There is only the briefest of moments when I feel afraid. And I mean really afraid. I’m deep in the thicket of the Volcanoes National Park in the northwest corner of Rwanda and I’m standing one metre away from an agitated four-hundred-pound Silverback gorilla.

I’ve had enough. There, I’ve said it. I long for the energy of presence, regular face-to-face contact and a shared sense of social identity. I call this the X-factor. This has to do with connections, engagement and being with our colleagues. It is the need we have for each other and to be united around something that matters. It is also the positive obligation to contribute to the group and culture, and to share our talents and build relationships.

Life is a funny thing. But the one thing it has taught me is that the only constant is change. It doesn’t come easily to most – not least of all to me. It can be a terrifying prospect, a leap into the unknown, and an utterly overwhelming inevitability.