It’s been a while – seven weeks, in fact. While I’ve missed crafting and sharing these weekly blogs with you, it was great to have a break: time with my family, space to finish my book manuscript, and a chance to travel to Indonesia and Japan.

It was our first time visiting Japan, and can I say we loved it!

The food was amazing. The railway network ran like clockwork.

What stood out most, though – what I loved more than the food and the flawless trains was the culture. The way Japanese people moved through everyday life with care and consideration.

On streets, in train stations, on ski fields, in shops, there was an awareness of others. People waited patiently. They lined up one by one on escalators. They didn’t push or barge past each other. They noticed when they were in the way and adjusted. Things flowed because attention was being paid.

There was a clear respect for how your actions affect others. A sense that shared space – time, energy, attention mattered.

Even small things were done well. Not in a rigid way. Just thoughtfully.

Shalom Schwartz, a leading cross-cultural psychologist, identifies Japan as a “Collectivist Culture” rooted in harmony (wa), empathy (omoiyari), and group loyalty.

It’s a powerful reference point for leadership and teams.

At its core, it’s about shifting the focus from me to we, not all the time, and not at the expense of individuality, but in the moments where shared outcomes matter. It’s about being aware that your time, your energy, your reactions, and your behaviour don’t exist in isolation.

As you and I both know, meetings run better when team members respect shared time. Teams work better when individuals notice how they show up, how much space they take, and when to step aside. And trust grows when actions consistently back up what’s said.

And beyond the inspiring way people treat each other, I also loved the simplicity.

There’s a calmness in doing fewer things properly. In leaving room for what matters, instead of filling every gap (a quality often associated with wabi-sabi).

That’s the ethos I want to bring to my work this year, alongside being a bit bolder – another Japanese value called yū: principled courage, the resolve to step up thoughtfully, even when it’s hard.

Things I’ve started working on, and that might be helpful for you too, are:

• Model consideration: Being more deliberate about how you listen, respond, and move through shared space – especially when we’re busy or under pressure.
• Design “we” moments: Being clearer about when collective outcomes matter more than individual preferences, and naming those moments explicitly.
• Create room: Leaving space in conversations, agendas, and decisions – resisting the urge to fill every gap with noise, speed, or certainty.

I trust this has got you thinking and has been helpful in some way, shape, or form.

Until next week, be well and lead well.

Kylie