Julia Middleton's Thoughts on Leadership

I was at a Common Purpose Quest last week. Participants from the UK and Germany went to Essen in the Ruhr to have their prejudices undermined. They expected grim dirty polluted industrial decay and instead – found green regeneration.

We were at Zeche Zollverein all day. It used to be the biggest coal refinery in Europe, serving the steel makers of the Ruhr. We were at the center where the coal came up and was treated , where all the mine shafts meet from entrances all around the focal point , many of them miles away.

Apparently you never say “Goodbye” in this region, you only say “Gluck Auf” meaning “come back up safely”. As we approach the end of a very tough and successful (through very hard hard work from all) year like so many others, I think maybe I will use “Gluck Auf” more often!