Julia Middleton's Thoughts on Leadership

I think I can adapt to most situations if I put my mind to it. Sometimes I fail.

I fly into Germany and do not take the time to sort out my head and remind myself that I am going to be speaking to a German audience, not a UK audience, so I must treat them more carefully and with more respect, and not assume so much. Or I charge from one meeting to another and don’t take the time to prepare. I don’t mean preparation like reading the papers, I do that. But this is more a case of getting my head round the different people, behaviours and agendas.

But if I put my mind to it, I do think I can adapt to a lot.

The thing that I realise, but can’t get my head around, is being in places where there is no freedom of speech. I can’t figure out how to be when I know I can’t speak freely. When I can’t build a relationship with someone by being candid. When being candid makes you someone to avoid.

Experiencing this recently has made me far better at appreciating what freedom of speech gives us. I suspect I have always taken it for granted. I also understand better that with freedom of speech comes freedom to think and freedom to make friends.