Jane Fisher, founder of Fresh Perspectives North East, believes that pure, accelerated, distraction-free thinking is best done outside.
“Outdoors is the place to pause. To think, clearly. About the clutter holding you back, and the opportunities passing you by. And not as a one-off. Because ‘Outdoors Is A Habit’.”
For Jane, the claustrophobia was real.
“25 years in senior education and local government roles, with a focus on Strategic Leadership, were rewarding and nourishing in so many ways,” explains the effervescent Jane.
“But it was claustrophobic. Restricting authenticity. Limiting strategic creativity. ‘Jane’ disappeared. So, I left. Downed tools. Escaped!”
Strategic Leadership
“One good decision. One bad decision. You can double a business or finish a business. So, it puzzles me why so many leaders make Strategic Leadership decision-making so much harder than it should be. For put simply: Clear thinking only happens in clear spaces.”
Change is closer than you think
Even though you’re most likely to find Jane hill walking or exploring Hadrian’s Wall, that’s not the only kind of ‘outdoors’ Jane promotes.
“The outdoors needs to be easily accessible to you. And it is. I’m exploring and mapping wonderful outdoor spaces in our North East cities right now, for example. And the change I’m advocating doesn’t take colleagues outside for hours at a time. It can literally take minutes.”
“Opportunities are like rainbows. Amazing. Spontaneous. Beautiful. Yet they disappear in an instant. I made the decision, and the change, to never miss another.”
Missed opportunity
It’s not just clear-thinking Strategic Leadership that Jane is fuelling. It’s seeing and seizing opportunities in business too.
“Opportunities are like rainbows. Amazing. Spontaneous. Beautiful. Yet they disappear in an instant. I made the decision, and the change, to never miss another!
We all know how it works. We get the best ideas and see the best opportunities when showering. Or cycling. Or walking alone, phone-free. I add fresh structure and substance to this age-old principle.”
The Fresh Perspective 90-Day Challenge
In quarter 4 of 2025, Jane will launch ‘The Fresh Perspective 90-Day Challenge’.
It’s a limited space, community-driven initiative designed to fast-track a select few North East businesses towards developing the Outdoors Habit.
“Many of the world’s most progressive businesses – brands you know, are getting outdoors already. And I believe that within the next five to 10 years, all progressive businesses will spend at least 20 percent of their working week outdoors. Habitually.
“That’s why I’ve developed the Fresh Perspective 90-Day Challenge. So that business leaders here in the North East can explore, right now, how getting outside more, actually feels for them and their teams – with ease.
“Being outdoors, just for a little while, on an ongoing basis, will change how you and your teams think and operate in your business. I really do believe that when it comes to making great Strategic Leadership decisions, you can’t see anything, until you remove everything.”
To find out more about Fresh Perspectives North East, and the 90-Day Challenge, contact Jane: hello@fpne.co.uk or visit the website www.fpne.co.uk