Wisdom in fragments

My advice is not to shy away from it but to anticipate and even embrace it. Consider it a signal that what you're facing is important and that you're eager to excel. This perspective allows you to channel your nervous energy into a productive question: 'What am I going to do about it?'

My approach is always to redirect their focus from this nebulous concept of confidence to the concrete tasks at hand. These are tasks they have successfully completed numerous times. Whether they feel confident or not is irrelevant; the real key is maintaining focus in the moment.

I believe it's crucial, especially in social settings, to be both interesting and interested. Being well-informed and keeping up with current events make you more engaging, but showing genuine interest in others is key.

My parents instilled in me the belief that everyone you meet can teach you something, regardless of their age, background, or education.

I believe a key issue is this newfound ability to hide behind our screens, which gives a false sense of impunity, allowing people to express themselves without restraint. The more time we spend glued to our screens, the less we engage in meaningful, real-world exchanges.

For me, etiquette transcends mere formalities; it's fundamentally about ensuring others feel at ease in your presence, regardless of their background or demeanour. It's this universal language of respect and inclusion that truly enriches our interactions.

Etiquette is the glue that holds society together. Humans are social creatures, after all—we need connection to survive. But with global cultures in flux and the post-pandemic digital age, shadow epidemics of anxiety and loneliness are on the rise.

However, the landscape is shifting with the advent of digital transactions. The digitisation of money movement, transitioning from cash to digital, allows for traceability. This traceability generates data, which can be analysed to inform decisions.

Initially, I harboured a somewhat naive belief that the system's failings were largely due to a scarcity of people willing to do the right thing. Working for international organisations, I was caught up in the belief that we could fix broken systems simply by introducing the right resources, processes, and intentions. However, I've come to realize that good intentions alone are insufficient.

However, imagine living in a place where such financial avenues are virtually non-existent. Where hard work and ambition offer no promise of progress or escape from economic stagnation. This reality is stark for many.

Throughout the years, I've engaged in numerous conversations, yet the topic of languages has never surfaced. It's fascinating, truly. Reflecting on my childhood, growing up in an environment devoid of electricity and illuminated by candlelight, I didn't perceive it negatively. Such circumstances become the norm for a child, and the experience is shaped significantly by the parents' reaction.

The silence I employ has agency behind it. I choose to use it strategically as the pause between stimulus and response, differentiating a considered response from a mere reaction. We need more of this kind of silence.

Unlearning silence doesn't mean speaking incessantly—the world is far too noisy for that. Instead, it means understanding the difference between choosing to be silent and having silence imposed upon you. It's recognizing whether silence is additive or oppressive, whether it's reflective and generative or merely detracting.

So much of silence is about perpetuating the status quo, reinforcing what someone or dominant groups within an entity or organization have deemed appropriate, good, polite. Being different inherently exposes you to vulnerability; you're pushing against everything that the forces of mimicry urge you to do, which is to conform.

Silence is, by definition, an absence—an absence of voice, opinion, and life. It begins so subtly that it often goes unnoticed. We start by withdrawing or withholding our genuine thoughts from conversations, replacing them with what we presume others want to hear.

Society has undoubtedly faced setbacks, but clinging to practices from 100 years ago isn't a solution. The world has evolved, and so must we, finding our purpose in the new landscape. It's crucial to introspect and work with the hand we're dealt.

British Businessman, Dragons' Den Investor & Retail Entrepreneur