Leading Across Borders

What five weeks of travel reminded me about leadership that lasts.

Over five weeks, we travelled together as a family, from the Isle of Arran to Barcelona, Zürich to Venice, Sardinia and Dublin. Trains, ferries, footpaths, heatwaves, shared rooms, late nights, good food, and even better conversations.

It wasn’t a “big trip” in the Instagram sense. It was a shared experience, family, friends, and a few good coffees with great people I’ve been privileged to work with in their own places and rhythms.

I didn’t go looking for Amplify models on the trip. But they showed up anyway. Not in flipcharts or diagrams, but in the way we lived it.

1. The Environment Carried a Lot 

When the space felt right, physically or emotionally, we connected more easily. The same way it works in teams. A quiet Airbnb after a long travel day, or a calm conversation after a misunderstanding, made all the difference. It reminded me that performance environments aren’t just built, they’re felt.

2. Roles Shifted Naturally 

We all had moments leading the way, carrying bags, making calls, getting lost, and finding laughs. Leader. Learner. Contributor. Performer. We moved through them without naming them. It wasn’t always graceful, but it worked because we trusted each other. That’s the real magic of shared roles: you don’t have to wear one hat the whole time.

3. The Three Literacies? Always in Play

We had to solve things (missed trains, confusing signs, stray luggage). We had to prepare (pick the right route, adapt plans), and we had to perform (be present when it mattered, not just when it was easy). Not as a checklist, just the natural rhythm of a day lived together.

4. Floodlight. Spotlight. Greenlight. 

Some days we needed the big picture: Where are we heading? What matters today? Other times, it was one kid needing a snack or a bit of space. Often, it was simply saying yes to the swim, the detour, the unplanned dinner. Zoom out. Zoom in. Say yes. That rhythm gave the trip its flow.

5. Everyone’s Game Showed Up 

We each brought something different:

• Experience (the one who remembered the local tip).

• Essence (staying yourself when tired or plans changed).

• Excellence (those small, thoughtful acts that helped the whole group).

• Empowerment (making space for each other’s pace, mood, or moment).

We weren’t performing for anyone. We were enjoying being with each other, and that’s the kind of performance that sticks.

We left in 33 degrees and landed home in 0. That kind of shift tests your adaptability more than a time zone.

Grateful for the time we had, with our own crew, family we don’t often see, friends across borders, and the brilliant people I get to work with in their own environments.

The reminder? Leadership isn’t something you switch on for work. It’s how you show up with others, at home, on the road, and in all the moments that don’t make the highlight reel.

And those are the ones that matter most.