Tom
McCallumWhat I’m Focussed on Now
Updated 1st February 2026
{this is a Now page, hat tip to Derek Sivers for the idea}. I love the idea of a Now page, as so many of us focus on so much more than our core work as expressed on our website. I set this up in November 2020, I update it regularly.
AskTom
“The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” ~ David Viscott
“Our highest purpose is to share knowledge.” ~ from the Luc Besson movie “Lucy”
I shared those thoughts in a blog early in my writing journey in 2018, and they hold true for me more every day. Over the years, I have considered writing a book, but those thoughts flipped for me in 2024, and the idea of a “virtual me” took shape. By early 2025, the speed of change in AI tools meant this concept could become real, so now, since September 2025, you can visit AskTom.chat and have a conversation with “me”.
In addition to AskTom.chat, I offer one-off meetings (virtually or you may come to me, and we will go for a walk) for leaders seeking a sounding board at a key moment for their organisation or business. 100% of the fee for these sessions will go to my chosen charity, Maggie’s Centres.
My “ask” is that when you come across people at such key moments and who are ready to invest in that clarity, you send them to me. I’ve so often found that one single conversation can be very powerful, and I love to help people, so when you refer someone, you are helping them and me and Maggies 😊
Going out on top!
To begin 2026, and for the first time in several years, I will have space for one or two new clients.
2025 saw Gord Johnston of Stantec recognised as CEO of the Year in Canada, and, shortly after that, he and I talked and, perhaps counter-intuitively, decided it was time for me to “go out on top”.
As I noted in Be Ready for Open Leadership : Now, after nearly a decade as a Sounding Board supporting him and other senior leaders at Stantec, and with a robust foundation for #OpenLeadership in place, I am ‘going out on top’. I’m excited that, for the first time in several years, I now have space to work with a new CEO. If you are a brave leader ready to embrace #OpenLeadership, please talk to me . So, call me, the window is open for the right brave leader to come forward and work with me to support them in leading change!
What is #OpenLeadership?
With each periodic update of this NOW page, I keep this section as a constant, as my concept of #OpenLeadership remains a constant and one that has more and more resonance and relevance for leaders everywhere.
I developed the idea some years ago, one of my three core leadership frameworks, each recently refreshed in January 2026:
Continued Cascading Leadership
Open Leadership is about the WHO, the individual leader, Leading from Purpose about the WHY for the organisation, and Cascading Leadership the HOW of leading the type of change you need and we all need in these times.