out. We all need each other!

5. The Opening for Clarity

After the initial fog clears, when you are purposeful on it, and when you work on your well-being and your mental health, something unexpected can emerge: clarity.

You start asking different questions. What do I actually want now? What matters to me, beyond just a job title?

Psychologists refer to this as post-traumatic growth. The idea is that meaningful growth can come after the crisis. Not despite it, but because of it.

What may help: Ask yourself some clarifying questions:

• What do I want to carry forward?
• What boundaries do I want to create?
• What kind of work and people do I want to align with now?

If You’re Going Through This Right Now

You are not your job.
You haven’t failed.
You are not behind.
You’re simply at a pivot point.
This isn’t the end of your story. It’s just a chapter change.

We’re operating in a region where digital disruption, rising expectations, and personal values are colliding with a volatile global backdrop. Tariff wars, economic slowdowns, and geopolitical tensions have made business environments more complex than ever, especially for MNCs and leaders trying to balance global priorities with local realities.

For many corporate professionals, this pressure may show up quietly, but it may certainly be ramping up with the pace of change increasingly getting faster due to huge uncertainties.

If you’ve been questioning whether the path you're on still makes sense, you’re not alone.

What’s Really Happening in Asia’s Corporate Landscape?

In coaching leaders across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and across Southeast Asia, I’m hearing a consistent theme that also shows up through various media reports:

• Burnout is rising: In a 2023 McKinsey study, 38% of Asia-based employees reported experiencing burnout symptoms, especially among middle managers and women in leadership.
• The hybrid work struggle is real: Microsoft’s 2022 Work Trend Index revealed that while 82% of employees want flexible work, 60% of leaders in Asia feel out of touch with their teams.
• Purpose is overtaking promotion: Deloitte’s global Millennial and Gen Z study showed that over 50% of Millennials and 44% of Gen Z in Asia see work as central to their identity, but many feel that their jobs lack meaning and personal alignment.

So the real challenge is not how to just survive in today’s workplace… It’s how to navigate in a sustainable and healthy manner.

3 Ways to Manage Corporate Career Life Better

1. Challenge the Definition of Success

Success evolves. What mattered in your late 20s will likely look different in your 30s or 40s. Instead of chasing outdated benchmarks, ask yourself: What does success look like to me now and does my current path reflect that? Clarity here becomes a filter for decisions, not just an aspiration.

2. Know Your Strengths and Use Them Strategically

You don’t have to fix everything. You need to focus on what makes you effective and energised. That’s where knowing your strengths comes in. Through tools like CliftonStrengths®, I work with leaders to help them lead with less friction, more intention, and greater impact, especially during times of uncertainty.

3. Create Space Before It’s Urgent

At times, we just keep going and we forget to schedule in time to rest. People only pause when something breaks. The most effective leaders I’ve seen make space for reflection before things unravel. Clarity doesn’t come from pure hustle. It comes from perspective. Whether through coaching, strategic time-outs, or asking better questions, purposefully creating space is a habit, not a luxury. Make it happen.

Corporate life in Asia today is really tough and as leaders, you need to be at your best, so you can bring your best to your family and your team. It's not just about performing. It’s about sustaining your energy, your values, and your vision.

You are a leader and you have permission and responsibility to lead and grow differently from here.

Before you read on, pause for 20 seconds and rate yourself.

How would you define your score of self-awareness?

Would your team give you the same score?

This simple check-in might reveal more than you think.

How aware you are of your strengths, blind spots, and impact will ultimately shape how you show up as a leader.

As a leader, you will always be under the spotlight. Be it at the board meeting, town hall, or within our own teams.

Self-awareness is your leadership foundation.

Strong leaders know who they are. Not just know what to do.

They know:

• What energises them (and what drains them).
• How they react under stress.
• How their tone, body language, and mindset affect others, even when they say nothing at all.

In my Strengths-driven workshops and coaching work, I’ve seen that the most trusted leaders are the ones who are most self-aware and demonstrate behaviours consistently. These leaders:

• Are curious about how they show up.
• Understand their natural talents.
• And most importantly, know when to lean in or step aside.

Knowing (not guessing) your strengths is a powerful starting point

If you're not sure where to begin, here's a tip I give my clients:

Start with your STRENGTHS.

Your strengths are not just what you’re good at. They are how you naturally lead, communicate, influence, and make decisions on a daily basis, and more importantly, under pressure.

When leaders operate from their strengths, they create clarity, engagement, and confidence. When they don’t, they often end up overcompensating, burning out, or defaulting to old habits that no longer serve them.

With all the noise around leadership right now, the best move is not to look outward for answers, but inward.

Let me ask you again: On a scale of 1 to 10, how self-aware are you?

And what’s one strength you can lean into more intentionally this week?

Ever feel like everyone else somehow got a manual for success that you missed? You're not alone. For years, we've all wrestled with understanding our own talents and how to truly unleash them. Instead of chasing after one-size-fits-all advice or the latest self-improvement fad, what if you could access the unique capabilities already wired into who you are? This is where the 34 CliftonStrengths® themes come in, a robust framework developed by Gallup that digs deeper than typical personality assessments to uncover your distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving - the authentic strengths that make you, YOU.

What are the 34 CliftonStrengths® Themes?

The CliftonStrengths® assessment emerged from decades of Gallup's research into what makes individuals and teams thrive. Instead of focusing on weaknesses to be fixed, this approach zeroes in on your innate talents – the things you naturally do well and find energising. These aren't just skills you've learned; they are fundamental ways you think, feel, and act.

The 34 CliftonStrengths® themes are categorised into four overarching domains, providing a helpful structure for understanding different types of talent:

• Strategic Thinking: This theme revolves around how you analyse situations, make decisions, and think about the future. Examples include Analytical, Futuristic, and Ideation.
• Executing: This domain encompasses the themes that help you get things done and turn ideas into reality. Think of themes like Achiever, Discipline, and Responsibility.
• Influencing: These themes describe how you impact others, persuade them, and make your ideas heard. Examples include Communication, Command, and Woo.
• Relationship Building: This domain focuses on how you build strong connections, foster teamwork, and create a positive social environment. Themes like Empathy, Harmony, and Relator fall under this category.

Why Understanding Your CliftonStrengths® Matters

Knowing your top CliftonStrengths® – typically your top 5 or 10 – can be a game-changer in various aspects of your life:

• Improved Self-Awareness and Confidence: When you understand your natural talents, you gain a deeper appreciation for what makes you unique and valuable. This self-knowledge fuels confidence and helps you make choices aligned with your inherent strengths.
• Enhanced Career Development and Job Satisfaction: By identifying roles and responsibilities that leverage your strengths, you're more likely to excel and find genuine satisfaction in your work. Imagine a "Communicator" thriving in a client-facing role or a "Strategic" individual excelling in planning and analysis.
• Stronger Teamwork and Collaboration: When team members understand each other's strengths, they can collaborate more effectively, delegate tasks strategically, and appreciate diverse contributions. A team with a strong "Harmony" theme might excel at conflict resolution, while a team with "Activator" will be great at getting projects off the ground.
• Increased Productivity and Performance: Focusing on your strengths allows you to operate more efficiently and effectively. You'll find tasks that align with your talents come more naturally, leading to higher-quality work and greater output.
• Better Decision-Making: Your strengths influence how you approach problems and make choices. Understanding these tendencies can lead to more informed and confident decision-making. For example, someone with strong Analytical tendencies might prioritise data, while someone with Intuition might rely on gut feeling.

Understanding your CliftonStrengths® is like receiving a personalised roadmap to your potential. It moves beyond generic advice and taps into the core of who you are at your best. By embracing your unique talent DNA, you can unlock hidden genius, achieve greater fulfillment, and contribute more effectively to the world around you. Ready to discover the strengths that define you? Take the first step and explore the power of CliftonStrengths® with Wild & Wise.

Whether you’ve just stepped into a new leadership role or are preparing for your next one, one shift makes all the difference:

You have to think like a CEO.

Managing Directors, CEOs, and business owners don’t just focus on what needs to be done, they obsess over how the business moves, where value is created, and what kind of leadership unlocks the team’s potential.

Here are 3 mindset shifts I often coach leaders to adopt early. They’re simple, but powerful and they separate the managers from the business leaders.

1. Zoom Out Before You Zoom In

Great business leaders are not reactive and don’t just solve problems. They always step back to understand which problems matter most. They ask questions:

• “What’s the bigger play here?”
• “How does this impact the customer, the market, the brand?”
• “What are we not seeing?”

If you’re always in firefighting mode, start practicing the habit of stepping back before you lean in.

In my business facilitation sessions, I help leadership teams cut through noise, align priorities, and refocus on what drives long-term value, not just short-term fixes.

2. Think in Systems, Not Silos

A CEO and Managing Director sees the entire business as one connected system.

Sales affects operations. People affect performance. Brand affects pipeline.

New leaders often focus only on their lane, which makes sense at first. But do note that the fastest way to grow is to learn how your decisions impact throughout the business.

One way I help teams do this is through CliftonStrengths® coaching. When leaders understand how their own thinking works, and how their teammates are wired, they start leading beyond just function, and into impact.

3. Shift from Control to Influence

CEOs and MDs don’t try to control everything. The reality is, even when I was the MD, we can’t.

Leaders influence, align, and empower others to deliver.

The same goes for new managers and small team leaders, even if you're leading a team of five. Always pause, think and ask these questions:

• “What do I need to let go of?”
• “Where can I give more context, not just instructions?”
• “Am I helping my team create clarity or confusion?”

If your team feels stuck, or if you’re carrying too much on your shoulders, it’s a sign your leadership thinking needs to evolve, and that’s where I help coach professional and leaders.

You don’t need the title to start thinking like an MD.

You just need to start leading with curiosity, clarity, and courage.

With tech, jobs, and global trade and tariffs constantly shifting, staying relevant means being ready for anything. It's about looking ahead and adapting, not just reacting to what's already happened.

Getting Your Mind Ready for Success

To do well in this crazy world, you gotta think right:

• Believe You Can Learn: Know that you can get better at stuff if you try. Don't be afraid to learn new skills.
• Be Open to Good Stuff: Be ready for new chances; updating your resume to reflect your growth.
• Watch Your Words: If you say you're stressed or tired, you'll feel it.
• See Yourself Winning: Imagine yourself doing great.
• Think There's Plenty for Everyone: Don't worry about missing out, everyone has their own unique strengths.
• Write Down What You Want: Make your goals clear with numbers like profits, followers, etc.
• Put in the Work: Taking aligned action and enjoying the effort of doing it works every time.

Being Flexible: Key to Staying Relevant

Things like new tech and changing trade rules can mess things up. You gotta be flexible.

• Keep Learning: Never stop learning new stuff. Be willing to learn new skills.
• Bounce Back: Learn to deal with problems and see them as chances to grow.
• Listen to Feedback: Use what people say to get better.

Using What You're Good At

Knowing your strengths is super important.

• Know Yourself: Figure out what you're good at and what you like.
• Focus on Your Strengths: Spend time getting better at what you’re already good at.
• Work with Others: You can’t do everything. Find people who are good at what you're not.
• Be Yourself: People trust you when you’re real.

When Flexibility and Strengths Work Together

When you can change and use your strengths, good things happen. You can handle anything and find new chances.

CliftonStrengths® and Finding Your Way

Knowing your CliftonStrengths® can help you use your talents. This tool shows you what you're naturally good at. If you use those strengths in a world that’s always changing, you'll do great. Knowing your CliftonStrengths® helps you stay relevant and shows your value, no matter what happens.

You’ve probably been part of a high-functioning team, one where things just flowed and clicked. One that we all felt great. Positively challenged and energised. Thankfully, I’ve been in a few teams like this throughout my career.

Not just because everyone was smart or experienced, but because there was mutual respect, trust, and a rhythm in how things got done. We all felt great to be part of a solid team.  We covered each other, got each other’s backs and didn’t feel the need to prove ourselves.  

And yet, I meet so many leadership teams that have a clear strategy but still struggle with performance. They’ve got the goals, the org charts, and the smart people. But something's just…. a little off.

More often than not, it’s not a strategy issue, it’s a behavioural one.

You can align on the what, but if there’s no alignment on the how. How decisions get made, how conflict gets addressed, and how feedback is shared, teams will keep circling the same frustrations.

As Lee Kuan Yew once said, “A nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people.”

Swap “nation” for “team” and it still holds.

Strategy Without Shared Behaviour Is Just Noise

• Many teams operate on assumed behaviour.

• They assume others will speak up when something’s not working.

• They assume alignment means agreement.

• They assume silence means consent. It doesn’t.

• What looks like a misalignment in outcomes is often a breakdown in expectations, communication, and shared standards.

• The highest-performing teams don’t leave behaviour to chance; these performing teams name it, they model it, and they revisit it.

Where Strengths and Coaching Shift the Game

Whenever I work with teams using CliftonStrengths®, what we uncover isn’t just a list of talents. We discover why tension exists between certain individuals. We clarify why certain conversations get stuck. We shift from labelling personality to exploring how each person contributes, leads, and collaborates best.

It’s not fluffy. It’s foundational.

As Gary Vaynerchuk says, “Self-awareness is being able to accept your weaknesses while focusing all of your attention on your strengths.”

That’s how leadership grows. That’s how teams evolve.

And when paired with real coaching: not advice-giving, not cheerleading, but reflective, strategic coaching led by someone who’s walked the business floor, you start seeing real movement.

• Better decisions.
• Clearer roles.
• More honest conversations.
• Fewer assumptions.
• More flow.

The Ask Isn't “Are You Performing?” It’s “How Are You Showing Up?”

The work is not just hitting goals. It’s about building a team culture where high performance isn’t forced, it’s enabled. That’s where strengths-based coaching and leadership development can help. Not as a quick fix, but as a real, human process.

Storytelling is not just for bedtime. It’s the secret sauce of human connection, the fuel that drives action. From ancient legends to viral campaigns, narratives grab attention, teach lessons, and light a fire in our minds. In today's hyper-competitive world, if you're not telling killer stories, you're missing out.

What's the Story with Storytelling?

At its core, storytelling transforms events and ideas into engaging narratives. 

“Facts Are Forgotten. Stories Are Remembered.”

Historically, it's how we passed down knowledge. In business, it's about turning cold data into passionate engagement.

• Values & Vibes: Stories don't just tell; they show. They let your company's heart shine through, making your culture and mission real.
• Sparking Action: Stories don't just inform; they ignite. They build trust with clients, and foster a sense of shared purpose.

Crafting Compelling Narratives: A Wild & Wise Workshop for Business Success

Professionals in multinational corporations are invited to an immersive, three-hour workshop by Wild & Wise. This session equips participants with practical storytelling frameworks for two pivotal phases: business development and post-project delivery.

In the business development phase, you'll learn to craft narratives that address market shifts and connect with clients, using the 5-S framework. In the post-project delivery phase, you'll discover how to transform data analytics into actionable, engaging stories.

Business Development: The 5-S Framework

In the battleground of business development, stories are your weapon. The workshop introduces the 5-S framework, a strategic approach designed to help consultants address market changes and resonate with customer-facing strategies.

The 5-S Framework:

• Situation: Understanding the client's current context.
• Struggle: Presenting and understanding the challenge.
• Solution: Presenting the proposed solution as a journey.
• Success: Painting a vivid picture of the desired outcome.
• Summary: Highlighting key takeaways and impact.

By mastering this framework, consultants can create narratives that not only inform but also inspire potential clients, driving successful business development outcomes.

What You'll Walk Away With:

Participants will leave the workshop with a practical toolkit of storytelling techniques that they can immediately apply to their client engagements, driving successful outcomes and strengthening client relationships.

During my years working in MNCs, leaders often say, “We’re aligned on goals.” ‍

But when I work with these teams, what I often see is this: misalignment on behaviour.

Teams may agree on the destination but no one’s aligned on how they’ll get there. That’s when performance stalls, tensions build, and collaboration quietly breaks down.

Shared goals don’t mean much if they’re not backed by shared behaviours.

What Behaviour Has to Do With Performance

According to Gallup’s 2024 meta-analysis of 183,000+ teams, those in the top quartile of engagement were:

• 23% more profitable
  
  
• 18% more productive in sales
  
  
• 66% more successful at employee well-being and retention
  
  

And what drives engagement?

Not just strategy, not perks, not offsites. It’s day-to-day interactions, how team members communicate, challenge, support, and follow through. The things that live in your behaviour, not your business plan.

Gallup also found that 70% of team engagement is driven by the manager. That means leadership behaviour isn’t just influential, it’s actually pivotal.

Cultural Nuances in Asia: Why Shared Behaviours Matter Even More

In Asia-Pacific, shared behaviours can be harder to surface because of cultural dynamics like hierarchy, deference to authority, or avoiding conflict.

Studies across Singapore, India, and China show that in high power-distance environments, team members are often less likely to challenge ideas or speak up when there’s tension. But in today’s complex environments, psychological safety and collaborative culture are make-or-break factors for innovation and speed.

Without shared behaviours, even the smartest people play small, and creativity suffers.

What Can You Do?

The smartest leaders I work with aren’t the loudest in the room.  They’re the ones still learning. The ones willing to pause and ask:

• How are we showing up for each other?
  
  
• Where is behaviour holding us back?
  
  
• What do we need to name in order to move forward?
  
  

This is where CliftonStrengths® and coaching can play a game-changing role, not just as tools, but as facilitation spaces. Real conversations. Practical alignment. Working agreements that stick.

Because until your team agrees on how to behave together, goals are just words on a slide.