It started with a friendly call and a shared curiosity about what resilient leadership through change really looks like.
Shell’s global travel and commercial operations team had invited me to speak at their internal event, and straight away, I felt something familiar in their theme “Purpose and Performance: Resilient Through Change.” It wasn’t just a catchy title. It was real. This was a team facing tough questions, shifting dynamics, and the kind of uncomfortable changes many people avoid talking about.
They didn’t want polished perfection. They wanted honesty. They wanted real-life experience. They wanted a speaker who understood what it means to feel change and still move forward.
That’s where my story came in.
The Meeting That Mattered
As I made my way into the venue, I could feel the energy. Not flashy or frantic, but grounded. Thoughtful. People weren’t pretending to have it all together. They were showing up willing to learn. To connect. To get a bit uncomfortable if it meant becoming better.
When I took the stage, I didn’t start with stats or a highlight reel. I started with the moment that changed everything for me, the day I woke up paralysed.
I shared what it meant to rebuild from rock bottom, to reframe fear as fuel, and to find purpose when your path disappears overnight. I talked about how real resilience isn’t heroic or loud, it’s made of small choices to keep going, even when nothing feels certain.
And the room leaned in.
Real Talk About Discomfort
One thing I appreciated deeply about Shell’s approach was their willingness to dig into the hard stuff. There’s this misconception, and we named it together, that discomfort equals danger. That psychological safety means everyone’s comfortable all the time.
But we flipped that.
We talked about how true safety means people feel brave enough to speak, to disagree, to innovate, even if it’s messy. Even if it’s hard. Because that’s where performance lives. Not in pretending everything’s fine, but in building trust strong enough to carry bold ideas.
This, to me, is the heart of resilient leadership through change.
From My World to Theirs
As someone who uses assistive tech daily, I also got to speak about the role of innovation, not just in my journey, but in how teams can work better together. Change isn’t always comfortable, but it often brings the tools and ideas that help people show up more fully, more freely.
We laughed. We paused. There were quiet moments, and light ones too. It felt like a conversation, not a keynote.
Walking Away with Purpose
I left that room reminded why I love what I do. Because connection matters. Because leadership isn’t about being the loudest. It’s about being real.
To the Shell team: thank you. Thank you for your trust, your openness, and the chance to share something that matters.
If your organisation is navigating uncertainty, facing change, or simply wants to show up better, I’d love to be part of that conversation.
Because resilient leadership through change isn’t just a story. It’s a choice, one we make together.