I moved around quite a lot as a kid – new countries, new schools, new cultures. It certainly shaped my sense of adventure, for which I am forever grateful, but also brought moments of challenge. Each move came with a new set of social norms and rules, and the fear (as all teenagers can relate to) of “not quite getting them”. On one occasion, as some girls were making fun of me for not knowing something, another stood up to them and called them out on it. In that moment, the compassion she demonstrated made such a difference to me. Small but mighty moments such as that one led me to study psychology and do a doctorate in the science of compassion. No matter where I work, I try to keep compassion at the center of everything I do.

A good part of my younger years was spent living on the fringes of the Scottish Highlands. Ideveloped a love for the awe and tranquility that mountains can inspire, and admiration forthose I saw who could fearlessly move through these rugged landscapes with just a tent, mapand compass. Aged 18, I took a year off before university and worked as amountain guide inthe Italian Dolomites, a breathtaking place full of towering cliffs, glaciers, wildflower meadowsand old WW1 tunnels. My first taste of leadership came in an unusual guise – navigating
surprise snowstorms; headstrong hikers unwilling to stay with the group; inexperienced climbers naively inflating their know-how. I was totally in my element.

I was always looking for a way to combine these two loves – compassion and adventure. One ofmy “lightbulb” moments was attending a lecture by Professor Vikram Patel of Harvard Medical School. For an hour, he described to a hushed lecture hall how his team was rolling out tools for psychological wellbeing to communities in the most rural parts of India. Inspired by this, I ended up taking a post as a professor of psychology in Bogota, Colombia, teaching the next generation of therapists there and working on projects to support recovery in survivors of partner violence and the Colombian armed conflict.

A few years later, curiosity and adventure called again. Having seen the power of psychology in life’s most challenging moments, I wanted to apply these principles with individuals that were solving new problems and pushing the boundaries of performance. Now in London, I focus on bringing the latest science of behavioral change and personal growth to leaders and teams. The myriad challenges of business can so often push us into unhealthy states of threat and competition and control. Helping leaders every day to bravely guide others with connection, curiosity and compassion gives me my Why.