“People are like Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. Even if the waitress or waiter changes, they get annoyed and uncomfortable because it freaks them out.”

Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic shared this insight recently when we were discussing the power of lived experiences, and I loved the analogy. 😅

Only Tomas would say this—but it’s spot on.

At the end of the day, we all crave comfort. After a long week, a cozy sofa and a familiar conversation feel like the perfect remedy.

But if we need to be flexible, resilient, think differently, innovate, and gain the trust of people unlike ourselves, sticking to the sofa routine every day just won’t cut it.

So, how do you shake things up?
How do you develop cultural intelligence?
Build resilience?
Cultivate empathy?
Understand the importance of vulnerability?

Unfortunately, a PowerPoint presentation won’t do the trick.

I recall speaking with someone who was on a TIE Leadership program a few years ago. She shared how it completely reshaped her understanding of diversity and inclusion.

It’s a buzzword, right?

Everyone talks about it.

But do people truly grasp what it means to be a minority? Can they really understand the challenges minorities face without experiencing it firsthand? Because unless you’ve been there—it’s tough.

She spent a month in Tanzania. Blonde-haired and white, she found herself surrounded by 200 Tanzanians and she was the only white person. For the first time, she truly understood what it meant to be a minority. The experience profoundly changed her perspective.

Lived experiences transform everything.

To evolve internally, we need to viscerally feel the change.

And that’s what TIE is all about—experiential learning that pushes people beyond their mental maps, encouraging personal and professional growth. We do this at scale, for teams and individuals, both virtually and in person.

If you’re curious to learn more, feel free to reach out.

And if you’re eager to listen to the TIE Unearthed podcast with Tomas, you can listen to it here. I’ll be sending a proper podcast email on Friday, but as it’s already up, I’m super keen for as many people as possible to listen to it. It’s a VERY good one.

xPhilippa