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Change is the only constant in any culture, and leadership through change means learning to move with the waves rather than fight them. The challenge of leadership through change is best explained by surfing. Standing on a board, staring out at the ocean, a surfer feels the vastness—powerful, unpredictable, humbling. Today’s leaders feel the same way about artificial intelligence, flexible work, and the workforce’s new generation. For Gen Z, work isn’t just about climbing the ladder—it’s about trust, meaning, and the chance to keep growing. Like the ocean, these forces can’t be controlled. They can only be understood and harnessed. Here are three lessons leaders can take from surfing. 1. Timing matters In surfing, missing the right moment means missing the ride. Leadership works the same way. Those waiting for absolute certainty before acting are left behind while others move forward. Artificial intelligence offers a clear example. Some leaders remain hesitant, searching for a perfect blueprint. But the waves have already arrived. Thriving in this new era requires the willingness to paddle early, take risks, and learn while in motion. Featured Video An Inc.com Featured Presentation 2. Balance is everything Surfers don’t overpower the wave—they flow with it. Leadership today requires the same mindset. Technology can streamline processes, but it cannot provide purpose. Innovation must be integrated without losing sight of culture, vision, and people. When leaders lean too heavily on efficiency, they risk flattening the very spirit that keeps teams engaged. A workplace optimized for speed but without meaning becomes like a perfectly engineered board with no ocean beneath it—fast but going nowhere. True balance comes when leaders place human connection at the center, using tools like AI to enhance rather than replace the human side of work. The goal is not to surf faster, but to stay on the wave longer, guiding others with clarity and purpose. 3. Respect the ocean Surfers know the ocean is bigger than they are. No matter how skilled, they cannot control the tide, the currents, or the storms. Leaders face the same reality: Markets shift, technology evolves, and human needs change in ways no single person can dictate. Respect means acknowledging what cannot be forced. Technology may offer predictive analytics, but it cannot erase uncertainty. Policies may provide structure, but they cannot guarantee trust. Leaders who ignore these truths risk being caught in a riptide of overconfidence. Instead, the wisest leaders approach complexity with humility. They listen before they act. They invest in understanding their people, their communities, and the wider forces shaping their work. Respecting the “ocean” of context doesn’t make a leader passive, it makes them more agile. It makes them more responsive and more human. A new kind of leadership laboratory I recently launched the Culture Lab on LinkedIn. The weekly series shares reflections on leadership, culture, and the future of work. The intent is simple: Culture is never static. It must be designed, tested, and sustained through ongoing dialogue. The Culture Lab is designed as a space to put these three lessons into action. Each week, I share experiments and reflections, inviting open dialogue with peers across industries. Hosting the series on LinkedIn makes the process transparent, creating accountability and sparking a broader conversation about what modern culture requires. Traditional leadership often works behind closed doors, revealing only polished outcomes. The laboratory model flips that script: It thrives on openness, iteration, and humility. Like surfers testing different boards and approaches with each wave, leaders in this lab are invited to experiment in public, learning from both wipeouts and breakthroughs. Culture is not a one-time initiative but a continuous design challenge. The ocean never stops moving, and neither does culture. Leaders who treat it as static risk losing their balance. Those who embrace the lab mindset, however, learn to ride the shifting waves with curiosity, courage, and purpose. Ride toward new horizons The surfing metaphor reminds leaders that success lies not only in courage and intention, but also in the values that guide every choice. Kindness steadies our balance. Unity ensures we paddle together. Humility teaches us to respect the ocean. Patience gives us the strength to wait for the right wave. The future is not about resisting waves of change—it is about learning to ride them with grace and purpose. Some will cling to the shore, waiting for calmer seas. Others will venture out, guided by values that keep them grounded even in uncertainty. The next set of waves is rolling in. The ocean is moving. The question for leaders everywhere is clear: Will you ride it—or watch it pass?
