In the old Ogham calendar, the Celtic tree calendar that gives each part of the year its own tree, we are in the month of the Holly. Known as Tinne. It runs from the 8th of July to the 4th of August, the eighth tree month of the year, following on from the mighty Oak.

The oak is June's tree. There is an old saying I keep returning to at this time of year: from small acorns, great oaks grow. It is the kind of phrase that can slip past you if you are not paying attention. But sit with it for a moment.

The hawthorn is in bloom. All month it has been preparing for this, its thorns present long before its flowers. May is the moment it lets itself be seen.

Before the blossom, before the new growth, before anything breaks through the surface, something is already happening underground.

A reflection for April.

Whether we're leading a team through uncertainty, making a difficult decision, or shaping the culture of an organisation, creativity is the source we draw from to do it well.

For many leaders, January arrives with urgency. A new board cycle, a fresh quarter, targets to be hit, and strategies to be set. There’s a temptation to leap into action, to deliver answers, to set a direction with clarity and speed. But nature doesn’t rush. It emerges.

As the year draws to a close, many leaders find themselves carrying both weight and wonder: a mix of accomplishments, uncertainty, decision fatigue, moments of joy and challenge. Often, there is a final surge - one more meeting, one more report, one more thing to wrap up before the break.

Leadership sometimes lands in a season of letting‑go, quietness and preparation. It may feel like everything is stripped back, uncertain, even brittle. But what if this is not a sign of weakness, but of wise vulnerability?