The Usefulness of Doing Nothing

There are moments in the day that feel oddly uncomfortable, even though nothing is wrong. A meeting ends early. A train is delayed. A task is finished sooner than expected. For a brief second, there is space – and almost immediately, the instinct is to fill it. We reach for our phones, open another tab, add something small to our to-do list. It’s a subtle reflex, one that keeps us in motion. And yet, I’ve been wondering what we might be interrupting in that exact moment – what could emerge if we allowed that space to remain unfilled.

When the Map Ends

Risk has an unfortunate reputation. We often speak about it in the language of avoidance: identifying risks, mitigating risks, minimizing risks. In project management, risk registers and contingency plans are indispensable tools. Yet outside our spreadsheets and dashboards, risk is something much more fundamental. It is the companion of every meaningful change. Every promotion, career transition, innovation, or difficult conversation begins with uncertainty. And perhaps the real challenge is not learning how to eliminate uncertainty, but how to develop a healthier relationship with it.

The Canary Code: Embracing Neurodiversity and Employee Wellbeing

Let’s talk about canaries – no, not the bird you reluctantly fed as a kid, but the metaphor. In old mining days, canaries were like the early-warning systems of the workforce, alerting miners to toxic gases long before anyone else noticed. Well, guess what? Neurodivergent employees can act as today’s workplace canaries, picking up on inefficiencies, project derailments, or general office absurdity before anyone else has even realized there’s a problem.

Listening to Quiet, Learning When to Speak

Before we even step into a meeting, a project, or a team discussion, we carry an internal landscape shaped by countless small moments – the rhythm of our days, the pace of our thoughts, the subtle tension in our bodies. Some of these moments call for stillness, reflection, and inner attention, others demand engagement, expression, and courage. Navigating this balance is one of the quietest, yet most essential, challenges of working with others. It asks us to notice the difference between the restorative silence that renews us and the silence that leaves ideas unspoken, risks unaddressed, and potential untapped.

The Elusive Art of Staying Motivated at Work

Motivation at work is like a campfire: mesmerizing when it’s roaring but all too quick to fizzle out when neglected. Over the years, I’ve learned that keeping that fire alive is far from straightforward. Motivation, that fleeting yet crucial force, is an intricate dance between internal drives and external circumstances. It’s a topic I’ve often reflected on, not only professionally, but also as a human navigating the constant tug-of-war between ambition and exhaustion.

Rebel Soul in the World of Work

What happens when a scientist with a background in drug discovery stumbles into the fascinating world of organizational behavior? Well, I’d argue it’s the perfect cocktail of curiosity, rebellion, and a jumper hand-embroidered with “Rebel Soul” (with the "Soul" written in Korean, because why not?). My career and hobbies might look like a tangled web, but they’re all connected by one thing: curiosity. A relentless curiosity about the systems and stories that shape human behavior. Whether it's unraveling the mysteries of the brain in the lab or decoding team dynamics in the office, I’m all about exploring the spaces where different worlds collide.

Hopeful Skeptics: Finding Trust and Meaning in Work

Cynicism: an unwelcome guest at work. It starts small – a raised eyebrow in a meeting, a quiet scoff at a “team-building” activity – but it doesn’t stay small. Left unchecked, it spreads, casting a shadow over everything. At its core, cynicism is the belief that people’s motives are selfish and that efforts, especially collective ones, are futile. In Hope for Cynics, Jamil Zaki calls it a “disease of social health.” Look around some workplaces, and it’s easy to see: disengaged teams, “us vs. them” mindsets, and a quiet resignation to just getting by. Cynicism isn’t only a workplace issue, though – it’s deeply personal, affecting how we see ourselves and others.