hospital

For Jonathan Frostick, Regulatory and Compliance Lead at HSBC in London, an average Sunday afternoon took a dark turn that forced him to reevaluate his life choices while face-up on a hospital bed.

Sharing his near-death experience on social media, he said getting a heart attack is not how he planned to spend his Sunday.

Jonathan Frostick via LinkedIn

“It was pretty standard up to 4pm. Morning coffee, a trip to the local country park, a shopping trip and late lunch,” he wrote.

“I sat down at my desk at 4pm to prep for this week’s work. And then I couldn’t really breathe. My chest felt constrained, I had what I can only describe as surges in my left arm, my neck, my ears were popping.”

Frostick said he didn’t experience his life flashing before him as many describe in such life-altering moments. Instead, his first concern was a meeting with his manager the following day, which made the ordeal “inconvenient”, followed by concerns on how to secure funding for a work-related project.

After that, he remembered he hadn’t updated his will, and lastly, “I hope my wife doesn’t find me dead.”

After being transferred to hospital, Frostick reflected on his experience and his priorities at that moment in time, leading him to re-evaluate his approach to work and take some decisions, “on the basis I don’t die”.

Here are six leadership lessons from Frostick following his near-death experience:

1. I’m not spending all day on zoom anymore
2. I’m restructuring my approach to work
3. I’m really not going to be putting up with any s#%t at work ever again – life literally is too short
4. I’m losing 15kg
5. I want every day to count for something at work else I’m changing my role
6. I want to spend more time with my family

Related

Management by crisis leaves little space for actual leading

30 May 2025
by Adel Montanaro

Management by crisis forces leaders to operate in a constant state of reaction rather than intention.

What do you do when an employee unexpectedly quits?

22 May 2025
by MaltaCEOs

Sudden resignations can pose a significant challenge for business leaders, especially those unprepared to handle them.

Moving beyond awareness: Creating inclusive workplaces for neurodiverse talent

2 April 2025
by Lyndsey Grima

As Christine Hili points out, inclusion goes beyond acknowledgment.

5 critical steps to scaling your business successfully

2 April 2025
by Lyndsey Grima

By staying proactive and adaptable, your business can maintain steady growth while avoiding common pitfalls.