On Culture: The Only Way Out is Through

Myste Wylde
Oct 24
5 min read

Dear Culturati Insider,

There’s nothing quite like hauling a brand new 38-foot camper down an unfamiliar highway at night—construction closing in, concrete barriers on both sides and 18-wheelers barreling past, defying physics and sanity. Last night, hands gripping tight, every muscle in my body locked in a tense negotiation between panic and precision. White-knuckled and sweating, the only thought looping in my mind was, "The only way out is through...the only way out is through." The only way out is through.

That feeling, part fear and part focus, is often the truth of leadership in motion. I bought a RV to continue my commitment to discovery and growth, in this case made possible by Starlink, an overdeveloped sense of adventure courtesy of my mama, and the generous remote policy and trust of Eugene and our team. I plan to explore the country with my Rottweiler, Raya, reconnecting with nature and seeing what clarity emerges when work and life share the same horizon. "Culturati—coming to a campground near you."

The pickup delayed this On Culture by a day, but I'm glad that it did, because that stretch of highway reflected to me the work that we all do as leaders. We can't always see the road ahead. And it can be f%*#!g scary. But the challenges, the opportunities to evolve and to get better are beautiful. We know that change is inevitable, in our organizations and in our lives, but sometimes we forget that change comes in seasons that require different speeds and reflexes. Growth, transition, recovery, and reset each ask for their own pace and presence. Research shows that CEOs who adapt their approach to the moment—accelerating in growth, recalibrating in recovery—see stronger performance, engagement, innovation, and well-being across their teams. The key is knowing when to explore and when to execute.

Forward-moving leaders also know that change is rhythmic, not reactive. They build new S-curves before the old ones plateau, co-create strategy to renew energy, and rotate talent to keep decision-making sharp. Growship captures this mindset—the shift from managing for control to leading through curiosity and learning. Reinvention follows the same pattern. As Peter Drucker observed, when our abilities and perspectives evolve, so must the ways we work and lead. With 44% of today’s core skills expected to change within five years (World Economic Forum), relevance depends on how quickly we can adapt. And as Prof Scott Anthony writes in his new book, Epic Disruptions, lasting transformation rarely happens in a burst of brilliance. It’s the result of disciplined curiosity and persistence that turns possibility into progress.

In the end, none of us really knows what lies ahead, but I do know, that when in doubt, the only way out is through.

To clear eyes & steady hands,

Myste Wylde, COO

The 4 Seasons Organizations Go Through—and How to Lead in Each

Havard Business Review

By David Lancefield

Summary: Organizations move through recurring seasons of growth, transition, recovery, and reset, each requiring a distinct leadership stance. Research shows that leaders who flex between exploration and execution achieve stronger performance and engagement. In growth, they act as accelerators who build capacity and pace. In recovery or reset, the priority shifts to rebuilding trust, simplifying priorities, and restoring alignment, though these pauses are often misread as hesitation. Poorly managed change is consistently linked to higher psychosocial risk and declining employee well-being. The most effective CEOs redefine success metrics for each season, align systems to current needs, and make visible trade-offs that preserve focus. Sustainable performance depends on matching leadership behavior and organizational rhythm to the realities of the moment, rather than forcing momentum.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

How the Best CEOs Find the Next Phase of Growth

MIT Sloan Management Review

By Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram (Vik) Malhotra, and Kurt Strovink

Summary: Interviews with 83 high-performing CEOs reveal that the best leaders consistently create new performance S-curves rather than resting on early success. Around years three to five, they step back, think like outsiders, and launch the next phase of growth through cocreation and renewal. Research shows that companies stagnate when leaders fail to refresh strategy, team composition, or personal style. Top CEOs like Jamie Dimon and Brian Moynihan view transformation as a constant discipline, not a crisis response. They engage teams in shaping strategy to tap ownership (people support what they help create) and pull multiple levers across structure, talent, and culture. Many rotate 50% or more of senior leaders midtenure to reenergize execution. The best CEOs build rhythm into change, using data, dialogue, and decisive pivots to ensure their organizations stay on the front foot of growth.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

5 Lessons from Disruptive Innovators Who Changed the World

Fast Company

By Next Big Idea Club

Summary: Professor Scott Anthony explores what separates fleeting invention from enduring transformation in his new book, Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World. His insight is that breakthrough change isn’t born from chaos but from disciplined curiosity: the willingness to experiment, listen, and persist long after excitement fades. From Florence Nightingale turning hospital data into social reform to Corning Inc. turning a failed experiment into Gorilla Glass, progress emerges when leaders stay present in uncertainty. Anthony reframes disruption not as sudden upheaval but as long, deliberate work.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

Shifting The Mindset From Leadership To Growship

Forbes

By Filomena Di Luise

Summary: Growship redefines leadership for a world where speed and uncertainty are constants. Rather than managing for control, leaders cultivate curiosity, continuous experimentation, and the “not yet” mindset—the belief that every challenge holds unrealized potential. They embed learning loops into strategy, turning missteps into data that sharpens execution. Purpose alignment connects individual growth to organizational goals, while psychological safety enables open debate, risk-taking, and innovation. By rewarding adaptability as much as achievement, growship creates resilient systems that convert volatility into momentum and keep organizations moving forward with clarity and intent.

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Reinvent Yourself for a New Age of Discovery

Psychology Today

By Bruce Rosenstein

Summary: Reinvention is a lifelong discipline that requires equal parts reflection and action. Peter Drucker recognized that as our abilities and perspectives evolve, so must the ways we work and lead. The process starts with honest self-assessment—clarifying strengths, values, and interests—then expands through new learning, relationships, and experiences. Research from the World Economic Forum shows that 44% of workers’ core skills will change within five years, underscoring the need for continual renewal. Successful reinvention is structured but flexible: gather information, seek mentors, and test new directions through small experiments. Persistence and curiosity turn reinvention from a reaction to change into a sustainable advantage.

READ ARTICLE IN FULL

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