Dear Reader,

I’m writing to you from my vacation, where an hour-long wait at the Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland taught me an unexpected lesson in expectation management. Luckily, my friend Ben—whom we were on our way to visit—had warned me in advance that we will wait at the tunnel. I wasn't aware this was the default time due to a very accurate traffic management system.

Still, I expected frustration. But as we inched forward, minute by minute, I noticed something strange: we were having the best time: Snacks appeared, music flowed and we laughed louder than we ever would in a café. There was no edge to it — no checking the clock every two minutes, no sighing, no stress. We knew exactly what to expect.

What a difference that made!

I am comparing this to the kind of jam where Google Maps keeps shifting the arrival time every few minutes. When I don't know whether it will take us a few minutes or a couple of hours longer to arrive.

It made me realise that so much of the discomfort — in traffic, in life, in teams — doesn’t come from the waiting itself, but from not knowing how long the wait will be. I get twitchy when things feel open-ended. Many do. Feeling duped when we expect quick and get slow.

It’s about the expectation.

In leadership (as much as in customer service!), vague promises (“soon,” “later,” “eventually”) erode trust, even when the outcome is good. Just tell me that it will take two weeks longer than expected!! I can deal with that. What I can’t deal with is not knowing.

Certainty calms. Clarity liberates.

That one hour in the Gotthard jam didn’t take an hour away. It gave us an hour that we will remember. That’s all it takes sometimes to shift the mood 🚗

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🎙 Meanwhile, on the podcast…

Bitten by the magic bug at a bat mitzvah when he was 12-years old, and led on a lifelong journey from teacher, to coach, to psychologist and magician, is Dr Ben Levy. Now the founder of Magic Lessons, he’s on a mission to make learning feel exactly that – magical!

Blending magic and psychology, Ben teaches a five-ingredient secret formula for high achievement in the classroom and the boardroom, all in 20 minutes! A magic trick that shows participants that with a little bit of belief, and a momentary relinquishing of control, they too can achieve brilliant, unexpected things.

Ben invites us into his magic circle, as he shares his special ABC ME framework, and why surprise, awe, and play really do work wonders for deep learning.

Find out about:

• How magic can facilitate curiosity, insight, deep learning, and skills acquisition
• The two-way exchange of magic performances, from projection to introjection
• The five-part ABC ME (Ability, Belief, Clarity, Motivation, Environment) framework
• How to understand and manage responses, when magic takes away participant control

🎧 Click here to listen to the interview

📥 Check out my 1-page summary

​WW_Episode_331-summary.pdf​

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👀 Watch the unedited interview on Youtube​

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📌 Find podcast episodes that match your needs

Did you know? You can search all episodes by keyword on our Buzzsprout page to find exactly what you need.

​Click here to find the episodes by keyword.

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🔖 Inspiration at Your Fingertips: Get the Podcast Summary eBooks

Are you looking for inspiration for your next workshop or guidance on which podcast episode to explore next? Discover the eBooks compiling summaries of all 300 “Workshops Work” podcast episodes—a rich collection of facilitation insights and practical tips. These digital coffee table books are perfect for sparking new ideas or delving deeper into workshop best practices.

​Click here to get your copies.

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That’s it from my side! I hope you enjoy the content and find inspiration in the stories and the podcast. I wish you clear expectations and joyful delays — wherever the road takes you. See you next week.

Myriam

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