This is my ânowâ page inspired by Derek Sievers. It answers âwhat Iâm doing now?â. My life, projects and priorities. I post an update here every 1-3 months.
Whatâs up as of April 2025?
What do a cutting-edge AI leadership program, a travel mishap turned adventure, and the wrap-up of a deeply personal podcast season have in common? Theyâre all chapters in a journey of growthâwhere curiosity meets resilience, and learning never stops. Whether itâs diving into the practical realities of artificial intelligence with top innovators, navigating the unexpected with agility and optimism, or reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of leadership, these stories remind us that the best experiences often begin when we step out of our comfort zones. Here is my update on my “Now” page where we explore how embracing new technologies, adapting to change, and sharing our journeys can spark transformationâin ourselves, our teams, and the world around us.
Having The Unexpected Layover: A New York Surprise đœ
I recently traveled to New York City to meet with my team. Weâre usually fully remote, but every now and then we organize an in-person offsite. Itâs a great way to connect beyond the screenâdiscuss important topics, align on strategy, and simply enjoy each otherâs company.
Everything went according to plan. Productive meetings, good food, and a few laughs with people I usually only see in tiny video windows. Then came the final day.
Actually, the final morning.
At 4:30 a.m. local time, my phone buzzed. It was my wife, calling from back home. Her voice was calm but serious.
âYouâre not flying back today,â she said.
Waitâwhat?
Turns out, Heathrow had a major outage. An old transformer had caught fire, bringing one of Europeâs busiest airports to a standstill. No flights in or out. Everything was grounded.
I sprang into action, half-awake, still in hotel slippers. First, I called my companyâs travel agentâbut they were swamped. No help there. So, I went into DIY mode.
My wife started checking Booking.com from our kitchen in Europe. I pulled up Skyscanner from my hotel room. We were searching in parallel, racing the clock.
Within 30 minutes, we found something. Not a direct flight, but a connection through Geneva that would get me home the same day. It wasn't ideal, but it worked.
And suddenly, I had an entire unexpected day in New York.
Instead of sulking in my hotel room, I decided to make the most of it. I grabbed a coffee, wandered through Central Park, and soaked in the energy of the city.
Sometimes, things donât go as planned. But sometimes, thatâs the best part.
Taking Part of The Best AI Program on The Interwebs đŠŸ
This AI Program Is So Good⊠I Had to Tell You About It!
What if I told you that one of the best learning experiences Iâve had in years just kicked offâand itâs all about AI?
Over the years, Iâve taken part in dozens of corporate training programs. Some were brilliant, others⊠letâs just say they ticked the box. Thatâs why I feel the need to tell you about AI Managers, a program thatâs not only exceptionally well-prepared but also incredibly practical.
From day one, it was clear this wasnât just another âlearn AI in 10 slidesâ kind of thing. The sessions are led by some of the top AI and innovation experts in Polandâpeople who actually know how to lead teams through real transformation.
Take the last session with Robert PĆawiak, for example. He drove home a crucial point: AI without a deep understanding of your business and internal processes is just an empty shell. đ€Ż
And get thisâwe had pre-work. Yes, homework before the program even started! And honestly? That alone couldâve passed for a solid AI fundamentals crash course.
What makes this program stand out isnât just the firehose of knowledge (and yes, it is a firehose). Itâs how thoughtfully itâs structured. Small group meetups, practical assignments, and a well-organized learning portal all help turn the overwhelm into something manageableâand effective.
Weâve only just wrapped week one, and I already feel like weâre part of something bigger. The instructors, the participantsâthis is a top-tier group of leaders, innovators, and AI thinkers. Weâre not just learning. Weâre building something that matters.
Huge kudos to the creators, Krzysztof and Bartek, for putting this together. And an extra shout-out to Pola Karpeta-JarzÄ bekâher energy, moderation skills, and responsiveness to feedback are next-level.
So hereâs my takeaway for you: keep learning. Especially when it comes to emerging tech like AI. Itâs changing everythingâand being part of the conversation starts with showing up and staying curious.
Thanks to AI Managers for creating something this valuable. Feels like history in the making. đ
Wrapping Up the Third Season of My Podcast âđ
Wow! Season 3 of The Coffee Journeys Show is officially wrapped!
This season has been one of the most meaningful yet. We explored leadership not just from a professional lens, but from a deeply personal one too. I opened up about my own challenges, sat down with inspiring guests, and shared tools that have helped meâand hopefully youâgrow along the way.
Before I take a short break, I wanted to recap some of the highlights and say a big thank you for listening, sharing, and being part of this journey.
Hereâs a quick rundown of the main topics we brewed up together:
đŻ Leadership in the First 90 Days
We explored how to transition into leadershipâboth from a theoretical perspective (in The First 90 Days â Leadership Framework for Success) and through my personal story (My First 90 Days â What I Learned the Hard Way). Spoiler: itâs a lot harderâand more rewardingâthan it looks on paper.
đ§ Energy, Burnout & Productivity
We tackled energy management instead of just time management in The Energy Audit: How to Beat Burnout and Thrive, and busted some common myths in The Productivity Myths Holding You Back. These episodes hit home for anyone feeling stretched too thin.
đ Unconscious Bias in Leadership
This one was a tough but important conversationâon how our invisible mental filters impact the way we lead, and what we can do to be more conscious, fair, and inclusive.
đ„ Relationships at Work and Home
From the RACI model to relationship-building, from Leadership Begins at Home to *How to Delegate (Using Pancakes)*âwe explored how leadership shows up in the everyday: with teams, with family, and even at the breakfast table.
đ Mindset Shifts for New Managers
In 10 Mindset Shifts When You Become a Manager, we broke down the subtleâbut criticalâmental transitions that happen when you take on more responsibility. Itâs not just a job shiftâitâs a personal shift too.
đ A Letter to Myself (And Maybe You Too)
To wrap things up, I took a step back to reflect on what this journey has taught me. That last episode felt like writing a note to my past self⊠and maybe to anyone else figuring out what it really means to lead.
đ Thank You!
Whether you tuned in for every episode or just popped in for a fewâthank you. Your support, your comments, your shares⊠theyâve kept this project alive and meaningful for me.
đ± Whatâs Next?
Iâm taking a short break until May to rest, reflect, and plan out Season 4.
If youâve got ideas, questions, or topics you'd love to hear about in future episodesâlet me know! I want the next season to be even more useful, fun, and real.
So until then⊠stay curious, take care of yourself, and keep leadingâwherever you are.
Thanks again for being part of The Coffee Journeys Show.
â See you soon!
- A Letter to Myself (and Maybe to You Too)
- From Linux Admin to People Engineer: My Professional Journey
- 10 Mindset Shifts When You Become a Manager
- My First 90 Days – What I Learned the Hard Way
- The First 90 Days â Leadership Framework for Success
#blog
This page is inspired by Derek Sivers ânow pageâ movement.
Updated: 23 Apr 2025