Finding your own view of the future
Boardrooms demand focus. Decisions have to be made, and competing priorities weighed. But when you move that fast, it’s easy to lose sight of the horizon.
I’ve found that some of the greatest clarity comes when you slow down and change the pace.
Recently in Dublin, I spent a full day with Konstantinos Lagios, the newly appointed CEO of Paragon ID, discussing the opportunities, challenges, and future of the business.
Taking on a CEO role brings a particular kind of pressure. You inherit expectations and responsibility while establishing your own view of the future. What struck me about Konstantinos was how much he enjoys the challenge. He’s thoughtful about the work ahead, curious about the possibilities, and genuinely interested in the people around him.
After hours around the table, we shared dinner and a pint, then chose to walk back together. We eventually made our way through Herbert Park, where the pace and the conversation changed.
A few things stayed with me:
Trust is the foundation of execution. Extraordinary ambitions require extraordinary relational equity. When the human bond can’t bear the weight of the strategy, momentum stalls.
Pacing drives perspective. True leaders navigate complexity without being consumed by it. Stepping out of the pressure cooker brings the big picture back into focus.
Alignment is an ongoing dialogue. A shared business vision brings us to the table, but a shared humanity keeps us there when the work gets difficult.
Aligning on growth drives motivation. A shared vision for scaling the business cascades throughout the organization, bringing profound energy and purpose to the teams executing the work.
This is what I love about Dialogue Miles. Walking doesn’t need to produce a breakthrough to be worthwhile. It creates space for people to move beyond their roles and get to know the person beside them. And sometimes, those unstructured moments are where the most meaningful insights emerge.
Before parting ways, we joked about taking our next Dialogue Miles to Hydra, Greece. I hope we do.
For now, I’m grateful for the walk in Dublin and looking forward to the road ahead.
