Leadership: Disconnect, Reflect and Reset

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” Peter F. Drucker

When is the last time you committed to blocking out some time on your calendar for planning and personal reflection?  When was the last time you stepped back from the day-to-day grind to process, “How am I doing as a leader?”

In your position, your team is relying on you and your expertise, passion, tenacity, and wisdom to lead the organization.  If you are not taking steps as a leader to create some downtime as a priority, be assured that your professional reserves will be depleted in a quest to meet your team’s growing expectations for your leadership. 

If you are new to your leadership position, or a seasoned veteran, be reminded of the fact that your position will take as much as you give it.  Your role will steal your lunches and afternoon breaks.  

Most evenings your job will have you arriving home late for dinner.  Depending on your personal boundaries, your role may also have you responding to emails after your children have gone to bed, or on a weekend before that planned family activity. 

It’s this continued cycle that drains your creativity and passion for the position.  If you are not careful, your time in this leadership role will be short lived. Burnout will be your fate. If this is your story, your leadership is unbalanced, and needs an immediate and intentional adjustment. 

Take one hour out of your week where you will not be disturbed.  Block out the hour on your calendar, turn off your phone, leave your email alone, and focus on your leadership.

•  Inform your team that this is a commitment you are making to improve.  Unless there is an emergency, no one should interrupt you.

•  Start by creating a thought list on areas you wish to improve in your leadership.  In subsequent weeks, tackle these topics individually and begin to make these areas habits.

• Set a time daily when you will “professionally turn off”.  Your family and friends need you and most likely want to spend time with you.  Competing with your leadership role for your personal time is not a healthy situation for all those involved.

• Start every morning with a stated goal of when you plan to leave the office. This helps establish a habit while providing you the opportunity to enjoy the rest of your life.

Your leadership will not change unless you are strategic and meaningful about creating time where you disconnect, reflect and reset.