Hey Reader! 👋I'm back! Did you miss me?

I’m sitting here on the balcony this morning, looking out over the surf, and I’ve been stuck on a single thought: The wave always wins.

Right now, I’m watching a set roll in. There’s a surfer about fifty yards out, perfectly poised. He’s not fighting the water; he’s reading it. He feels the swell building behind him, matches its momentum with a few deep paddles, and then—in one fluid motion—he pops up. He’s carved a line right across the face of the crest, using the very energy that would otherwise crush him to propel himself forward. It looks so fun and invigorating.

But then, I see the others.

There’s a paddler just to his left who timed it wrong. He’s trying to muscle his way over the peak, but he’s late. I watch the white water explode over the front of his board, and in a second, he’s gone—board flying one way, limbs the other. He succumbed to the crest because he tried to meet the wave’s power with his own, instead of riding the curve it was offering him.

Business feels a lot like this coastline right now.

We are in a season of massive swells—social shifts, AI integration, organizational upheaval. From up here on the balcony, the view is clear: You can either be the leader who gets caught in the "Impact Zone," exhausted by trying to push back against the tide, or you can be the one who learns the mechanics of the ride.

In my Human-Centered Leadership (HCL) Foundations course, I talk about the Fisher Transition Curve. Most people see that curve—the dip into anxiety, the rise into hostility—as a "wipeout" to be avoided.

But here's what you should know, Reader. That curve isn't an obstacle; it’s the engine.

The Three "Surf Moves" of an HCL Leader:

• The Paddle (Preparation): This is your Relationship Math. You make deposits when the water is calm so that when the "Big Set" comes, your team trusts your signal.
• The Pop-Up (Presence): This is the 30-Second Scan. It’s the moment you stop looking at your board (the task) and look at the horizon (the human potential).
• The Carve (The Pivot): This is navigating the Fisher Transition Curve. Instead of being crushed by "Hostility" or "Fear," you use that energy to pivot the team toward a new way of performing.

The Challenge for You This Week:

Practice these three surf moves.

Ask your team: "I see the swell coming. What is the energy in this change that we can use to move us faster toward our goal?"

Stop fighting the tide. Start leading the ride.

P.S.

If your organization doesn't have a program to upskill your leaders and teams so they ride the energy of change like a champion surfer, I can help. Just hit reply, and we can hop on a brief call.

Have an awesome week!

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