Between Signals / Issue 01 · October 2026
A little room to think.
26 essays on leadership, culture and attention. Here’s where to start.
Hi,
A message lands badly. A meeting ends in apparent agreement. A decision stays on your mind long after the working day is over.
These are the kinds of moments I return to in my writing and coaching: how we think under pressure, understand people across differences, and choose what to do next.
I’ve brought that writing together in the new Insights section at Zenotal. There are 26 essays to explore, including work first shared on LinkedIn and earlier Zenotal writing, brought together and adapted for the website.
Here are two places to begin.
Before you reply, what needs a little space?
Protecting the Pause Under Pressure · 3-minute read
A critical email can have us drafting a defence before we have understood the concern. This essay looks at the small protections that help: an unsent draft, a response-time agreement, or a pause that fits the stakes.
Did your feedback arrive at the right volume?
Why Gentle Feedback Can Arrive at the Wrong Volume · 3-minute read
“Perhaps we could reconsider this” can sound optional to one colleague and urgent to another. A closer look at how feedback travels across cultures, and how to check what the other person actually heard.
Find your way into the archive
Start with the question that feels closest to your work:
- A decision or role transition? Leadership & personal growth
- A conversation that keeps missing the mark? Culture, communication & trust
- Too much pressure, too little attention? Wellbeing & attention
- What should you keep responsibility for as AI changes work? AI & human judgment
Between Signals will arrive every two weeks, with two selected reads and a question to take into your working week.
For this first letter: which conversation would benefit from a little more space before your next response?
You’re welcome to reply. If it is something you would like to work through with a coach, we can begin there too.
Joe
Coach & facilitator · Zenotal