Redirecting.work

Robert’s corporate chapter included over 40 years at Mercer, where he built deep expertise and credibility. Leaving Mercer marked the formal end of that chapter. But for Robert, it wasn’t an exit from work. It was an exit from the corporate structure.

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He described taking what he called an eight-week “cocooning” period between leaving Mercer and launching his next phase. During that time, he stepped back just long enough to reset. Then the pandemic hit. Plans were postponed. Momentum slowed. The world became uncertain.

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In that pause, Robert noticed something important about himself. He was impatient to remain useful. He didn’t want to drift. He wanted to contribute. Later, a respected colleague challenged him on that instinct. Was the drive to stay useful preventing him from fully stepping back? Could he have taken more time?

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He describes this as a tension many professionals face. If you cocoon too long, will your network forget you? Will your relevance fade? If you move too quickly, will you miss the deeper reflection that gives direction real substance? That tension shaped his transition.

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He also acknowledges that he was fortunate. His work translated well beyond his corporate career. Some of his former colleagues in highly structured actuarial roles had fewer obvious solo pathways. Robert’s expertise in culture, leadership, and inclusion could travel.

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What is he doing these days?

Today, Robert runs his own business and works primarily across Europe, although he connects with many practitioners in his field globally. His focus is clear: helping organizations build inclusive cultures and leaders who lead inclusively: creating psychological safety, in environments where people feel empowered to speak up, offer their best ideas, and challenge constructively.

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For Robert, inclusion isn’t a moral slogan. It’s a performance lever. When people feel psychologically safe, organizations perform better. Talent stays. Innovation increases. Leaders make better decisions because they’re hearing more perspectives.

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He delivers this work through keynotes and workshops, often with all-male leadership groups, especially in companies struggling to retain women. He gathers testimony from women inside the organization and reflects those lived experiences back to the men. Sometimes he uses recorded stories or videos. Then he asks the men to respond to them.

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Frequently, he says, they’re shocked. Not all are malicious. Many are unaware. But unconscious bias, systemic inequity, and everyday microaggressions accumulate into real disadvantages for women. Most men don’t experience these, so this is a real awakening for them.

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Robert’s work also reflects a broader lens. He’s deeply aware of his own privilege as a white man and speaks about it with humility, not defensiveness. That awareness shapes how he shows up. He asks himself repeatedly, while also challenging others, “What am I missing? Whose voice am I not hearing?” For him, it’s not rhetoric. It’s a working principle.

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His passion extends beyond gender. He’s attentive to social-class inclusion and the ways class dynamics intersect with leadership, voice, and opportunity. He’s seen how talent is overlooked not just because of gender or race, but because of accent, background, or perceived social standing. Inclusive cultures, in his view, must address all of it.

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His advocacy extends into digital spaces as well. He’s been deeply involved in examining bias in the LinkedIn algorithm, collaborating with Cindy Gallop, Jane Evans, Dorothy Dalton, Martin Redstone, and others. When he helped convene a panel on the issue, he deliberately centered women’s voices and included women of color. Representation isn’t accidental in his work. It’s designed. You’ll find the panel event recording here.

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He also practices what he advocates. He’s engaged in reverse mentoring with younger professionals and remains open to challenge. When confronted about gaps in representation or inclusion, he listens. He adjusts. He broadens the lens.

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His pivot isn’t about slowing down. It’s about choosing impact intentionally.

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Advice to others

Robert’s journey offers grounded lessons for those leaving corporate structures.

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First, understand your internal drivers. If staying useful is core to your identity, acknowledge it. It will shape your timing and your tolerance for uncertainty.

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Second, cocooning isn’t about duration. It’s about depth. Whether it’s eight weeks or a year, the question is whether you’ve paused long enough to clarify what truly deserves your energy.

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Third, use your network, but don’t let fear of invisibility rush you. Relevance comes from contribution, not constant visibility.

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Finally, keep asking the question Robert returns to again and again: Whose voice am I not hearing? That question can reshape your work, your leadership, and the systems you choose to influence in your next chapter.

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