But I also have a spontaneous side that knows when to just laugh. I had to call on that side recently during a trip to the coast. I was still in bed in Mombasa, completely certain my flight back to Nairobi was at 4:00 PM (16:00). I already had my whole afternoon mapped out.

Then, my phone rang at 6:00 AM. “Ma’am, your flight has been delayed...”Precision, discipline, and a deep respect for the "rules" have served me incredibly well - they are the foundation of my reliability.

Still half-asleep, I actually laughed. I told the agent she must have the wrong person—I wasn’t due at the airport for another ten hours! Then came the "face-palm" reality check. I hadn't booked a 4:00 PM flight. I had booked 4:00 AM. I was already two hours late for a flight I didn't even know I was missing.

In that moment, I had a choice. I could have spent the morning frustrated with myself for such a "silly" scheduling error. Instead, I just leaned into the absurdity of it. I thanked God for that 6:00 AM call; without it, I wouldn’t have realized the mistake until I showed up at the airport at sunset.

Because I met the error with a sense of humour rather than panic, I simply rebooked for later. That mistake actually turned into a gift—an entire extra morning to enjoy the coast.

In leadership, our discipline is a strength, but our ability to pivot is our power. We don't have to choose between being a Stickler or being Spontaneous. True leadership is knowing when to follow the plan and when to let the plan go.

Over to you: When was the last time a "fail" shook you awake, and you chose to just go with the flow?