top of page
All Posts


The Year of the Horse: a Spiky Zodiac for 2026
Welcome to your weekly system update. No fluff or corporate 'wellness'—just the manual for running your high-performance brain on standard MacOS infrastructure. Hey - Welcome, This week marks the Chinese New Year—the Year of the Fire Horse. Traditionally, this sign represents power, speed, and resilience. I was going to write a newsletter on the Year of the Horse, but then my ADHD kicked in, I got distracted and I realized you’d much rather have the 3-minute "Spiky" version i
Daniele Forni
7 days ago2 min read


Why I hate "Hot-Desking" - A System Crash for Neurodivergent Brains 🧠
Hello all, Let me tell you my experience with the workplace environment. Since the corporate world realized that people could WFH and they could save money by decreasing the office space and introduce "hot-desking", the office environment and dynamics have never looked the same. But, for someone like me who has a different - ehrm, special - brain, my experience has been absolutely horrible. Any office space with hot desking literally fills me with physical pain and deep
Daniele Forni
Feb 123 min read


The "Spiky Profile": Why trying to be good at everything is holding you back
For many years, I believed that to be a successful executive, I had to be perfect at everything. I tried very hard to fix my weaknesses. I hid my struggles, but by doing this, I accidentally limited my greatest strengths. Every year, my performance reviews were the same: "You are excellent. You bring results that no one else can. But your communication style is too... direct." I felt disappointed. Why didn't the company appreciate my honesty and transparency? I didn't know it
Daniele Forni
Feb 24 min read


Why Willpower is a Scam (And What Actually Works According to Science)
Willpower sucks! I am fascinated by change—specifically why I struggle so much to kick my own bad habits. We are often told that if we just push harder and apply enough "motivation," we can override decades of hardwired behavior. But following a fascinating lecture at Cambridge this week, I’ve realized that relying on willpower is like taking a long position on a depreciating asset - it is a losing investment from the start. Think of it this way: You are trying to install a C
Daniele Forni
Jan 284 min read


Stop confusing your Job with your Career (There is a difference)
The most dangerous decision an executive can make is a "Rage Pivot."
Daniele Forni
Jan 205 min read


Non-Linear Thinking: Neurodiversity Fishing
1. My tribe I know my brain works differently. I have been aware of it since I was a child, and the diagnosis of autism and ADHD (or AuADHD) confirmed that I have indeed a special way of connecting dots and examining the world in front of us. In my coaching practice, I truly enjoy when I coach my neurodiverse clients: the conversations are always unexpected and engaging, with a wide range of thoughts and emotions that make me proud of being part of this wonderful, albeit at t
Daniele Forni
Jan 126 min read


Stop trying to fit a neurodivergent brain into a neurotypical box.
Ever feel like the standard "9-to-5" playbook wasn't written for you? For many of us, traditional workplace advice—like "sit still," "follow the process linearly," or "multitask"—doesn't just feel unnatural; it feels impossible. But here is the truth: Your brain isn't broken. It just has a different operating system. Whether you identify as neurodivergent (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, etc.) or simply know that you process the world differently, it’s time to stop looking at your tr
Daniele Forni
Jan 31 min read


The Xmas Exit Strategy - Autism Edition (and a confession)
If you are reading this, you might be stealing a quiet moment away from the relatives’ storm. If you are hunting for a moment of peace, I’m right there with you. We are often told that Christmas is about "connection." But for an autistic brain (and many with ADHD), the holidays are often an Olympic sport in sensory endurance and social performance . Valtellina with its vineyard climbing up the mountain. (And since the Winter Olympics are actually being held in my home area o
Daniele Forni
Dec 24, 20253 min read


When is a job a good job??
Good job! Have you ever stopped to think about what truly makes a good job? · Not the job title. · Not the LinkedIn description. · Not the shiny compensation package. What I mean here is a good role — one that feels right, that makes sense for who you are today and who you want to become tomorrow. When I look at a job, I always rate it across three things: 1. The People Do you like them? Do you trust them? Do you respect them? You spend 8–10 hours
Daniele Forni
Dec 20, 20253 min read


✨ The Miracle Question: What Would Have to Happen to...?
There is a question that is very popular in neurodiversity coaching : however, you do not need to have one of the 4 Ds (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia), Autism or ADHD to benefit from it! It is quite simple, but it completely changes your perspective, which is often what you need to get to a result. “For this to be successful, what would have had to happen?” This is the miracle question . (Source: "Neurodiversity Coaching: A Psychological Approach to Suppo
Daniele Forni
Dec 20, 20253 min read


The suit, the spreadsheet, and the silence in the woods (+Celtic Horoscope!)
If you know me professionally, you know I am the Data Guy (TM pending) . You know the version of me that spent a career in banking, risk management, and executive coaching across Europe and Asia. You know the author of books about management and autism. You know the version of me that posts memes online. I have spent a lifetime measuring the world, structuring it into neat rows and columns, and finding safety in the predictable. But there is another version of me. One that I
Daniele Forni
Dec 20, 20254 min read


I fixed the Harvard Business Review
I was reading the Harvard Business Review the other morning - as you do, I am sure - specifically their breakdown of leadership archetypes. It was... ok. It was accurate. It was reasonable. And it was too much corporate-y for my tastes. I asked myself: How hard can it be to create a better definition? One that doesn’t just categorize your output, but captures your vibe? So, I did what any rational nerd at the peak of their career would do: I stopped sleeping, learned Java
Daniele Forni
Dec 20, 20254 min read
bottom of page