This one leadership habit is quietly killing your potential
Most leaders know they should slow down occasionally. Long hours, stress off the chart, exhausted and there’s still no light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Despite this, very few actually do slow down.
It seems ridiculous to take time off when the to-do list is so long; there’s new business to follow up, the team to deal with, overdue invoices to collect and the bank balance is looking rather precarious.
Taking time out to plan feels risky. When the business is moving, when opportunities are emerging, when pressure is high, pausing can feel like falling behind.
In reality, it’s the opposite.
For the next two days, I sit down with eight business leaders focused on their growth. They recognise the importance of taking a step back to cut through the noise and that growth doesn’t come from working more hours, it comes from choosing better options.
That choice starts with a clear plan. Vision and purpose set the direction. Stretched but achievable financial targets turn their ambition into measurable intent. Strategy translates both into action. Without these anchors, even talented teams drift - busy, over committed, and frustrated.
Planning alone isn’t enough.
The leaders who capitalise on opportunity are the ones willing to take time out to reflect honestly, to tweak what’s no longer working, and to sharpen their leadership skills for the next phase.
Growth stretches leaders before it stretches their organisation. What got you here will not get you there.
Pause isn’t about rest, it’s your responsibility as a leader.
It’s about creating space to think clearly, lead decisively, and act with confidence when opportunity appears. Opportunity doesn’t wait for leaders who are “too busy.” It rewards those who are prepared and ready.
You may have heard the infamous Abraham Lincoln quote “If you give me six hours to chop down a tree, I’ll spend the first four sharpening the axe!"
The pause most leaders avoid is often the exact move that unlocks growth.
When leaders take time out to plan, they gain:
clarity on direction, purpose, and priorities
sharper financial focus and better decisions
strategies that turn intent into action
stronger leadership for the next stage of growth
the confidence to move faster when it matters
The question isn’t whether you can afford to pause. It’s whether you can afford not to.
We will be working hard. Very hard. But we will also be enjoying two days out of the office in the countryside with food, drink, fun and outdoor activities in an Edwardian four star mansion with the out of office on.
What's not to love?
If any of this feels uncomfortably familiar, it might be time to stop pushing harder and start choosing better.
I have made the next Leaders Retreat a no-brainer for you investment wise with an early bird for the next month.