About Me

tl;dr -

I spent most of my life ‘living in my head’ until I realised there was another way. After an extensive career in a variety of leadership roles, and years of studying and practicing managing thoughts, I’ve developed a framework called Thought Management, based on extensive evidence based research which can help you become a more present leader, in the same way it has benefited me.

My Story

(longer version!)

My name’s Simon Davie and for most of my life I wrestled with thoughts in my head, without realising there was a way of managing them. My story may be different to yours, but it’s possible there’ll be similarities. As someone who constantly ‘lived in their head’, it was interesting to discover that it wasn’t just me, and that most people wrestle with their thoughts in one way or another. I hope that by sharing my story, and the ways I’ve managed to become a more present leader through effectively managing my thoughts, it will help you in some way too.

Thought Management isn’t for everyone, so if you it’s not for you at this point in your life, that’s completely ok. But if it does resonate in some way, I hope you’ll sign up to the mailing list at the bottom of the page, and find out more as we explore this topic together.

One of my earliest memories of thoughts getting in my way, was as a 10 year old, experiencing obsessive compulsive disorder. Every day I would spend ages going through various routines that I had to complete in order for me to feel at peace. It was a challenging time, but was lucky that I was able to overcome it after about a year, and thankfully have never had the issue again. That said, it was an early insight into how damaging our thoughts can be if we don’t manage them properly

Since then, like many people, I had thoughts going round my head a lot of the time. There was never a time when I wasn’t thinking about something - an idea, a concern, an opportunity, analysing a situation, worrying about something that may or may not happen, or revisiting memories. I was always told to stop thinking so much, but I couldn’t. I didn’t even really want to either, as thinking had become a key part of my identity. I was grateful to be born with an IQ that got me into Mensa, completed a Maths degree at a good Uni and could solve complex problems. The society we live in seems to view those kind of attributes positively, balanced with a good EQ.

Fast forward to a few years ago, where I was spending nearly 5 hours a day sitting on a train going to visit a close friend in hospital who was dealing with a very nasty cancer. It was a mentally and emotionally challenging time, which resulted in me experiencing a lot of self reflection. I realised how much time I was spending in my head, and the impact it was having on me, and those around me. When my friend was in hospital I tried to be as present as possible, and in this situations I wasn’t in my head at all. That would happen on the 2+ hour trip home, where I’d wrestle with negative thoughts, fear, anger and frustration of the unfairness of it all.

During my hospital visits, and in the months that followed my friend’s passing, I read a lot of material on thought, by academics like David Bohm and Dr Jill Bolte Taylor, business experts, world leaders and spiritual teachers like Eckhart Tolle, It helped me become aware of my thoughts and I was able to find some peace in my head for what felt like the first time in my life.

This was profound to me, as I hadn’t realised it was possible to manage my thoughts and emotions, and that I didn’t have to have thoughts going round my head all the time. This constant thinking had been exhausting, let alone damaging when i considered the effect negative thoughts had. I also learnt that it wasn’t just me - lots of people it turned out were ‘living in their heads’. There was another way.

After spending many, many years since then studying the impact of thoughts, especially in relation to being a leader with presence, I am happy to say I’m now in a place where I manage my thoughts, they don’t manage me. Steven C. Hayes and Russ Harris are visionaries in their field of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which has provided breakthroughs for people dealing with anxiety, trauma, depression and other mental ill health challenges. Their evidence based methods enable those they support to become aware of their unhelpful thoughts, and defuse from them so they no longer have the same negative impact on their lives. Hayes and Harris’ research and practice aligns with the work Eckhart Tolle teaches, especially in relation to the importance of staying present, and being able to accept the world as it is, not as we wish it would be.

Thought Management Framework

I created a simple framework that bring these insights together, along with amazing research from experts such as Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, Daniel Kahneman, Daniel Goleman, and many others. I’ve called it Thought Management, and I hope it helps more people to understand the importance of being able to manage our thoughts, in order to become a leader with presence.

Having become qualified in maths and management from a top university, I have enjoyed leadership roles in large blue chips, small tech startups and the not-for-profit sector. as well as now having extensive experience as a leader and an MBA leadership coach. I now lead an amazing team and try to be as present as possible, in all situations. From their feedback it sounds like I’m having the desired impact and at the same time, I’m always working on being a more present leader.

If you sign up below, you’ll receive blogs, videos and tips to help you learn Thought Management skills, and assist you on your journey to become a Present Leader. I’ll be launching a new book in 2022 called The Present Leader Playbook, so you’ll also be first in line for that…