One Flip of Thinking

“If you change the way you think about a situation, you have the power to change the situation itself.” - Dr. Edith Eger.

Joining Proteus 25 years ago – our founder, my mentor, and business partner Des Penny had a phrase that he used often:

“Flip your thinking.”

At first, I loved it - but I’ll admit, I didn’t fully get it!

It was easy to dismiss as motivational cliché. Something that you throw into a conversation when ideas ran dry. A way to ‘unstick’ a stuck moment.

But the longer I’ve been here - and the more I’ve seen people grow, evolve, and lead - the more I’ve come to understand just how deep that phrase runs.

“Flip your thinking” isn’t a shortcut.

It’s a mindset. A discipline. A quiet superpower… the ability to pause in the middle of a problem.

Particularly when instinct says grab the first quick fix. Or worse, when our identity is challenged - to push harder, argue louder, dig in and justify ourselves.

But flipping your thinking requires us to ‘Stay in the question’. It’s a place where we:

• Rethink
• Reframe
• Reimagine

It’s not about being clever. It’s about being open.

Open to the idea that there is another way. Another lens.
Another version of the story that we’ve been telling ourselves.

And when we can do that - when we truly flip our thinking - something powerful happens:

The problem changes shape.
We get closer to the root cause.
The pressure shifts.
Creative options flood in.
And what once felt stuck… begins to move.

We’re often told that real transformation takes time, money, and more resources. And yes - those things do help. But the biggest shifts that I’ve seen in leadership, culture, and performance come from being prepared to risk embarrassment… with just a single flipped thought.

The moment where someone challenged a default, questioned an old belief, or chose courage over comfort.

Here are just a few flips that we’ve seen spark real momentum:

• Disagree early. Avoid toxic conflict later.
• Recruit for attitude. Train for skill.
• Great design makes discipline redundant.
• Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
• You are what you do.
• Control the controllables. Let go of the rest.
• Get curious. Not furious.

Each one seems small. But when lived, they shift entire cultures.

So, here’s the challenge:

What’s one belief, assumption, or habit of thought that you could flip this week?

Not as a gimmick. Not as a quick fix. But as a genuine reframe - something that might open the door to more clarity, more courage, or new momentum.

Because sometimes, you don’t need a new strategy. You just need a new lens.

Wishing you a wonderful week of flipping your thinking.

Richard Dore
Co-CEO - Director of Partnerships
Proteus Leadership