Weird is the New Normal: The Unlikely Path of Leadership (Paperback or Softback)

Leadership doesn't come with a map-but it might come with a quest.

Weird is the New Normal is not your average leadership book. Blending vivid storytelling with deep insight, this one-of-a-kind narrative follows Arcanus, a wizard navigating a turbulent, enchanted world that just happens to mirror the chaos of modern leadership. Along the way, he encounters strange allies, surprising challenges, and moments of clarity that illuminate what it really means to lead with purpose.

Through a cleverly woven tale filled with charm, magic, and adventure, readers uncover essential lessons on empathy, communication, accountability, and the power of diverse thinking. Each twist in the story reflects a real-world leadership challenge, offering a practical, thoughtful perspective on how to lead with authenticity-even in the face of uncertainty.

Whether you're a new leader finding your footing, a seasoned professional looking to reconnect with your values, or someone who simply thinks a little differently, this book invites you to reimagine what leadership can be.

Forget rigid theories and dry frameworks-this is leadership through storytelling, where imagination and insight go hand in hand.

Because in a world that doesn't always make sense, the best leaders are the ones willing to be a little weird.

Most people chase leadership like it's a summit to climb-degrees, MBAs, frameworks, lanyards, acronyms. There's a roadmap for it, and a line to get in. I fell into it backwards, through a side door made of Lego, carrying a rally helmet, a server rack, and an armful of fantasy novels, movies, and dreams. There was probably a half-drunk coffee somewhere in the mix too-there usually is. I've never really been drawn to what's normal. Normal is what built the Industrial Era. Normal is what gave us hierarchy, control, and rigid systems that worked-until they didn't. Normal is what breaks under pressure in the Digital Era, where complexity, speed, and ambiguity rule. I believe weirdness-real, principled, intentional weirdness-is where progress begins. And I've made a career out of seeing what others miss. That's not marketing spin. That's just... how my brain is wired. Through M31 Consulting, I work with leaders and founders who accidentally lost control of their digital direction. They handed it off-sometimes to vendors, sometimes to internal teams, sometimes just to chaos-and now they want it back. Not to manage it line by line, but to lead it with clarity, confidence, and heart. I help them do that, not as a coach, not as a techie, but as a guide. A translator between the seen and the unseen. Between humans and machines. Between legacy systems and what's next. But at the centre of it all is a mission: to help people see what's been hiding in plain sight. Because in a world of dashboards and data, of automation and AI, the real leadership gap isn't technical-it's human. The Industrial Era taught us how to follow. The Digital Era demands we learn how to adapt. And when we embrace the weird, lean into imagination, and reclaim the parts of ourselves we were told to leave at the door? That's when the magic happens. If you're ready to lead from that place... I'm already on your team.