Happy Monday everyone!
Here are some of my recent reflections from over the past few weeks that I hope will inspire, inform, and spark new ideas in your world.
What I‘ve LEARNED
In a world buzzing with talk of AI—its promises, pitfalls, and the occasional dystopian hot take—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Will it replace jobs? Change education? Disrupt everything? Maybe. Probably. But then something happened at home recently that reminded me of a quieter, more personal side to this revolution.
I was sat outside with my daughter, in the middle of her GCSE prep, and noticed that she was calmly using AI. I asked her what she was up to as the intrigue got the better of me. She answered that she was using it to organise her revision, break down topics she didn’t understand, and even quiz herself based on the specific exam board she was under. This wasn’t part of the curriculum, and wasn’t the only revision learning tool she was using, but it seemed to fascinate me. No teacher had taught her how to do it. So I asked her where she’d learned it.
“I just figured it out,” she shrugged. “Now I use it to work how I work best and get immediate feedback so I can keep learning and refining how I might respond to questions in the actual exam.”
While so many of us adults debate, dissect, and occasionally dread the rise of AI, the younger generation is already busy getting on with it—adapting, experimenting, and moulding it into something useful, something personal. No fear. Just curiosity and creativity.
There’s a lesson in that.
Maybe instead of trying to master AI in one leap, we just need to be a bit more like them: playful, open, unafraid to ask “what if this could help me?” and willing to try.
The future isn’t something to brace ourselves for—it’s something we can shape.
What I’ve LOVED
If I asked you to recall the last time you received truly exceptional customer service—service that left you feeling seen, valued, and maybe even a little emotional—would you have an answer?
Most of us wouldn’t.
That’s why Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara struck such a chord with me.
It’s more than a book about the restaurant industry. It’s a masterclass in what happens when you obsess not just over what you deliver—but how you make people feel. The book is about how Will Guidara transformed Eleven Madison Park into the world’s best restaurant by turning hospitality into an art form.
He went out of his way—unreasonably so—to create moments that mattered. A surprise dish that connected to a childhood memory or finding a solution to knowing the customers first name from the moment that they walk so they feel at home. Small gestures with huge emotional impact.
It reminded me that customer service isn’t a box to tick. It’s a superpower.
Reading this book felt like watching a real-life case study in how powerful culture, care, and connection can be when they’re baked into the core of a business. And the output? Not just loyal customers, but remarkable growth.
It left me inspired—and challenged. What would it look like if we all brought a little unreasonable hospitality into our own work?
What I’ve LIKED
Every four years, something pretty magical happens in the world of rugby. It’s called the British & Irish Lions tour—and even if you’re not a rugby fan, the concept is worth knowing about.
In essence, the Lions are a team made up of the best players from four fiercely competitive nations: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Usually, these countries battle it out against each other in the Six Nations and beyond. But once every four years, they put aside their rivalries, don the same jersey, and head off to take on one of the Southern Hemisphere powerhouses—South Africa, New Zealand, or (this time) Australia.
I love this idea. Four nations, one team. No time to waste. Just a brief window to build trust, gel as a unit, and find a way to overcome an opponent that’s had years to play together.
The Lions tour is about more than rugby. It’s about chemistry, resilience, and rapid relationship-building. It’s about putting ego aside and aligning behind a shared mission. And then—after the final whistle—they return to their corners and compete against one another once again.
I honestly don’t know of any other competition quite like it. The tradition, the camaraderie, the psychological challenge—it’s pure sporting theatre.
And I, for one, can’t wait for the next chapter in Australia.
Final thought:
Here is a song to kick start your week:
If you would like to read the latest Monday Morning Musings then subscribe here:
- Stories, Suppers, and the Small Joys of Learning – From 8th Dec 2025.
- Small Experiments, Big Reminders- From 8th Sept 2025.
- Adapting to AI, Moments that Matter & Living with Lions – From 23rd June 2025.
- Baking, Biking and Being Back in Touch- From 21st April 2025.
- Seasons of Change & Rekindling the Love of Learning – From 24th March 2025.
Monday Morning Musings 
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