Written by Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. When people think of artificial intelligence in business, they most immediately picture generative AI tools that draft content or answer questions. But a more significant shift is underway. Agentic AI systems that can sense their environment, make decisions, and act autonomously is beginning to move from research into enterprise adoption. In my peer-reviewed article, Agentic AI in the Enterprise: How Autonomous AI Systems Will Reshape Business Strategy, Operations, and Leadership.[1] I explored how this technology is changing business strategy, operations, cybersecurity, and leadership. Drawing on a survey of 150 executives and detailed case studies, the findings reveal both major opportunities and equally important risks. Here are five ways agentic AI is already influencing enterprises, and how leaders can respond responsibly. Strategy that adapts in real time Traditional strategy depends on forecasts and static planning cycles. Agentic AI changes this rhythm by adapting to live data. In our study, firms using agentic AI for personalization reported being able to adjust 30 times faster than their competitors. Take Netflix and Spotify. Their systems now adjust content recommendations dynamically, leading to a 25 percent boost in engagement.[2] For executives, the lesson is practical, begin with pilot projects in forecasting, pricing, or customer engagement. These initiatives prove value quickly and highlight where legacy data silos must be addressed. Companies that ignore this shift may face revenue declines of up to 15 percent in volatile markets.[3] Related: How Agentic AI: Promise Meets Reality Gap Operations that run leaner Agentic AI is also reshaping how enterprises manage operations. The survey data shows that 60 percent of executives reported efficiency gains between 20 and 30 percent after adoption. In manufacturing, downtime was reduced by a quarter, while in finance, fraud detection times improved by 20 percent. Real-world examples illustrate the trend. DHL lowered transport costs by 15 percent by applying AI to logistics routing.[4] Siemens boosted productivity by 18 percent by introducing predictive maintenance into its factories.[5] For entrepreneurs, the best starting point is in high-cost, repetitive workflows supply chain forecasting, equipment maintenance, or customer service. But efficiency gains come with a parallel responsibility, according to Goldman Sachs, 6-7 percent of jobs in advanced economies may be reshaped by AI, making reskilling an essential priority. Related: Building human habits to AI by giving feedback Security and resilience under pressure Cybersecurity is an area where agentic AI plays a dual role. On the one hand, these systems are highly effective at detecting and responding to threats in real time. In zero-trust environments, breach risks were reduced by up to 50 percent.[6] Financial institutions are already using AI to spot fraud and money laundering patterns proactively.[7] On the other hand, new risks are emerging. Our research found that 30 percent of AI models are exposed to adversarial attacks each year, from data poisoning to system manipulation.[8] Boards should treat these issues as strategic rather than technical. Dedicating 5 percent of annual budgets to AI-specific audits and penetration testing is a practical first step. Maintaining human oversight is equally important, since automated defences are not infallible. Leadership that understands AI Agentic AI raises a leadership challenge. In our survey, 70 percent of executives named explainable AI (XAI) as a priority for building trust and accountability. Without explainability, systems risk embedding bias or producing outcomes that decision-makers cannot justify. Some companies are already responding. Siemens applies XAI frameworks to validate maintenance recommendations, while JPMorgan Chase incorporates AI into risk assessments but ensures senior managers remain directly involved in interpreting results.[9] For boards, the path forward includes data literacy training, ethics workshops, and scheduled reviews of AI models. Leaders who fail to engage directly with these tools risk reputational, legal, and compliance setbacks. Innovation that moves faster Perhaps the most visible impact of agentic AI is on innovation. Healthcare firms are shortening drug discovery timelines by 30 percent.[10] Walmart has cut logistics costs by 15 percent using predictive analytics. Siemens has reported 18 percent productivity gains with AI-driven maintenance.[11] Survey results reinforce these examples. Executives expect product development and innovation cycles to shorten by around 20 percent, though many also acknowledge that skills shortages remain a constraint.[12] For entrepreneurs, the recommendation is clear, set aside 5-10 percent of annual budgets for AI infrastructure. Hybrid systems that combine generative AI’s ability to process information with agentic AI’s capacity for autonomous action are a practical next step. Executive survey highlights The survey results provide a concise picture of how executives view agentic AI:[13] Efficiency gains: 60 percent reported improvements of 20-30 percent. Ethical concerns: 55 percent expressed concern about bias and job displacement. Regulatory barriers: 65 percent said fragmented regulations were raising compliance costs. Societal impacts: 50 percent noted that low-skill jobs were most at risk. Adoption priorities: 70 percent identified explainable AI frameworks as essential for trust. Taken together, these numbers highlight both the scale of the opportunity and the governance issues that must be addressed. A framework and roadmap for leaders In the Well Testing article, I proposed a four-layer framework for integrating agentic AI: Foundation layer: Generative AI for data processing and pattern recognition. Autonomy layer: Reinforcement learning for independent, goal-driven decisions. Governance layer: Ethical safeguards and compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Impact layer: KPIs to measure efficiency, workforce readiness, and broader societal outcomes. To put this into practice, a three-phase roadmap is recommended: Phase 1: Run pilot projects that combine generative and agentic AI. Phase 2: Scale responsibly, with ethical audits and explainable AI frameworks. Phase 3: Track performance through KPIs and roll out reskilling programs to support the workforce. This approach allows enterprises to move forward while managing risk responsibly. Related: Implementing AI governance frameworks Conclusion Agentic AI is not simply another wave of automation. It is a shift that will redefine strategy, operations, cybersecurity, and leadership. The evidence is clear, the gains can be significant, but the risks are just as real. The enterprises that benefit most will be those that adopt early, govern responsibly, and invest in their people as much as in their systems. Those that delay or worse, deploy without oversight risk falling behind in efficiency, trust, and compliance. For the full set of survey findings, case studies, and the detailed integration framework, I encourage you to read my article in Well Testing Agentic AI in the Enterprise: How Autonomous AI Systems Will Reshape Business Strategy, Operations, and Leadership.[14] Call to action: If you are an executive or entrepreneur exploring how agentic AI can support your strategy and growth, let’s connect and discuss how these findings can be applied to your business. Follow me on LinkedIn, visit my website for more info, and get my book on Amazon! Read more from Aravind Sakthivel Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. He is a former Chief Information Officer (CIO) across Danaher Operating Companies, where he spent 18 years leading multi-million-dollar technology portfolios. He previously worked at market-leading organizations including Oracle, KPMG. Also provided services to General Electric and Toyota in consulting. Aravind holds an MBA from Nyenrode Business Universiteit, completed leadership programmes at Harvard Business School, and is a Certified Enterprise Architect from Carnegie Mellon University. Alongside his book, he has published research on autonomous AI for enterprises in the Well Testing Journal. He is currently based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. References: [1] Well Testing, Vol. 34, 2025 [2] Chui et al., 2023 [3] Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014 [4] DevCom, 2025 [5] Siemens, 2023 [6] Well Testing, 2025 [7] Moody’s, 2025 [8] Wiz, 2025 [9] Gartner, 2025 [10] McKinsey, 2023 [11] Siemens, 2023 [12] Joshi, 2025 [13] Well Testing, 2025 [14] Vol. 34, 2025

Written by Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. “If robots and AI are replacing workers, without income tax paid to the government, who's going to fund our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure?” Last week in Phoenix, I watched a taxi self-driving autonomously roll past my coffee shop with nobody behind the wheel. Just an empty driver's seat and pure automation doing what a human used to do. It hit me right then, we're living in a world where machines generate massive economic value, yet our tax systems still operate like it's 1985. If robots and AI are replacing workers without income tax being paid to the government, who's going to fund our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure? What nobody's saying about automation Here's the uncomfortable truth that keeps economists awake at night. According to a 2024 OECD study, roughly 27 percent of jobs across developed nations face high automation risk. Goldman Sachs projects AI could impact 300 million jobs globally. Most won't disappear entirely, they'll transform into something different, but here's where it gets scary for governments. Between 35 and 45 percent of public revenue in most advanced economies comes from taxing human wages. When AI and automation reduce human employment, that revenue stream shrinks just when displaced workers need the most support. In my research published in the peer-reviewed journal article "Agentic AI in the Enterprise: How Autonomous AI Systems Will Reshape Business Strategy, Operations, and Leadership," I explored how autonomous AI systems fundamentally alter organizational structures and create ripple effects across entire economies. Germany's warning shot Germany offers the clearest preview of our automated future. With over 420 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers, it's one of the most automated economies on the planet. As robots replace labor-intensive tasks, payroll tax contributions flatten while corporate profits climb. That efficiency looks fantastic on quarterly earnings reports, but it creates a widening gap between technological progress and the tax base governments need. Back in 2009, I toured a BMW facility outside Munich, where an engineer showed me their robotic welding systems. He said something I'll never forget, "We used to hire welders. Now we hire people who build welders." At the time, I thought it was brilliant innovation. Today, I realize it was an early warning about the economic transformation we're living through right now. Traditional tax models are broken Our current fiscal systems were designed for an industrial economy where humans performed most value-creating work. AI and automation completely shatter that assumption. Companies can now scale revenue massively without proportionally scaling their workforce. A software algorithm can process millions of transactions without requiring the payroll taxes that would come from human employees doing identical work. This creates what I call the "productivity-revenue gap" in my Agentic AI Framework. When machines generate value without contributing to the tax base, governments lose the revenue needed to maintain infrastructure and education systems. The framework demonstrates how agentic AI, those systems capable of perceiving environments, making decisions, and acting autonomously toward objectives, fundamentally alters the relationship between productivity and public revenue. Related: Understanding Agentic AI in the Enterprise Four strategic shifts leaders need Reframe taxation around economic output The first major shift requires moving beyond employment-based taxation. Machines produce measurable economic value and should contribute to the systems enabling that value creation. South Korea pioneered this thinking in 2017 by reducing automation tax incentives and redirecting funds toward digital skills programs and workforce development. A "robot dividend" or automation contribution could redirect a small percentage of AI-generated value into innovation funds and retraining programs. The goal isn't to punish companies for adopting technology, it's ensuring rapid automation doesn't hollow out nations' fiscal capacity to invest in citizens and infrastructure. Introduce digital productivity contributions Consider a modest one percent contribution on revenue generated primarily through automated systems. For companies deploying automation at scale, this represents a tiny fraction of productivity gains. For governments, it could offset billions in lost payroll tax revenue. In practice, this addresses what my research identifies as the governance challenge in agentic AI deployment. As these systems become more autonomous, making decisions with minimal human intervention, the economic value they generate disconnects from traditional labor contributions. A digital productivity contribution realigns incentives, ensuring technological advancement benefits society broadly. Realign capital and labor taxation Automation shifts income from wages to capital. Workers earn less, shareholders earn more. Yet most tax codes still favor capital gains through lower rates and various loopholes. Gradually aligning capital gains rates closer to income tax levels would promote fairness without necessarily slowing innovation. My research on agentic AI systems reveals how these autonomous agents operate across dimensions like autonomy level, learning capability, and ethical decision-making. As AI systems take on more sophisticated roles, value increasingly accrues to capital rather than labor. Tax policy must evolve to reflect this structural economic shift. Reward human-AI collaboration models Rather than directly taxing automation, governments could incentivize hybrid models where AI enhances human capability instead of eliminating jobs. Offer corporate tax credits for businesses investing in human-AI collaboration frameworks and workforce retraining programs. In my Agentic AI Framework, I distinguish between deployment models. Some organizations use AI to completely automate tasks, while others design systems amplifying human judgment and creativity. The latter approach, what I call "collaborative autonomy," preserves employment while boosting productivity. Tax policy should favor this model through carefully designed incentives. Related: The Agentic AI Framework for Business Leaders Building an AI dividend framework Here's a practical structure governments could implement to balance innovation with fiscal sustainability. First, require Automation Impact Assessments for major AI deployments. Before rolling out systems significantly altering workforce composition, companies should estimate job transformation effects and fiscal implications. Second, establish an Automation Contribution Rate, perhaps 0.5 to 1 percent on corporate revenue generated primarily by automated systems. This modest levy funds an AI Dividend Pool supporting retraining, infrastructure upgrades, and modernized social insurance. Third, implement Corporate Incentive Offsets, reducing contribution rates for companies investing directly in human skills development, community innovation labs, or ethical AI governance programs. This framework doesn't punish innovation. It acknowledges that automation creates both tremendous value and significant disruption. What business leaders should know If you're leading an organization deploying AI and automation, understand that tax policy will evolve whether you engage with it or not. Proactive leaders should participate in designing frameworks rather than resisting all change. Consider how your automation strategies affect not just your bottom line but also community employment and social stability. In my consulting work helping organizations develop human-centered automation strategies, I've seen companies thrive by taking a balanced approach. They automate repetitive tasks while reinvesting savings in upskilling workers for higher-value roles. These strategies don't just mitigate regulatory risk, they build stronger, more resilient organizations positioned for long-term success. Five key takeaways Without policy adjustments, automation could reduce public revenue by 10 to 15 percent in advanced economies over the next decade, creating fiscal crises. A one percent digital productivity contribution could offset much of this fiscal gap while funding critical workforce transition programs. Aligning capital and labor tax rates promotes fairness as automation shifts income from wages to capital returns. Tax incentives for human-AI collaboration models encourage companies to augment rather than replace workers. The time to redesign tax systems for the AI age is now, before fiscal gaps become impossible to address. Take action today If you're a business leader navigating AI adoption, or a policymaker designing frameworks for the automated economy, the decisions you make today will shape economic structures for decades. Don't wait for crises to force reactive solutions. Book a strategic consultation to explore how your organization can implement human-centered automation approaches that drive innovation while maintaining fiscal and social sustainability. Follow me on LinkedIn, visit my website for more info, and get my book on Amazon! Read more from Aravind Sakthivel Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. He is a former Chief Information Officer (CIO) across Danaher Operating Companies, where he spent 18 years leading multi-million-dollar technology portfolios. He previously worked at market-leading organizations including Oracle, KPMG. Also provided services to General Electric and Toyota in consulting. Aravind holds an MBA from Nyenrode Business Universiteit, completed leadership programmes at Harvard Business School, and is a Certified Enterprise Architect from Carnegie Mellon University. Alongside his book, he has published research on autonomous AI for enterprises in the Well Testing Journal. He is currently based in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Written by Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. Aravind Sakthivel is a technology and transformation leader, former CIO, and advisor to organizations navigating automation, governance pressure, and sustained performance demands. Over more than two decades, he has worked closely with executive teams across industries, helping them diagnose leadership breakdowns that rarely announce themselves until it is too late. In this article, Aravind explains why leadership failure is often misdiagnosed, how strong organizations quietly drift into danger, and how his book The Leadership Trap gives leaders a framework to intervene early and deliberately. Where does leadership failure actually begin? Most leadership failures do not begin with scandal, incompetence, or bad intent. They begin quietly. In strong organizations, everything often looks fine from the outside. Strategies are sensible. Teams are capable. Performance metrics are reassuring. Yet leaders feel a subtle unease they struggle to articulate. Decisions take longer. Risks surface late. Engagement erodes without an obvious cause. The problem is not that leaders suddenly stop leading. It is that the systems around them slowly distort reality. Over time, truth reaches senior leaders later and later, not because people lie, but because the organization rewards reassurance and penalizes challenge. By the time failure becomes visible in outcomes, the conditions that caused it have usually been in place for years. Why do smart, experienced leaders struggle to see it coming? Because intelligence and experience increase trust in systems. Experienced leaders trust dashboards. Capable leaders delegate risk downward. High performers become protected in the name of continuity. Rational leaders optimise efficiency under pressure. None of this is irrational. But when systems quietly filter inconvenient information, leaders are surrounded by alignment instead of truth. At that point, leadership failure becomes structural, not personal. This is why replacing leaders so often fails. The same patterns reappear because the system remains unchanged. The early warning signs leaders often overlook They are subtle and easy to rationalize. Truth arrives late or sanitized. Difficult conversations are reframed as unhelpful or negative. Capability erodes quietly under efficiency initiatives. Innovation activity increases, but meaningful outcomes do not. Leaders become visible for milestones but are absent during moments of uncertainty. None of these signals looks alarming on its own. Together, they form what I call leadership traps. These traps feel professional, logical, and even successful while they are forming. That is what makes them dangerous. Leadership Traps: Why the name matters Because traps are not mistakes. They are patterns. A mistake can be corrected quickly. A trap reinforces itself. It rewards behavior that feels safe and sensible while quietly narrowing options. People inside the system believe they are doing the right thing. Framing these patterns as traps shifts the conversation away from blame and toward diagnosis. Leaders stop asking who failed and start asking what failed systemically. That shift is essential if you want prevention rather than damage control. How does The Leadership Trap approach leadership differently? Most leadership literature focuses on who leaders are. This book focuses on what leaders are operating inside. Leadership is not just a role. It is an environment shaped by incentives, cadence, signals, and consequences. That environment determines what information reaches leaders, how decisions are challenged, and whether accountability is real or symbolic. The Leadership Trap shifts the lens from personality to systems because systems can be observed, tested, and redesigned. Traits are much harder to change under pressure. The three core systems that drive leadership success Because every leadership failure I have seen ultimately traces back to them. Challenge determines whether truth can safely reach decision makers. Capability determines whether organizations protect the skills they depend on. Cadence determines whether leadership presence aligns with moments of uncertainty. When these systems degrade, traps emerge. When they function well, leadership becomes resilient even in volatile conditions. These are not abstract ideas. Leaders can observe them in meetings, decisions, and outcomes. How The Leadership Trap helps leaders navigate challenges It solves a visibility problem. Many leaders sense something is wrong long before results collapse, but they lack the language to describe it. The book gives leaders a way to name what they are seeing and feeling. It introduces six recurring traps, explains how they form, and provides diagnostic tools leaders can apply immediately. Most importantly, it offers a structured ninety-day roadmap to intervene early, before failure forces action. It replaces vague discomfort with clarity. The urgency behind this leadership discussion Because pressure is intensifying everywhere. Automation is accelerating. Cost scrutiny is relentless. Governance expectations are rising. Leaders are expected to move faster, decide earlier, and get it right more often. In this environment, filtered truth becomes dangerous. Alignment without challenge becomes fragile. Activity without outcomes becomes deceptive. Many modern leadership failures feel sudden because leaders are operating inside systems that suppress early warning signals. The window for correction is shrinking. A step-by-step look at the ninety-day action plan The ninety-day plan is designed to be practical, not theoretical. Days 1 to 30: Diagnose the system Leaders observe how truth flows. Who speaks up and who stays silent. Where decisions are challenged and where they are not. Which capabilities are being protected and which are being quietly hollowed out? This phase is about listening, not fixing. Days 31 to 60: Interrupt the traps Leaders intervene selectively. They invite challenge explicitly. They review where accountability has blurred. They test assumptions behind key metrics. The goal is recalibration, not disruption. Days 61 to 90: Redesign leadership cadence Leaders align their presence with uncertainty rather than ceremony. They adjust meeting structures, decision forums, and escalation paths so truth reaches them earlier. Small system changes at this stage produce an outsized impact. By the end of ninety days, leaders are not solving every problem. They are changing the conditions that create them. What every leader should remember from this book I hope leaders stop blaming themselves for problems that are systemic. Leadership failure is rarely sudden. Rarely personal. But it is almost always predictable. If leaders learn to recognize traps early and redesign the systems around them, they can prevent failure instead of managing its aftermath. That shift fundamentally changes how leadership feels and functions. Book Launch The Leadership Trap will be released on 3 February and will be available in Kindle and paperback formats on Amazon. If you are a senior leader, executive, or board member navigating transformation, governance complexity, or sustained performance pressure, this book was written to help you see what systems may be quietly shaping your outcomes. Because leadership does not fail loudly. It fails quietly first. Follow me on LinkedIn, visit my website for more info, and get my book on Amazon! Read more from Aravind Sakthivel Aravind Sakthivel, Author & Technology Leader Aravind Sakthivel is a global IT technology leader and the author of the book The Leadership Trap: Why Smart Leaders Fail and How to Break Free. He is a former Chief Information Officer (CIO) across Danaher Operating Companies, where he spent 18 years leading multi-million-dollar technology portfolios. He previously worked at market-leading organizations including Oracle, KPMG. Also provided services to General Electric and Toyota in consulting. Aravind holds an MBA from Nyenrode Business Universiteit, completed leadership programmes at Harvard Business School, and is a Certified Enterprise Architect from Carnegie Mellon University. Alongside his book, he has published research on autonomous AI for enterprises in the Well Testing Journal. He is currently based in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Written by: Editorial Team $42.45 billion–that is how much the U.S. federal government allocated through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to build and expand high-speed internet networks. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has turned broadband deployment into one of the decade’s largest infrastructure projects. According to federal estimates, roughly 24 million Americans still lack reliable access to high-speed internet. Closing that gap will take more than funding and equipment. It will also require people–thousands of skilled professionals who can install fiber, build networks, and coordinate field crews. Fiber-optic networks are recognized as the backbone of modern telecommunications systems, supporting economic growth, digital services, remote work, education, and technological innovation. Regional providers across the country are investing in networks designed to bring gigabit speeds to residential communities. The contractors doing this work need specialists at every level, from installers to field operations managers. The shortage is most acute at the management level. The shortage no one sees from the outside The telecom industry’s shortage of technicians is widely reported. Far less attention is paid to another shortage: managers capable of coordinating large-scale field operations. Even a highly skilled technician can complete only one installation at a time. A supervisor keeps an entire crew–or several crews–productive at once. Their expertise directly affects whether contract deadlines are met, how many orders are canceled, how much rework is required, and ultimately, whether a project is profitable. What makes telecom supervision different is that an effective field operations manager cannot simply be a manager. They must understand the technical side of every assignment well enough to judge whether deadlines are realistic, whether the work meets quality standards, and why deviations occur. Contractors face the same challenge every day: finding someone who combines hands-on field experience with the management skills needed to coordinate teams across different geographic areas. Case study: From cable installation to coordinating multistate operations Serhii Hybenko, a Ukrainian national, arrived in the United States in April 2024. In early 2025, he joined telecommunications contractor Moldcable INC as a fiber-optic installation technician. From the outset, Serhii took on technically demanding and hazardous installation work that other specialists declined, including running lines between utility poles nearly 550 feet apart. In the spring of 2025, he was appointed Team Lead for the Omni Fiber project in Brownsville, Texas, an FTTH network deployment program designed to bring gigabit internet to residential neighborhoods. Under his coordination were a five-technician crew, more than 1,500 installation orders, and 15 active distribution cabinets, each serving up to 200 subscribers. In July of that year, Serhii’s responsibilities expanded when he became Project Supervisor for Omni Fiber in Texas and Point Broadband, 123Net, and Ripple Fiber in Michigan. By early 2026, he was overseeing four contracts in two states and managing a team of roughly 20 technical specialists. In April 2026, his responsibilities expanded again when he became Project Manager, with a greater focus on leadership functions. The Point Broadband project covered 23 service areas across Michigan, from Traverse City to Ithaca, with approximately 3,270 orders and 133 active distribution cabinets. From December 2025 through April 2026, Serhii also provided technical support and maintenance oversight for the FastWire project in Nebraska and Missouri. “The U.S. telecom industry is growing so quickly that companies simply do not have enough time to develop managers through the usual career cycle,” Serhii says. “Contracts are signed, and deadlines begin, but there are far fewer people who can coordinate crews across several projects at once than there are open positions. That is why the ability to deliver results matters so much here.” What makes these specialists valuable to the market? The completion rate on projects supervised by Serhii Hybenko rose from about 60% to 90–95%. In telecom network deployment contracts, an increase in this rate directly raises revenue and reduces the risk of penalties. The structured oversight introduced under his management is estimated to have lowered costs by 15–20% compared with standard operating conditions. The Director of Operations at Moldcable and Utilities One describes Serhii Hybenko’s role as critical. He is among a small group of project managers trusted to coordinate operations across multiple states. He is regularly brought into situations where performance needs to be stabilized, including high cancellation rates, quality problems, and coordination failures. Alongside his management work, Serhii Hybenko formalized his practical experience into the IFL-ROTM (Integrated Field Leadership & Risk-Optimized Training Methodology). The system combines step-by-step technician training, controlled authorization for independent work, built-in quality control, and corrective action. Implemented across four projects, the methodology reduced technician onboarding time by an average of 29%, cut procedural deviations by an average of 32%, and increased productivity by an average of 25%. Looking ahead: Entrepreneurship in telecom infrastructure Serhii Hybenko plans to establish his own U.S.-based LLC specializing in fiber infrastructure deployment and field operations management. The company will serve telecommunications providers, contractors, and network operators. Its work will include project management, operational coordination, implementation of deployment methodologies, and workforce development through technician training and mentorship. Launching such a company would also create jobs in a sector that urgently needs them. Every trained technician is capable of serving hundreds of households and connecting them to high-speed internet. Within the federal BEAD Program, which aims to close the digital divide, companies that build qualified field crews and maintain installation quality directly support national infrastructure goals and the economic development of regions gaining broadband access. “My experience has shown me that contractors need both skilled hands and management expertise–people who can organize a crew, build a process, and deliver consistent results,” Hybenko says. “That is why my company will provide full operational support, from team building and training to work coordination and quality control across several projects at once.” This operating model responds to a real market need. Telecommunications companies and contractors increasingly seek outside partners who can provide both field personnel and the management infrastructure behind them, including crew coordination, quality control, and operational stabilization on complex projects. Why does this matter to the industry? Federal investment through the BEAD Program has created the financial foundation for expanding broadband infrastructure. The equipment is available. Contracts are being signed. People remain the limiting factor, especially managers who can turn resources into results. “The industry has money, equipment, and demand,” Hybenko concludes. “What it lacks are people who know how to organize the process from start to finish. I have made that journey myself, from installing cable to managing several projects across different states. Now I want to scale that experience through my own company and help the industry close the gap I see every day.” For the U.S. telecommunications market, where the volume of infrastructure work continues to grow, professionals with hands-on field experience and management expertise remain the scarcest resource. Their ability to turn experience into scalable, repeatable operating systems transforms individual expertise into a practical tool–and those are precisely the tools the industry needs to put billions of dollars in broadband investment to work.

Written by Norm Leo, Climate Scientist, Keynote Speaker & Climate Communication Specialist Norm Leo is a climate scientist, speaker, and consultant who makes climate science easy to grasp and inspires confident action by highlighting the tangible benefits of climate solutions. He is also the author of "Look At It This Way," helping readers see climate challenges as opportunities for growth and impact. Climate solutions aren’t just environmental necessities, they’re rapidly becoming some of the most profitable business opportunities of our time. From clean energy to climate‑resilient infrastructure, entrepreneurs who act now can tap into booming markets, rising consumer demand, and powerful economic incentives. This article explores why climate action is emerging as one of the smartest business moves for forward‑thinking leaders. What makes climate solutions such a strong opportunity for entrepreneurs? Climate action is no longer framed as a cost. It is now a major economic accelerator. According to global economic analyses, limiting warming to +1.5°C could add $43 trillion to the world economy by 2070.[1] That growth comes from new industries, innovative technologies, and millions of jobs created through clean energy, electrification, and climate‑resilient infrastructure. As demonstrated in Chapter 2 of LOOK AT IT THIS WAY, taking action on climate change isn’t just good for the environment; it’s a major economic boost. For entrepreneurs, this means entering markets where demand is rising, costs are falling, and governments are actively encouraging innovation. Climate‑aligned businesses benefit from lower operating expenses, stronger consumer loyalty, and access to grants, subsidies, and investment capital that reduce risk and accelerate growth. In other words, climate action is no longer a niche; it’s a mainstream economic engine. The clean energy transition: a goldmine for innovators Clean energy is now one of the most dynamic and profitable sectors in the global economy. Solar power has become “some of the lowest-cost electricity ever seen,” and the price of solar installations has dropped 88% over a decade. Wind power followed a similar trajectory, falling 70% in cost.[2] These declines continue as technology improves. This shift creates fertile ground for entrepreneurs. Companies installing solar panels, developing battery storage systems, or building EV charging networks are entering markets with explosive growth. Software startups are modernizing electrical grids, helping utilities manage renewable energy more efficiently. Even traditional contractors are finding new revenue streams by offering energy‑efficiency upgrades for homes and businesses. Public transportation investment is another powerful example. Every $1 invested generates $5 in economic returns, and large projects create tens of thousands of jobs.[3] Entrepreneurs can build businesses around electrifying bus fleets or developing tools that make transit more efficient and accessible. Clean energy is no longer an alternative. It is becoming the backbone of the modern economy, and entrepreneurs who innovate within this space will shape the next decade. New markets emerging from climate‑resilient infrastructure Extreme weather events are costly, but resilience is profitable. Every $1 invested in climate‑resilient infrastructure saves $6 in avoided damages.[4] Cities worldwide are upgrading drainage systems, reinforcing buildings, redesigning streets to manage flooding, and adopting heat‑resistant materials to protect residents during extreme heat. These investments create enormous opportunities for entrepreneurs. Construction firms can specialize in flood‑proof building techniques. Engineers can develop smart stormwater systems that automatically redirect water during heavy rainfall. A company can install reflective roofing or green roofs that keep cities cooler. Even landscape architects are entering the climate economy by designing parks that double as flood‑retention basins. Municipalities are actively seeking partners who can deliver these solutions. Entrepreneurs who position themselves as resilience experts will find a growing market with long‑term demand. The food revolution: A profitable innovation Food systems are undergoing a transformation driven by health concerns, climate awareness, and shifting consumer preferences. Chapter 3 of LOOK AT IT THIS WAY explains how dietary choices affect both personal health and our climate. This intersection has created one of the fastest‑growing entrepreneurial sectors: climate‑friendly food innovation. Plant-based proteins are expanding rapidly, with consumers seeking healthier, more sustainable alternatives. Entrepreneurs are launching new food brands, developing climate‑smart packaging, and building vertical farms that grow produce using a fraction of the water and land required by traditional agriculture. What we eat shapes our health, energy levels, and even how long we live. This insight resonates strongly with consumers, making climate‑aligned food products not only environmentally beneficial but also commercially attractive. Businesses that reduce food waste, create sustainable meal‑prep services, or develop regenerative farming technologies are entering markets with enormous growth potential. Water innovation: A growing global demand Water scarcity is becoming one of the defining challenges of the century, and Chapter 4 of LOOK AT IT THIS WAY shows how urgently new solutions are needed. This urgency translates directly into entrepreneurial opportunity. Innovators are developing water‑saving devices for homes, leak‑detection systems for cities, and smart irrigation tools for agriculture. Water‑purification technologies are expanding, especially in regions facing contamination or drought. Even consulting firms are emerging to help municipalities and businesses reduce water consumption and improve efficiency. Water innovation is no longer a niche sector, it is becoming essential for agriculture, industry, and urban planning. Entrepreneurs who enter early will help shape the future of water management. Transportation: A big entrepreneurial opening Transportation is undergoing a profound transformation. Cities are redesigning streets to support active transportation, expanding bike lanes, and investing heavily in electric mobility. Public transit investment creates 50,000 jobs per $1B spent, and electrification reduces pollution while lowering long‑term costs.[3] Entrepreneurs are stepping into this space by launching e‑bike and scooter fleets, building charging‑station networks, and developing mobility‑as‑a‑service platforms that help residents move efficiently without relying on personal vehicles. Logistics companies are electrifying delivery fleets, creating cleaner and more cost‑effective operations. Transportation is shifting quickly, and entrepreneurs who innovate now will lead the next generation of mobility solutions. Community-building: Business meets social impact There is a powerful but often overlooked benefit of climate action: stronger communities. Green spaces reduce crime, improve mental health, and increase social cohesion.[5] Cities are investing in parks, tree‑planting initiatives, cooling centers, and outdoor recreation infrastructure, all of which create opportunities for entrepreneurs. One of climate action’s most overlooked but surprising benefits is its power to strengthen communities. Businesses that specialize in urban greening, climate‑resilient landscaping, and outdoor recreation design are booming. These companies help cities create environments that are healthier, safer, and more connected, and they benefit from long‑term municipal investment. Why entrepreneurs should act now The timing has never been better. Governments are offering substantial incentives for climate‑aligned businesses. Investors are pouring money into climate tech. Consumers prefer sustainable brands and are willing to pay more for products that align with their values. Clean energy is cheaper than fossil fuels, and infrastructure upgrades are accelerating worldwide. Climate solutions are becoming the next major economic wave, similar to the rise of the internet or mobile technology. Entrepreneurs who act early will dominate emerging markets and build businesses that are both profitable and future‑proof. How entrepreneurs can get started today Entrepreneurs entering the climate economy can begin by identifying inefficiencies in their industry that sustainability can solve. Many businesses start small, offering energy‑efficiency upgrades, developing low‑emission products, or partnering with municipalities on pilot projects. Government grants and incentives can reduce financial risk, while partnerships with utilities or local governments can accelerate growth. The most successful climate‑aligned businesses combine innovation with practicality: they reduce emissions while saving money, improving health, or strengthening communities. Entrepreneurs who adopt this mindset will find countless opportunities waiting for them. Start building your climate‑focused business advantage today If you’re an entrepreneur ready to explore climate‑focused opportunities, my book LOOK AT IT THIS WAY: Climate Solutions Will Benefit Your Health and Wealth offers a clear roadmap to the economic, health, and community benefits of climate solutions. If you’re a business leader looking to craft climate messaging that resonates with customers, investors, or stakeholders, I can help you translate climate science into a compelling business opportunity. Climate solutions aren’t just good for the planet, they’re good for business. The next decade belongs to entrepreneurs who embrace them. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Norm Leo Norm Leo, Climate Scientist, Keynote Speaker & Climate Communication Specialist Norm Leo is a climate scientist and leading voice in climate communication, known for making complex environmental issues clear, relatable, and actionable. With over 2,000 presentations delivered worldwide, including TEDx, he helps audiences understand climate change without overwhelm or eco anxiety. As the author of "Look At It This Way" and former Head of Science Education at the Biosphere, Environment Museum, he blends scientific expertise with innovative messaging techniques. Norm's talks empower entrepreneurs, executives, and organizations to navigate sustainability with confidence and clarity. His solution-oriented approach leaves audiences inspired to contribute to a more resilient future. References: [1] Steinmann, J. (2022, May 24). One more reason for rapid climate action: Economics. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from here. [2] Max Roser (2020). “Why did renewables become so cheap so fast?” Published online at OurWorldinData.org. Retrieved from here. [3] Taylor, L. (2021, April 12). Here's why cities should invest in public transport. World Economic Forum. Retrieved from here. [4] Multi-Hazard Mitigation Council (2019). Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: 2019 Report. Principal Investigator Porter, K.; Co-Principal Investigators Dash, N., Huyck, C., Santos, J., Scawthorn, C.; Investigators: Eguchi, M., Eguchi, R., Ghosh., S., Isteita, M., Mickey, K., Rashed, T., Reeder, A.; Schneider, P.; and Yuan, J., Directors, MMC. Investigator Intern: Cohen-Porter, A. National Institute of Building Sciences. Washington, DC. [5] Beaudoin, M., & Levasseur, M.-E. (2017). Verdir les villes pour la santé de la population Institut National De Santé Publique Du Québec. Retrieved from here.

Written by Sarah Pearce, Certified Doula Sarah Pearce is a nationally recognized full-spectrum doula, former pediatric nurse, placenta encapsulation specialist, and midwifery student. With nearly a decade of experience, she supports families through fertility, birth, postpartum, and newborn care. She is the founder of Trinity Doula Services, one of the largest doula agencies in the St. Louis region. Nearly one in three babies in the United States is now born by cesarean. Provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that the U.S. cesarean rate reached 32.5% in 2025, the highest since 2013. Even among low-risk first births involving a single, term, head-down baby, the rate reached 26.9%, the highest since 2012. Cesareans are one of the most important lifesaving interventions available in maternity care. They can also be overused. Both things can be true. When cesareans save lives There are situations where vaginal birth becomes dangerous or impossible. Placenta previa, cord prolapse, uterine rupture, certain abnormal fetal presentations, severe fetal intolerance of labor, placental abruption, and other complications can turn cesarean birth into an urgently needed intervention. I know that personally. At almost 19, I arrived at the hospital in labor expecting an unmedicated vaginal birth and learned my baby was footling breech. Within a short time, I was undergoing a stat cesarean. I am grateful that surgery existed when I needed it. But respecting what cesareans can do should not prevent us from examining how often we use them. When major surgery becomes common After attending more than 250 births, I have watched cesareans happen for many reasons. Some were unquestionably necessary. Others followed diagnoses such as “failure to progress” or “arrest of descent,” situations where the line between taking too long and being unable to give birth vaginally can become much less clear. Our understanding of normal labor has changed. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) now considers six centimeters the beginning of active labor and recommends allowing adequate time before diagnosing active phase arrest when mother and baby remain stable. Slow does not automatically mean impossible. A baby may need time to rotate. Position changes may help. Contractions may need to become stronger or more coordinated. Sometimes labor simply takes longer than expected. And sometimes, despite every reasonable effort, cesarean becomes the safest option. The goal should never be eliminating cesareans. The goal should be eliminating unnecessary cesareans. Cesarean birth is not the “easy way out” A cesarean is major abdominal surgery followed immediately by newborn care. A mother may be recovering from abdominal and uterine incisions while simultaneously bleeding vaginally, experiencing uterine contractions, producing milk, undergoing enormous hormonal changes, waking throughout the night, and caring for a newborn. Cesareans also matter beyond the immediate recovery. One surgery can affect options and risks in future pregnancies, which makes avoiding unnecessary first cesareans particularly important. But none of this means a mother should feel ashamed when she needs, or chooses, a cesarean. Reducing unnecessary cesareans and respecting cesarean birth are not opposing ideas. We need a better conversation We have created a strange divide in birth culture. On one side, cesareans can be treated as routine, as though major abdominal surgery is simply another interchangeable way of giving birth. On the other, women sometimes leave cesarean births feeling as though they failed because they did not give birth vaginally. Neither serves families. We should be able to say that cesareans save lives and carry real risks and recovery needs. Some cesareans are necessary, while some may be preventable. Families deserve informed consent and evidence-based recommendations. A cesarean birth is still a birth. My own cesarean was followed years later by two vaginal births after cesarean (VBACs), including an unmedicated vaginal birth. Those births did not prove that my body finally “worked.” They did not redeem my cesarean. My cesarean never needed redemption. The goal of maternity care shouldn't be vaginal birth at all costs, nor should it be surgery at the first sign that labor isn't following a predictable timeline. The goal should be the right intervention for the right person at the right time. And when that intervention is a cesarean, the mother on the operating table has not failed. She gave birth. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Sarah Pearce Sarah Pearce, Certified Doula Sarah Pearce is a highly sought-after birth and postpartum expert, a former Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) specialising pediatrics, a placenta encapsulation specialist, and the founder of Trinity Doula Services, a rapidly growing full-spectrum doula agency serving Missouri and Illinois. With over a decade of hands-on experience in fertility, labor support, physiologic birth, postpartum recovery, newborn care, and high-pressure pediatric nursing, she has become known for combining evidence-based education with deeply intuitive support. Sarah has supported families through all types of birth settings and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Midwife. Her work empowers families during life's most transformative moments. References: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): Patient education on cesarean birth, risks and benefits, recovery, and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) or trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). Evidence Based Birth®: Research-based education on cesarean rates, labor practices, informed decision-making, and evidence surrounding common birth interventions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics: Current U.S. birth data, including national cesarean and low-risk cesarean rates. International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN): Education, peer support, cesarean recovery resources, and information for families considering vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

Written by Christina J. Barea, Founder, Medical Qigong Instructor & Therapist Christina J. Barea is the founder of 5 Phases Health and a Medical Qigong Instructor with over 20 years of experience helping adults build strength and vitality through movement and nutrition. She is the award-winning author of Qigong Illustrated, a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritionist, and Ordained Daoist. Every autumn, trees let their leaves fall so their roots can hold what matters through winter. Your body follows a similar rhythm. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), autumn belongs to the Metal phase, which links the breath you take in with your capacity to release what has run its course. Here you can explore what Metal governs and try a simple breath this week. What is the Metal phase? Five Phases Theory is a framework within TCM that maps the body and emotions onto five patterns found in nature: Earth, Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire. Each phase connects to particular organs, a season, a color, and an emotion. The word phase is deliberate. Your body moves through these patterns over time, much as the year moves through its seasons. Metal is the phase of autumn. Picture a tree as the days grow shorter. After a summer of growth and fruit, the tree draws its sap back toward the root and lets its leaves go. Nothing has gone wrong. The tree is making room for what comes next and conserving its strength for the cold months ahead. The Metal phase governs that same capacity in you: taking in what nourishes you and letting go of what is finished. A quick note on language: when an organ name appears capitalized here, such as Lungs, the word refers to the broader TCM organ system. Lowercase lungs refers to the physical organs. Metal at a glance Each phase carries its own set of correspondences. These are Metal's. Quality Metal phase Spirit of the phase Flexibility and adaptability Organs Lungs and Large Intestine Governs Breath, skin, and longevity Season Autumn Color White Energetic direction Contracting, drawing inward Emotion Grief Virtue Integrity Breath, skin, and boundaries In TCM, the Lungs and Large Intestine work as a pair. The Lungs take in fresh air, and the Large Intestine releases what the body has finished with. Together they carry Metal's rhythm of receiving and letting go. Your lungs cannot move air on their own. They rely on the diaphragm beneath them and the intercostal muscles between your ribs. When those muscles stay supple, the ribcage can widen to the front, back, and sides, and the breath fills the chest. Long hours of sitting or a forward slump at the desk can tighten them, and the breath grows shallow. These muscles deserve extra attention after midlife. The American Lung Association notes that lung function declines gradually after about age 35, partly because the diaphragm can weaken and the ribcage leaves less room for the lungs to expand. The same source names staying active as one way to protect and even strengthen the lungs. Movement that opens the ribcage and trains a full breath is a natural place to begin. TCM also describes a protective energy, often called Defensive Energy, that circulates at the surface of the body between the skin and the muscles. In this tradition, the Lungs govern that energy, and a full, steady breath helps build it. Metal governs the skin, too. Your skin is where you meet the world. Rather than a wall, think of your skin as a breathable membrane that keeps you connected while protecting what lies within. Healthy boundaries in the Metal phase work the same way, in your body and in your relationships. From grief to integrity Grief is the emotion of the Metal phase and a natural companion to letting go. You might feel grief when saying goodbye to a person, a role, a home, or a younger version of yourself. Many of us in midlife carry several of these at once. Five Phases Theory treats grief as a messenger rather than a problem to fix. Given room to move, sorrow tends to pass through and leave us clearer. Held tightly, sorrow often settles in the chest and narrows the breath. The fallen leaf offers a gentle reminder here: what we release is acknowledged and freed, not lost. The virtue of Metal is integrity, and here the word carries a simple meaning. The inside matches the outside. Who you are within and how you meet the world line up. Integrity grows less from adding and more from releasing. As you let go of what is borrowed or finished, what remains is authentically yours. Boundaries live here as well. A balanced Metal phase is open enough to stay warmly connected and clear enough to protect what matters to you. Signs of Metal in balance When the Metal phase is well supported, you may notice changes in both body and mood. In the body, the breath tends to feel full and easy, reaching the sides and back of the ribcage without strain. Your chest and shoulders feel open rather than braced. You may find that colds pass more easily, that elimination feels regular, and that your skin feels comfortable. Moving your arms and upper body feels freer. On the emotional side, sorrow comes and goes rather than settling in to stay. Letting go of a habit, a belief, or a relationship that has run its course feels possible, even when the choice is hard. Your boundaries hold without turning into walls. Students often describe a growing sense of inner clarity, along with more room to breathe. A breath to try This seated practice comes from the Metal phase cooldown in my book. All you need is a sturdy chair and about five minutes. I invite you to settle toward the front of the chair, feet flat and spine long. You can rest one hand on your lower belly and the other on the center of your chest. Let your jaw soften, and close your eyes if that feels comfortable. When you are ready, begin with a slow, complete exhale through the nose. Then welcome the breath in, letting it fill you from the bottom upward: first the lower belly, then the sides of the ribcage, and finally the upper chest beneath your hand. Pause for a moment at the top. Release the breath in reverse, from the chest down to the belly, and rest briefly before the next breath. As you breathe in, you might picture a soft white mist around you, like an autumn morning. Imagine the mist entering through your skin and filling your chest with clarity. As you breathe out, let something you no longer need drift away with the air. Six to nine breaths are plenty to begin. In our practice, we call your comfortable range The Wall: the point where you can breathe fully without forcing or straining. If you feel lightheaded, return to your natural breath. If you ever notice sudden shortness of breath, please speak with your doctor. Begin with one breath Metal is one of five phases, and each offers its own path back to balance. As autumn turns toward winter, the next article in this series explores the Water phase and the deep reserves that carry us through the colder months. For now, consider a small commitment. Return to this breath once a day for the coming week, and notice what shifts in your body and your mood. Small, steady practice tends to add up over time. If you would like to discover which phase is calling for your attention first, my book, Foundations of Longevity, Volume 1: Qigong & Fitness, includes a self-assessment and a program lasting eight weeks for each phase. You can learn more at 5 Phases Health. You are welcome to begin wherever you are. This article is for general education. The practices described here complement, rather than replace, care from your physician or another qualified health professional. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more info! Read more from Christina J. Barea Christina J. Barea, Founder, Medical Qigong Instructor & Therapist Christina J. Barea is a Medical Qigong Instructor & Therapist, and the founder of 5 Phases Health, where she helps adults build strength, energy, and resilience through movement and nutrition. Over more than two decades, she has taught thousands of students, authored the Silver Nautilus Award-winning book Qigong Illustrated, and filmed three seasons of Qigong programming for Atlanta community television. Trained in medical Qigong, personal fitness, and nutrition, Christina blends time-tested practice with practical, everyday tools. Today she focuses on guiding readers toward living their best life, one daily step at a time.

Written by Joana Esteves, RTT Practitioner, Clinical Medical Assistant & Hypnotist Joana Esteves is the founder of Holistic Transformation Center and host of the Mind Untangling Podcast. As an international Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) practitioner and health coach, she helps high achievers reach the next level through the power of hypnosis. Depression is usually described through its symptoms: low mood, loss of interest, fatigue, hopelessness, changes in sleep or appetite, difficulty concentrating, and sometimes thoughts of death or suicide. But symptoms tell us what someone is experiencing. They don’t necessarily tell us why. Reducing symptoms can be enormously valuable, particularly when someone is suffering. But reducing a symptom is not necessarily the same as understanding what contributed to depression or what may be keeping it going. If we want to think about lasting recovery, I believe we also need to be willing to look beneath the symptoms. For decades, many people were given a simple explanation: depression was caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, often described as too little serotonin. It was an appealing story because it made an extraordinarily complex human experience seem understandable. But science has never established depression as simply a serotonin deficiency. A major umbrella review published in Molecular Psychiatry found no consistent evidence supporting the idea that depression is caused by reduced serotonin. That doesn’t mean biology is irrelevant. Far from it. Depression is complex, and biology is part of that complexity. But “biology matters” is not the same thing as “your biology is defective.” Perhaps that distinction gives us permission to ask a different question. What about genetics? Having depression in your family does not mean that depression is your destiny. Research suggests that genetics can contribute to vulnerability, but inherited risk is not the same as inevitability. Genes operate within a constantly changing biological and environmental context. Predisposition is not predestination. What if something is missing? When somebody is depressed, we naturally ask: What’s wrong? We may ask about symptoms, diagnoses, medication, or family history. All of those questions can matter. But over years of working with people, I have become increasingly interested in another question: What are you disconnected from? This way of thinking was profoundly influenced by Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections. Hari travelled around the world interviewing researchers and exploring evidence that depression and anxiety may be connected not only to biology but also to disconnection from other people, meaningful work and values, childhood trauma, status and respect, the natural world, and hope for the future. His work challenged me to think more deeply about what we may have lost and what we may need to reconnect with. In my own work, I have come to organise this around three fundamental forms of connection: connection to others, connection to nature, and connection to self. I call them the Three Connections, and they have changed the way I think about depression. Connection to others Human beings are profoundly relational. We need to belong. We need to feel seen. We need affection, companionship, safety, contribution, and the experience of mattering to other people. Yet modern life can make genuine connection surprisingly difficult. We move away from family. Relationships end. People die. Friendships disappear beneath work and responsibility. We work remotely. We become carers. We retire. We are bullied or rejected. We spend hours interacting through screens while becoming increasingly isolated in physical life. Depression itself can make people withdraw, so the relationship can operate in both directions. But what I have observed is that disconnection often comes first. Loneliness isn’t simply about being alone. You can be surrounded by people and feel profoundly lonely. Connection is not simply proximity. It is belonging. Connection to nature There is another form of disconnection that is easy to overlook. For most of human history, our lives were inseparable from the natural world. Today, many of us spend enormous amounts of time indoors, sitting down, under artificial light, looking at screens. Yet our biology didn’t suddenly stop responding to the environment around us. Research into nature-based interventions has reported improvements in depressive mood, anxiety, and positive affect. Exercise has substantial evidence behind it for depression. Daylight helps regulate the circadian systems involved in sleep, hormones, energy, and mood. None of these things should be reduced to another simplistic cure. Depression isn’t simply a matter of not having enough serotonin, and it isn’t simply a matter of not getting enough sunlight, exercise, or time outdoors either. The point is bigger. We don’t simply visit nature. We are nature. The brain is an organ. It needs nourishment, movement, sleep, light, stimulation, and rest. These things add up. Together, they support the body and brain, strengthen our connection with nature, and can become an important part of recovering from depression. Connection to self Of the Three Connections, this is the one I am most dedicated to because sometimes we become disconnected from other people and from life partly because we have first become disconnected from ourselves. What does that mean? Not knowing what you feel or what you need. Saying yes when you want to say no. Having no boundaries. Silencing your voice. Continually chasing approval. Believing your worth has to be earned. These same patterns can also appear in recurring burnout, particularly when self-worth becomes connected to achievement, responsibility, or being needed. It can also mean losing touch with what you genuinely want from your life. Many people become extraordinarily skilled at being who everybody else needs them to be while becoming strangers to themselves. Beneath that disconnection, I often find beliefs: I'm not enough, I don't matter, I'm unlovable, there's something wrong with me, I don't belong. These beliefs are not necessarily conscious. A person can intellectually know, Of course I'm worthy, while something deeper continues to organise their emotional responses as though they are not. Our self-talk can reveal some of these underlying beliefs, which is why simply telling someone to “think positively” can be so inadequate. This is also why I believe meaningful personal growth often needs to happen from the inside out. Knowing something isn't true is not always the same as no longer believing it. What did what happened to you teach you about yourself? Trauma-informed therapy helped move the conversation from “What's wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” I think there is another question worth asking: What did what happened to you teach you about yourself? A child who is continually criticised may not conclude, My parent is emotionally dysregulated. They may conclude, I'm not good enough. When a parent leaves, a child may not understand the complexities of an adult relationship. They may learn, People leave me. I'm not worth staying for. Trauma can also involve what didn't happen: the affection that wasn't given, the safety that wasn't created, the reassurance that never came, the voice that was never encouraged. Eventually, a person may learn: Don't speak. Don't feel. Don't need. Don't upset anyone. Don't take up space. Be who they need you to be. This is why I find Marisa Peer's therapeutic description of depression as the opposite of expression so thought-provoking. What happens when a person learns that it isn't safe to fully express who they are? What happens when they suppress their needs, their voice, their anger, their grief, their creativity, their boundaries, their authentic self? Trauma may steal someone's voice. Reconnection to self involves helping them discover that they are allowed to have one again. Perhaps depression is asking us to look deeper None of this means that every person becomes depressed for the same reason. Depression is complex. Biology matters. Genetics can matter. Medical conditions can matter. Medication can be valuable and, for some people, lifesaving, providing a bridge until deeper work becomes possible. But perhaps the mistake is believing we have to choose between biology and experience. Experience is biological. Relationships affect us. Trauma affects us. Isolation affects us. Sleep affects us. Movement affects us. Meaning affects us. The stories we repeatedly tell ourselves affect how we experience the world. Our biology is not separate from the life we are living. That gives us somewhere to look. Not for blame. For agency. If disconnection can contribute to suffering, then reconnection can become part of recovery. Reconnect with people who allow you to belong. Reconnect with the natural world your body evolved within. Reconnect with your needs, your voice, your boundaries, your desires, your worth, and the parts of yourself you may have learned to suppress. I explore the research behind the Three Connections, depression, subconscious beliefs, genetics, nature, and hypnotherapy in greater depth in my article, Depression: What If We've Been Looking in the Wrong Place? Perhaps we've spent too long asking only, What's wrong with me? Maybe we should also be asking: What happened to me? What did it teach me about myself? What am I disconnected from? Because where there is depression, I believe it is worth looking for the disconnection. Then we can begin finding our way back. If your depression includes thoughts of suicide or you feel unable to keep yourself safe, please seek immediate support. Tell someone you trust, contact a qualified healthcare professional or crisis service, or seek emergency help if you are in immediate danger. You do not have to carry suicidal thoughts alone. Ready to explore what may be happening beneath the surface? If you recognise yourself in some of these patterns and would like to explore the beliefs and experiences that may be keeping you disconnected from yourself, others, and nature, you can learn more about my work with subconscious transformation at Holistic Transformation Center. If you're curious about how hypnosis works as a tool for accessing subconscious patterns, I explore some of the most common misconceptions about it here. This article is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalised medical or mental health advice. If you’re concerned about your mental or physical health, please seek direct support from a qualified professional. Follow me on Instagram, and visit my website for more info! Read more from Joana Esteves Joana Esteves, RTT Practitioner, Clinical Medical Assistant & Hypnotist Joana Esteves helps people from all walks of life with issues like stress, anxiety, weight loss, insomnia, addiction, wealth, relationships, confidence, self-esteem, phobias, sports performance, procrastination, and any undesirable patterns that may be keeping them from living at their highest potential. Using the phenomenal RTT method, Joana taps into individuals' subconscious minds to get to the root cause of the issue, removing old beliefs and reprogramming the mind to achieve the desired goals. References: Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies Childhood maltreatment and characteristics of adult depression: meta-analysis Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials Looking beyond depression: a meta-analysis of the effect of behavioral activation on depression, anxiety, and activation

Written by Mario Buchs, Certified Endurance Coach, Ultrarunner & Leadership Performance Practitioner Mario Buchs is a certified endurance coach, ultrarunner and leadership performance practitioner who brings decades of experience across business, sport and human performance. He writes about resilience, leadership, mindset and what it takes to perform at your best, without losing the human in performance. Around the end of July or the beginning of August 2020, I started feeling pain in my lower back while running. Like many runners, my first instinct was to brush it off. We tell ourselves that it is probably muscular. Maybe we have done a few too many kilometres. Maybe the training load has increased. Maybe we just need to warm up properly. Of course, we keep running. After all, surely if we ignore it long enough, it will go away? It rarely works that way. At the time, I was training for my first race covering 100 miles, the Tarawera Miler in Rotorua, New Zealand, which was scheduled for February 2021. My training was building towards around 100 kilometres a week, so when things started to hurt, it was easy to convince myself that it was simply the soreness that comes with increasing mileage. Initially, I thought the pain was muscular, so I went to see my trusted physiotherapist. He had me jump and hop on one leg. No pain. But as soon as I ran, the pain returned. This time, it didn't disappear when the run finished. In fact, it became worse afterward. That was when I knew this was something different. We decided to get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. The result was something I had never even heard of before: a stress fracture in my sacrum. I was stunned. I was told that sacral stress fractures can occur in athletes involved in high volumes of training, including ultra runners and Australian Football League (AFL) players. I was referred to a sports doctor who specialised in these types of injuries, and the initial plan was relatively simple: stop loading the bone and give it time to heal. At least six weeks. Then another MRI scan to see whether the bone oedema, essentially the hazy area inside the bone that indicates the body's response to the injury, had settled. That sounded straightforward. Until someone told an ultra runner to walk and ride a bike to stay fit. There was a problem with that advice. When an ultra runner hears the word walking, we don't necessarily hear "take it easy." We hear: "Go for a bushwalk." So that's more or less what I did. Six weeks later, I went back for another MRI scan. The fracture hadn't healed. The pain was still there. It was nowhere near as bad as it had been initially. At its worst, I could hardly move. But the bone hadn't recovered as expected. The reason became clear. I had simply done too much exercise that loaded the bone. I hadn't given the bone the opportunity to properly heal. That was a difficult realisation, both physically and mentally. I had to become much more aggressive with my recovery and drastically reduce the amount of walking and cycling I was doing until the next MRI scan. That was probably my first major lesson about injury and recovery: Recovery actually means recovery. Not "I'll just do a little bit." Not "I'll walk instead." Not "I'll ride to keep my fitness up." Certainly not "It feels a bit better, so I'll see how it goes." I also learned something else that has stayed with me ever since: listen carefully to the advice of your specialists and make sure you understand exactly what they mean. A walk for an AFL player and a walk for an ultra runner might mean two completely different things. Sometimes doing less is actually doing more. Four years later, it happened again After that first stress fracture, I thought I had learned my lesson. The following years were some of the best of my running life. In particular, 2022 and 2023 were fantastic. I completed several ultramarathons ranging from 72 kilometres all the way up to 240 kilometres, and I felt fit, strong and healthy. So when I entered the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) Finals event in Chamonix, France, I was excited rather than concerned. The race was a mountain ultra covering 174 kilometres with around 10,000 metres of elevation, taking runners around the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland. Entries were decided by lottery, and in January 2024, I found out that my name had been pulled out of the hat. I was in. Training for a race like that meant preparing for serious volume and, particularly, elevation. In February, during my first major training block, I headed to the Victorian Alps for a mini training camp. I was running trails, climbing, descending and putting in the work needed for the mountains. The following weekend, I was training on trail stairs. I felt strong. I felt fit. Then the pain came back. That familiar pain in my lower back. But this time, it was on the other side. I knew immediately that something wasn't right. After what had happened in 2020, I wasn't prepared to simply wait and see. The pain didn't settle over the following days, so I contacted the same sports doctor and was referred for another MRI. The result stopped me in my tracks. Another stress fracture in my sacrum. This time, on the opposite side. Four years after the first one. Emotionally, this was very different. The first fracture had been a lesson in recovery. This one was a warning. I had to ask myself a much bigger question: Why was this happening again? I wasn't prepared to accept that recurring stress fractures were simply part of being an ultra runner. Something else could be going on. If there was, I wanted to find out what it was. That was when the investigation really began. Blood tests. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans. X-rays. Ultrasounds. Eventually, an appointment with an endocrinologist. The results showed bone mineral density in the osteopenic range. However, because I had sustained a fracture of the fragility type, my overall clinical picture was treated as osteoporosis. That was a confronting word to hear. I was an endurance athlete who felt fit and strong. I was running huge distances. I was strength training. I was eating what I considered a healthy diet based on plants. Yet underneath all of that, there was a problem with my bones. Medication was put on the table. I understood why. But I wanted to understand the why behind the problem before simply treating the number. My approach wasn't to reject medication outright. It was to ask whether there were things I could change first, particularly around nutrition, training and recovery, and then objectively measure whether those changes were working. So I went back to my nutritionist. We looked closely at my diet based on plants and made some deliberate changes, particularly increasing my intake of whole foods rich in calcium. Walnuts, figs, oranges and dried apricots became regular parts of my diet, alongside calcium supplementation. This time, I did something else that I had failed to do properly in 2020. I rested. Properly. My endocrinologist gave me three months to make these changes before we reviewed things again. It wasn't simply a matter of waiting to see how I felt. Before the follow-up appointment, I needed further urine and specialised blood testing to determine whether my bones were still under excessive metabolic stress despite the reduced training load. If the results suggested there was still a problem, medication would become the next step. So I waited. Then came the results. The news was encouraging. Even with around 60% of my normal training load restored, including running and strength training, the results came back looking very positive. For the moment, medication was off the table. But I wasn't satisfied with simply getting a good result. I wanted to understand what had happened. Why had an athlete who felt strong and healthy developed two stress fractures? Was it simply the amount of running? Was it age? Was it nutrition? Was it recovery? Was it strength training? Or was it a combination of all of these things? That question became the beginning of a much bigger journey into bone health, ageing, strength, nutrition and longevity. I wanted to know what was really happening to my bones As a personal trainer and running coach, I already understood that strength training needed to become a bigger part of my approach. Heavy compound movements such as squats and deadlifts provide a very different stimulus to the body than simply running more kilometres. I wanted to build strength, support my bones and, importantly, give my body another reason to maintain and potentially improve bone mineral density. So I joined a gym that also happened to have a DEXA scanner. If you're wondering what a DEXA scan actually does, the simple explanation is this: it is an X-ray scan that uses a low dose of radiation to measure bone mineral density and can also provide information about body composition. It is commonly used to assess bone health and osteoporosis risk. For me, however, the DEXA machine became much more than a diagnostic tool. It became a way of asking questions. I was still an ultra runner. I had no intention of giving up the sport I loved. So rather than simply asking, "How do I get my bone density back up?" I started asking another question: What does ultra endurance running actually do to my bones? I had spent years pushing my body to its limits. Hundreds of kilometres. Thousands of metres of elevation. Long periods of repetitive impact and enormous training loads. But what was happening beneath the surface? I decided to find out. Three races. Three sets of measurements. My next three major races were going to provide a pretty good testing ground. In 2025, I lined up for: Ultra Trail Australia 100 (UTA100), 100 kilometres with around 4,400 metres of elevation Elephant Trail Race, 100 miles with around 9,000 metres of elevation Coast to Kosci, 240 kilometres with around 5,500 metres of elevation These weren't exactly laboratory conditions. They were real races that I had trained for and wanted to complete. That was important to me. I wasn't interested in creating a perfect experiment where every variable could be controlled. I wanted to understand what was happening to my body in the real world of ultra endurance running. So around each event, I used DEXA measurements to track what was happening. Before the race. Again, 2 to 4 days after the race. Once more 5 to 7 days into recovery, depending on the event. Alongside bone mineral density, the scans also gave me information about lean mass, fat mass, body fat percentage and visceral adipose tissue. I was essentially trying to capture a snapshot of my body before I asked it to do something extraordinary, immediately after that stress, and then again once recovery had started. The question was simple: Would repeated ultra-endurance racing cause my bone density to decline? Or could I continue to run extreme distances while supporting my bones through strength training, nutrition and recovery? I was about to find out. Keep an eye out for Part 2. Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info! Read more from Mario Buchs Mario Buchs, Certified Endurance Coach, Ultrarunner & Leadership Performance Practitioner Mario Buchs is a certified endurance coach, ultrarunner and leadership performance practitioner whose career has spanned engineering, business, sport and human development. After more than two decades as a service engineer and business professional, working across technical, leadership, sales and training roles around the world, Mario discovered a passion for endurance sport and human performance. He has since completed 23 ultramarathons, including multiple 100-mile-plus events, and founded Healthetica Coaching and Forward Motion Leadership. Today, Mario brings the lessons of business, endurance, and life together to explore resilience, leadership, mindset, and what it really takes to unlock human potential.

A proper storage system for carving tools can make your workspace safer, more efficient, and easier to maintain. When every knife, gouge, and chisel has a designated place, you spend less time searching for the right profile and reduce the chance of damaging a cutting edge in the process. This is especially useful for carvers who work in small home workshops or regularly transport their tools. Why proper carving tool organization actually matters Poor storage can shorten the working life of wood carving tools. When several blades are kept loose in the same drawer, their cutting edges may strike one another, leading to dull spots or small chips. This means more frequent sharpening and can make precise carving more difficult. Organization also affects workflow and safety. Simple tool organizer ideas, such as separating tools by size, profile, or purpose, make it easier to find what you need without searching through a crowded drawer. Keeping sharp tools in designated holders or compartments also reduces the risk of accidental cuts, dropped tools, and damaged handles. Storage conditions matter as well. Cutting edges should be kept away from unnecessary contact with other metal objects, while the storage area should remain clean and dry to help protect both the blades and handles. Best ways to store carving tools at home or in a workshop For a portable carving set, a leather tool roll can be a practical option. It folds into a compact package, takes up relatively little space, and keeps tools separated during transport. A well-made roll should have secure stitching, appropriately sized pockets, and a flap or similar feature that helps prevent tools from slipping out. For a stationary workshop, wall-mounted rails, racks, or panels with individual holders are convenient because they keep tools visible and within easy reach. A wooden tray or box with dividers is another practical solution. Unlike a standard drawer, separate compartments prevent tools from shifting around and help keep cutting edges apart. Magnetic strips can work for some smaller knives, but they should be positioned carefully. The blade should be placed on and removed from the strip in a controlled way so that the cutting edge does not strike the metal. A practical storage routine is to: Keep knives separate from heavier chisels and gouges Organize cutters by profile, width, or intended use Set aside a separate section for roughing tools Keep sharpening equipment nearby without storing it among exposed blades Check storage areas regularly for dust, dirt, and moisture How a leather tool roll helps protect carving tool edges One of the main advantages of a tool roll is that individual pockets keep carving tools separated. This reduces blade-to-blade contact during transport and storage, which is particularly useful for thin carving knives and finely sharpened chisels. Separate compartments can also help prevent wooden handles from rubbing against one another and becoming scratched. However, leather should not be treated as protection against moisture. If either the tools or the roll are stored while damp, moisture may remain in contact with the metal. Before packing tools away, make sure the blades and the inside of the case are dry. For longer-term storage, keep the roll in a dry, ventilated location and periodically inspect the tools for signs of corrosion. The case itself also benefits from occasional cleaning and appropriate leather care. If your tools have unusual blade or handle dimensions, a custom roll can provide pockets that fit them more securely. A leather tool wrap is another option, particularly for smaller sets that need to remain compact during transport. How to organize carving tools by type and frequency of use A useful storage system takes both tool type and frequency of use into account. The knives, gouges, and chisels you reach for regularly should be easy to access, while specialized profiles can be kept in secondary compartments or in a separate case. If your collection includes tools designed for different tasks, grouping them by purpose can make the workflow more intuitive. For example, you can create separate groups for rough material removal, shaping, detailing, and finishing. These wood carving tool storage ideas make it easier to move from one stage of a project to the next without searching through the entire collection. They also make it more obvious when a tool has not been returned to its designated place. Whatever storage system you choose, consistency matters most. Returning each knife, chisel, or gouge to the same place after use helps protect sharp edges, keeps the workbench clear, and makes the next carving session easier to start.

Turning a hobby into a career sounds like a dream for many people. You find something you enjoy, become good at it, and eventually figure out how to make a living doing it. But people often overlook a part of that story. Enjoying something and building a business around it are two very different challenges. Robert Whitcomb Forsyth knows that distinction well. As CEO of Innovative Aquatics, he has spent approximately 28 years working in professional aquarium design and maintenance. His career began with an interest in aquatic life in 1996, but developing that interest into a business required more than enthusiasm. It meant learning a specialized trade, understanding customers, taking responsibility for complex projects, and finding ways to keep moving forward through difficult circumstances. His experience offers a useful perspective on what happens when a personal interest becomes a professional responsibility. Why passion alone isn't enough to build a business Aquarium design illustrates the difference between enjoying a hobby and providing a professional service. Someone might love keeping fish, creating underwater landscapes, or learning about aquatic environments. But designing and maintaining aquariums for customers introduces an entirely different set of expectations. A customer isn't simply paying for an attractive aquarium. They're relying on someone to understand the equipment, anticipate potential problems, and create a system that can function over time. That requires technical knowledge, planning, and practical judgment. Forsyth's interest in aquariums began while diving and collecting lobster in 1996. What started as a hobby eventually developed into professional work. Over the following decades, aquarium design and maintenance became the foundation of his career. The distinction matters because many people assume that passion automatically makes someone ready to build a business around it. In reality, turning an interest into a profession means learning how to meet someone else's needs, not simply pursuing your own. Building something that works beyond the first impression One challenge of aquarium design is that the most visible part of the work isn't always the most important. A large aquarium filled with colorful fish can immediately attract attention. But its long-term success depends on factors most people never notice. Filtration systems, water quality, equipment placement, and maintenance requirements all influence how well an aquarium performs. The same principle applies to many service businesses. Customers often see the finished result without seeing the planning, decisions, and problem-solving required to produce it. For professionals, the responsibility doesn't end when something looks complete. An aquarium that is difficult to maintain can become an ongoing problem, regardless of how impressive it looked on installation day. That creates an important business lesson: a successful project needs to work for the customer long after the initial excitement has passed. Forsyth's professional background illustrates why specialized services require a balance between delivering what customers want and understanding what they actually need. What does it take to keep a business moving forward? Technical ability is only one part of entrepreneurship. A skilled professional might know exactly how to complete a project but still face challenges with scheduling, customer relationships, operating costs, and the daily responsibilities of running a company. Forsyth's path into business ownership included significant personal obstacles. At one point, he experienced financial hardship and worked multiple jobs while trying to improve his circumstances. "I was homeless, basically worked three jobs, started my own company, and never looked back," Forsyth shared when describing his journey. His experience highlights a side of entrepreneurship that often receives less attention than new ideas and business launches. Building a company requires the ability to continue operating when circumstances are uncertain. It also requires making decisions that affect more than the work immediately in front of you. For Forsyth, consistency has become one of the most important qualities associated with success. In a service industry, that quality has practical value. Customers need reliable communication, projects require attention to detail, and problems rarely disappear simply because they're inconvenient. A business can have an excellent idea, but carrying it forward requires steady effort. Why experience should change the way you approach problems Nearly three decades in a specialized industry can provide valuable perspective. In aquarium design, a problem that appears straightforward may have several possible causes. Poor water conditions, equipment limitations, maintenance practices, and the needs of individual species can all affect system performance. Experience helps professionals understand why identifying the cause matters more than applying a quick fix. That approach also has value in business. When a project encounters difficulties, reacting immediately isn't always the best solution. Sometimes the more useful response is to examine what went wrong and determine how to prevent it from happening again. Forsyth's professional interests also include construction through CSR Services Construction, another field where planning and practical problem-solving are important. Although the industries differ, both involve work that must meet real-world requirements rather than simply look good on paper. For business owners, the challenge is learning how to apply experience without assuming that every new situation will be exactly like the last. The importance of continuing to improve Forsyth doesn't view years of experience as a reason to become comfortable with past accomplishments. "Never be satisfied with past success. Always strive to be better," he said when asked about continued growth. This perspective applies especially well to specialized service businesses. Equipment changes, customer expectations evolve, and new approaches create opportunities to improve existing processes. A professional who relies entirely on what worked years ago may miss opportunities to work more effectively today. Forsyth also credits his parents as important influences and identifies faith as a source of guidance when facing uncertainty. Those personal values sit alongside his emphasis on consistency, responsibility, and continued improvement. They help explain his approach to a career that has required both technical learning and the willingness to navigate difficult circumstances. Turning an interest into a lasting career No single formula exists for building a business around a personal interest. Some people begin with formal training. Others discover an opportunity through work experience or an unexpected hobby. For Robert Whitcomb Forsyth, the starting point was an interest in aquatic life that developed into nearly three decades of professional work. Through Innovative Aquatics, that interest became connected to the practical responsibilities of designing and maintaining aquarium systems for customers. His career demonstrates that the real challenge isn't simply finding something you enjoy. It's developing the knowledge, judgment, and consistency needed to turn that interest into work other people can depend on. The aquarium industry may be a specialized field, but the larger lesson applies to many businesses. A good idea can provide the beginning. Building something that lasts requires learning how to make that idea work in the real world.

Not every career follows a straight path. Some professionals spend decades with one organisation, while others build their experience by taking on different roles, working in new environments, and learning how to adapt. For Christopher Backus, a police officer from Olympia, Washington, building a career in law enforcement has involved several different responsibilities across the state. From working in correctional facilities to serving in municipal police departments, Backus has experienced different sides of public safety. Each position has required him to adjust to new expectations, understand different communities, and build on what he's learnt from previous roles. His career reflects an approach to professional growth that's based on practical experience, continued learning, and a willingness to take on unfamiliar challenges. How Christopher Backus developed his early career goals Christopher Backus grew up in Olympia, Washington, where much of his childhood revolved around sports. He played baseball and football, spending years in environments where preparation, teamwork, and commitment were part of everyday life. Those experiences helped shape how he approached school and eventually his career. Playing team sports meant learning to depend on others while also being responsible for his own performance. Backus attended Capital High School from 2002 to 2006 before continuing his education at South Puget Sound Community College. He earned his associate degree in 2008 and went on to study at Saint Martin's University. In 2010, he completed his bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology. His academic performance also earned him partial scholarships. Studying both subjects allowed Backus to explore the legal system alongside the way people think, behave, and respond to different situations. That combination would later become relevant as he moved through different law enforcement roles. What working in corrections taught him about responsibility Backus's professional experience includes working as a correctional officer with the Washington State Department of Corrections and as a jailer at Mason County Jail. Working in corrections presented a different environment from the community-based policing roles he would later hold. Correctional facilities operate around established routines, clear procedures, and consistent communication. For someone beginning a career in public safety, these positions offered exposure to the responsibilities involved in maintaining an organised and secure working environment. They also introduced Backus to the importance of understanding how people respond to rules, structure, and authority. His educational background in criminal justice and psychology provided a useful foundation, but working directly in the field offered a different kind of learning experience. That distinction between academic knowledge and practical experience would become increasingly important as his career progressed. Moving between police departments and different communities Backus's career eventually expanded into municipal policing. He served as a reserve police officer with the Shelton Police Department before gaining experience as a police officer with the Tukwila, Tenino, and Grand Coulee police departments. Each location presented a different working environment. Tukwila is part of the greater Seattle metropolitan area, while Tenino and Grand Coulee are smaller communities with their own local characteristics. Moving between these settings meant becoming familiar with different communities and departmental expectations. Rather than building his career around one particular location, Backus gained experience in several parts of Washington. That variety is an important part of his professional background. Working in different departments can require officers to adjust how they communicate, understand local concerns, and approach their everyday responsibilities. For Backus, the value of that experience goes beyond learning new procedures. It's also about recognising that professional growth often comes from being willing to work outside familiar surroundings. Why adaptability matters in a law enforcement career Changing positions can be challenging in almost any profession. New colleagues, different expectations, and unfamiliar workplace routines can require someone to reconsider how they've approached their work in the past. Law enforcement is no exception. Backus's career across corrections and municipal policing illustrates how experience in one role can provide a foundation for another, even when the day-to-day responsibilities are different. An officer working in a correctional facility encounters different situations from someone serving a local community. However, both positions require attention to detail, communication, and an understanding of professional responsibilities. Backus also places considerable importance on continued training. He believes learning shouldn't stop once someone has completed their formal education or become comfortable in a particular position. While his experience has taken him through different departments, his interest in improving his professional knowledge has remained consistent. The role of discipline and personal interests Outside law enforcement, Backus has maintained many of the interests he developed growing up in Olympia. Sports remain an important part of his life. He continues to play softball and enjoys working out, activities that allow him to stay active while maintaining a connection to his athletic background. He also enjoys camping, hiking, and fly fishing in Montana. Spending time outdoors gives him opportunities to pursue interests that are separate from his professional responsibilities. Family is another important part of his life, and Backus makes an effort to balance his work with time for the people closest to him. His personal approach centres on giving his full effort to his responsibilities without losing sight of what matters outside work. That balance reflects an understanding that a career is only one part of a person's life, even when the profession involves significant responsibility. What Christopher Backus has learnt about career growth Christopher Backus's professional journey hasn't been defined by one department or position. Instead, he's built experience across correctional facilities, reserve policing, and municipal law enforcement in different Washington communities. His background shows how changing roles can create opportunities to develop new skills and gain a broader understanding of an industry. While his education provided an early foundation, much of his professional development has come from working in different environments and adjusting to new responsibilities. Backus continues to value training, preparation, and the importance of understanding the communities where officers work. His career also reflects the influence of the teamwork and discipline he developed through sports. For those considering a long-term career in public service, his experience offers a useful perspective on the value of remaining adaptable. Professional growth doesn't always require following one predictable path. Sometimes it comes from recognising what each new position has to teach you and carrying those lessons into whatever comes next.