This post was originally published on this site
FROM MARK
IA few days ago, I found myself in a familiar spot. As I crawled through the school pickup line (which, incidentally, is an unsanctioned Olympic sport), I rapidly muted and unmuted my phone during a leadership call, factually half-present in both places and fully grounded in neither. Barely avoiding a slow-motion accident due to my middle-distance stare, I saw my son walking toward the car. He’s chatty (shocking, I know), and wanted to talk about his day, but I waved him off pointing at the phone, gave him a thumbs up, and he replied with a world class eyeroll. I’d just spent the last 30 minutes reacting. Not leading, not connecting, just barely managing through the noise.
That moment, like so many, reminded me how hard it can be to stay intentional.
For many leaders, the end of the year feels like a sprint through molasses. You’re moving fast but not always forward, and yet your level of effort is exponentially greater. Priorities multiply, inboxes overflow, budget pressures become real, and everyone’s urgency and phrenetic energy becomes your focus. Amid the constant swirl of activity and reactivity, it’s far too easy to lose sight of what
