I’m coming to the end of this week seeing things a little differently, so this newsletter is not the one I had planned. I’ve been away for six weeks in New Zealand visiting family - a real step back from the day-to-day (and something I know I’m incredibly lucky to have had). But then, almost straightaway after returning, I’ve been spending time with a poorly relative who’s in hospital.
Two very different experiences, but both have had the same effect - they’ve made things feel so much clearer and sharper and have been a much-needed reminder that when you’re not in the middle of everything, the noise drops. You start to notice what actually matters and just as importantly, what doesn’t.
Things you’ve been overthinking feel simpler and some of the urgency you’ve been feeling, fades. And people – especially the ones you haven’t spoken to in a while, pop back into your mind. We all know this, but things feel very different when you experience this, rather than just knowing it.
The leaders I work with often lack space to think and process - and perhaps most importantly – step back far enough to consider what’s really needed, rather than responding to whatever’s in front of them.
Wellbeing = leadership
According to research from Gallup, only 21% of employees strongly agree that their organisation cares about their overall wellbeing. That’s a stat that’s often linked to benefits or initiatives, but I think there’s another perspective to this stat that really matters for leaders. The points where wellbeing matters most aren’t where we need programmes or initiatives, but when leaders have the capacity to show up, with clarity and care – for their teams and themselves. And that capacity is shaped by whether they have enough space.
Priorities aren’t just a list of tasks on a page - they’re things we feel too. It’s where your attention goes. Who you make time for and so importantly, what you decide can wait – and what can’t. That’s a massive part of leadership.
I’ve had all the reminders I need just lately to create the right conditions I need for better thinking – for me and the leaders I work with. It’s not about adding ‘stuff’ in, but instead, it’s making room for what really matters to come through.
If you’re noticing the impact of not having enough capacity for clear thinking, for you or your leadership team, reply to this email - I’d welcome a conversation about how to change that.