When Competence Becomes a Ceiling!
“Why leaders who are “doing fine” might be slowly losing their edge”
A client asked me recently:
"When you were hiring, did you go for cultural fit or for competence?"
It caught me off guard, not because I did not have an answer, but because I had not thought about it in a while. I gave my view at the time (a version of “fit first, train later”) and we moved on. But the question stayed with me.
Later that evening, curiosity got the better of me. I went digging for other perspectives on fit versus skill, potential versus experience, and as often happens when you go down these rabbit holes, I ended up somewhere else entirely.
I stumbled across an article by Julie Winkle Giulioni about something called unconscious competence – that place we reach when we have become so good at something that we stop thinking about it. We execute on instinct. We perform smoothly, capably, consistently.
And it clicked with something I have been observing for years, both in others and, at times, in myself: Competence can quietly become a trap.
The slow fade
I have worked with a lot of people who are deep into that competent zone. They are not coasting. They are not burned out. They are delivering. They are trusted. They have become go-to people for their team and their company.
And the organisation is often very happy with that. Their knowledge becomes an inch wide and a mile deep. They do not need hand-holding. They do not chase the spotlight. They get things done.
But over time, something starts to shift. Gradually.
They stop learning new things. They stop seeking out feedback. The edge softens. Conversations become more about what has worked before than what might work now. There is no drama. But also, no real momentum.
That is when performance becomes something you maintain, not something you shape.
And the longer you stay in that space, the harder it gets to move out of it.
Competence ≠ growth
There is a myth that strong performance always equals growth. But they are not the same thing.
You can be incredibly effective at your job, and not be developing as a leader. In fact, the better you get at the work, the more likely it is that you will stop stretching yourself.
The system does not help. Most organisations reward consistency. They reward people who deliver. They build roles around known strengths. And the more embedded your value becomes, the less likely it is that anyone will ask you to think differently.
In a way, the system rewards you for staying exactly where you are.
But if you are not growing, you are not adapting. And if you are not adapting, you are not evolving as a leader.
So what is the answer?
Not dramatic reinvention. Not quitting your job to start a podcast.
(I mean, I did change careers… but that does not mean everyone needs to.)
It is about small, deliberate steps back into learning.
Back into curiosity.
Back into the kind of questions that keep you evolving.
The best leaders I know do not confuse experience with insight. They know that yesterday’s answers will not always solve tomorrow’s problems. They are not reckless, but they are not asleep either.
They still push themselves, not by overloading, but by staying open. They seek out feedback even when it stings a little. They ask questions, even in rooms where they could easily pretend to know.
That is how they stay sharp. That is how they stay relevant.
A quiet signal
So, if you are reading this and thinking, "I am doing fine. But I have not felt challenged in a while," that is not a crisis.
That is a signal.
A quiet invitation to get back in the game, not just to perform, but to grow.
And if you are a leader trying to develop leadership talent, are you watching for this in others? Are you creating the conditions for growth, not just rewarding competence?
Because people do not lose their edge all at once. They lose it slowly, through routine, through comfort, through a lack of challenge.
And all it takes to bring it back is a bit of curiosity, and the space to use it.
Anthony O'Mara
Performance & Resilience Coach
✉️ anthony@anthonyomara.com
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What Sets Leaders Apart
Search for “leadership” online and you’ll find over 500 million references – articles, podcasts, models, TED Talks, job specs, courses, quotes. It’s everywhere.
And yet, when you sit across from someone who truly leads – not just manages or performs – it’s hard to put your finger on what exactly they’re doing differently.
I’m not trying to define leadership here. I’m simply sharing what, in my experience, tends to set certain leaders apart – not just the great ones, but the ones who shape culture, move things forward and grow the people around them, often without needing the spotlight.
One common thread: they change their relationship with control.
I recently came across Herminia Ibarra’s work on leadership identity, where she suggests that leadership involves evolving who you are through action and experience. The higher you go, the less it’s about what you do and more about what you enable in others. That shift is deeply disorienting for many, particularly those who were promoted for their competence and decisiveness.
Operational excellence gets you to the table. But it doesn’t keep you there. What sets leaders apart is not their grasp of process, it’s their grasp of people. Especially under pressure.
Emotional Maturity Over Emotional Intelligence
That’s why emotional intelligence has become shorthand for modern leadership. But in truth, the bar is now higher. It’s not enough to understand emotions – your own or others’. You need emotional maturity: the ability to sit with discomfort, avoid premature solutions and resist the urge to control what can’t be controlled.
As Susan David writes, “Tough emotions are part of our contract with life.” She advocates for emotional agility – the ability to face feelings head-on, rather than avoid or suppress them, as a foundation for resilience and psychological flexibility.
In a previous piece, I wrote about how most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because they care too much – and try to fix too fast. What sets others apart is their ability to hold the tension, not resolve it.
Holding Tension Without Forcing Resolution
Ronald Heifetz, who developed the theory of adaptive leadership at Harvard, suggests that one of the leader’s core responsibilities is to maintain composure during uncertainty – to “hold steady” long enough for new thinking and alignment to emerge. Many leaders don’t do this. They rush to smooth over discomfort or provide quick solutions. The intent is good, but the outcome can undermine longer-term progress.
This ability to tolerate ambiguity is one of the least celebrated, most critical leadership muscles. It doesn’t show up in quarterly reports. But it’s the reason some leaders build trust while others erode it.
The challenge? This kind of leadership often feels counterintuitive. You’re rewarded your whole career for bringing clarity, until the problems shift from technical to relational, from linear to systemic.
This is where mental toughness enters – not as stoicism, but as emotional endurance. The leaders who stand apart aren’t the ones who are unfazed. They’re the ones who are affected – but stay anchored. They might feel fear, pressure or doubt. But they don’t offload it onto others.
In my earlier post on pressure, I described how good leaders manage information flow, decision rights and competing demands. But real leadership emerges when there is no playbook. When your ability to contain emotional noise becomes more valuable than your ability to create operational plans.
It’s here the leadership flywheel begins to turn. The unglamorous consistency of showing up, not having the answers, staying curious and creating psychological safety builds momentum – slowly at first, and then all at once.
But you don’t get the flywheel effect without surviving the early grind.
Internal Grounding in an External Storm
Jim Collins, in his study of high-performing companies, introduced the concept of Level 5 Leadership – a rare combination of personal humility and fierce resolve. These leaders are not charismatic or loud. What sets them apart, he writes, is their “indomitable resolve.”
That resolve often shows up as quiet clarity. A kind of inner stillness. And in many cases, it comes from work that has nothing to do with business.
Leaders who distinguish themselves tend to have done their inner work. They’ve examined their stories, their insecurities, their need to be seen as the smartest person in the room. They’ve come to terms with fear – not by eliminating it, but by recognising it for what it is: often, a signal rather than a stop sign.
As I’ve written before, fear is usually “a mile wide and an inch deep.” It feels like a wall but turns out to be mist once you walk through it.
What sets leaders apart is not the absence of fear – it’s the relationship they’ve built with it. They’re willing to walk through the fog because they know something more important is on the other side: alignment, growth, clarity, progress. Not just for themselves, but for the people they lead.
A Personal Turning Point
The first time I encountered a coach, I was still working as a VP of Finance, temporarily covering as GM for one of our markets while the company was hiring. It was a period of flux – two jobs, competing expectations and a lot of pressure.
The coach I worked with at the time had a lasting influence on me – in hindsight, both good and not-so-good. But what stands out now is that he introduced me to a book I never would have picked up on my own: The Courage to Teach, by Parker J. Palmer.
It’s not a business book. It’s about the inner life of teachers – but what it gave me was a new lens: That the real work of leading others starts with the work of knowing yourself. Palmer writes that “we teach who we are.” The same is true for leadership. We lead who we are.
And if we haven’t taken time to explore, challenge and grow that inner landscape, we risk repeating old patterns, no matter how strategic our plans are.
That book planted a seed.
In the End
What sets leaders apart is rarely their brilliance.
It’s their depth.
Their capacity to hold complexity without rushing to simplify.
Their ability to stay human under pressure.
Their choice to grow inwardly so they can lead outwardly.
In an era that still rewards noise, speed and certainty, the real leaders are those willing to do the opposite.
They go slow when it counts.
They listen before they act.
They stay curious longer than is comfortable.
And they build cultures where others can do the same.
That’s the work. And that’s what sets them apart.
Few leaders have space to think like this, let alone talk about it. But it's often in these quiet reflections that the biggest shifts begin.
If any part of this resonates with you – if you're navigating the stretch between what you've built and who you're becoming – I’d welcome a conversation, contact me through this site or at Anthony.omara@aramoglobal.com
Further Reading
If you’d like to explore some of the ideas referenced in this piece:
Herminia Ibarra, Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader – on evolving leadership identity through action and experience
Susan David, Emotional Agility – on navigating tough emotions and building psychological resilience
Ronald Heifetz, Leadership Without Easy Answers – on adaptive leadership and holding steady in complexity
Jim Collins, Good to Great – especially the chapter on Level 5 Leadership and the power of quiet resolve
Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach – a reflective, non-business lens on leading from within
Why Some Leaders Gain Momentum and Others Stall—The Leadership Flywheel
Over the past few weeks, I have explored pressure, fear of decision-making, running on empty, and emotional intelligence. These are all critical challenges, and they resonate because, as leaders, we have all felt them at some point. But they are also reactive responses to external pressures rather than proactive steps towards sustained success.
This has been on my mind lately. Why do some leaders seem to be constantly firefighting, while others create a sense of forward momentum? The answer, I believe, lies in how we operationalise success rather than just plan for it.
As I write this, it seems so obvious, and suddenly, I feel a little vulnerable. Have I been the laggard all along? Has everyone else already figured this out? But then I remind myself—if it were obvious in practice, more leaders would be doing it. Maybe that is the real challenge: we know what works, but we do not always embed it into how we lead.
It is not that we lack knowledge. In fact, much of what we read about leadership is not new. We have heard the principles before. But, as Nick Santonastasso reminded me at the Pendulum Summit earlier this year, sometimes we just need to be reconnected to what we already know. The challenge is not in discovering a new framework, but in applying what we already understand—consistently and intentionally.
The Flywheel: Why Some Leaders Gain Momentum and Others Stall
Momentum does not get talked about enough in leadership, but it is one of the most powerful forces in business. It is what separates organisations that thrive from those that stagnate.
Jim Collins, in Good to Great, introduced the idea of the Leadership Flywheel—a concept that illustrates how small, consistent wins build upon each other, gaining speed and making future success feel inevitable. When leaders create an environment where progress compounds, they do not need to rely on bursts of inspiration or moments of brilliance.
Momentum is not the result of one big breakthrough, but a cycle where:
✔ Small successes build confidence
✔ Confidence fuels motivation
✔ Motivation drives greater achievements
✔ Greater achievements reinforce belief in what is possible
But there is a catch: many leaders struggle to get the Flywheel moving, not because they lack vision, but because something is holding them back.
The First Time I Heard P = p - i
The first time I heard Professor Timothy Gallwey’s Performance Formula—P = p - i (Performance = Potential – Interference)—I did not realise how significant it was.
I had just landed a senior leadership role at a company, and at one of my very first meetings, the founder started talking about Gallwey’s concept. I was not particularly well-read at the time, and I had never come across it before. In my naivety, I attributed the idea to the founder himself. For years, I thought it was his unique way of thinking about performance.
You can imagine my surprise—or maybe even embarrassment—years later when I finally read Gallwey’s work and saw it laid out there, exactly as I had first heard it.
But in that moment, I realised something far more important.
I was so focused on learning strategies that I overlooked something obvious—leadership isn’t about knowing, it’s also about removing obstacles. That realisation hit me years later when I finally read Gallwey’s work. It wasn’t just about performance; it was about what was holding me (and others) back.
Removing Interference to Get the Flywheel Moving
Gallwey’s insight is simple yet profound:
Performance = Potential – Interference
For a Flywheel to turn, friction needs to be removed. And in business, friction looks like:
Constant context-switching—endless meetings and distractions that prevent deep work
Lack of clarity—teams unsure of what truly matters, leading to scattered effort
Decision bottlenecks—leaders afraid to let go, slowing down execution
Energy drains—unnecessary processes, politics, or bureaucracy that sap momentum
Leaders often spend too much time trying to unlock more potential when, in reality, the key to sustainable high performance is in removing interference.
· The leader who never delegates struggles, not because they lack capability, but because interference—micromanagement and lack of trust—slows them down.
· The company that constantly shifts priorities underperforms, not because the team lacks skills, but because interference—lack of focus—keeps them from gaining traction.
· The executive who is always in meetings is not ineffective due to lack of talent, but because interference—constant context-switching—prevents strategic thinking.
The best leaders do not just increase their effort, they systematically remove interference to create momentum that sustains itself.
From Vision to Execution: How to Get the Flywheel Spinning
So, how do you move from reacting to building a proactive system for success? It starts with:
1. Setting the Right Focus—Identify the vital few priorities that actually make a difference. The Four Revolutions of Management teaches us the power of focusing on the Most Important Tasks rather than being pulled into the noise.
2. Creating Early Wins—Progress fuels motivation. The best leaders design small, achievable wins that set the tone for bigger successes.
3. Embedding Momentum into Culture—Sustainable high performance is not about a single sprint, it is about embedding a way of working where progress becomes a habit.
4. Removing Interference—Applying Gallwey’s principle, look at what is slowing you or your team down. Are there bottlenecks, distractions, or inefficiencies holding you back?
5. Leveraging Data and Reflection—Drucker’s mantra rings true: "If you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it." Leaders who take the time to review, refine, and reinforce successful behaviours build organisations that sustain their edge.
Leadership and Business Impact: Why This Matters
When companies struggle to grow, it is rarely because they lack ideas or talent. It is because interference is slowing them down.
Decision bottlenecks delay execution
Team misalignment creates wasted effort
Shifting priorities kill momentum before success can compound
In my work with leaders, the focus is always on removing interference first. When that happens, the Flywheel starts to turn, and performance follows.
Where to From Here?
The best leaders are not just reactive, they create systems that make success inevitable. They move people from what is probable to what is possible.
Think about your own leadership:
👉 Are you operationalising success, or just setting plans?
👉 Are you creating momentum that makes winning feel natural?
👉 What is the smallest win you can achieve today to move things forward?
📩 Let’s talk—what is your biggest challenge in building momentum in your organisation? Drop a comment, email me at anthony.omara@aramoglobal.com, or visit www.anthonyomara.com to connect.
You Can’t Avoid Pressure—But You Can Get Better at Handling It
The Problem with ‘Toughness’
People love to talk about mental toughness. But what if toughness isn’t the answer?
For years, I thought handling pressure was about powering through—grit your teeth, push ahead, don’t let it show. Sometimes, that works. But I’ve also had moments where pressure completely threw me off. Situations I look back on and think, I should have handled that differently.
The reality? I’m better at teaching this than I am at practising it. But like any skill, the more I learn, adjust, and test myself, the better I get.
Pressure isn’t going anywhere. So the real question isn’t if you’ll face it—it’s how well you’ll handle it when it comes.
The Skills That Matter Most by 2030
At the Talent Summit last week, Ravin Jesuthasan shared research on the fastest-growing skills for the next decade.
Everyone expects AI and cybersecurity to dominate these lists—but what stood out were the skills that weren’t about technology at all:
1️⃣ AI and Big Data
2️⃣ Networks and Cybersecurity
3️⃣ Technological Literacy
4️⃣ Creative Thinking
5️⃣ Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility
6️⃣ Curiosity and Lifelong Learning
7️⃣ Leadership and Social Influence
8️⃣ Talent Management
9️⃣ Analytical Thinking
🔟 Environmental Stewardship
No surprise that AI is up there. But the fact that handling uncertainty, staying adaptable, and continuously learning ranks just as highly? That says a lot.
It matches what I see in leadership—those who stay sharp under pressure and make adjustments when things go sideways always outperform those who simply try to "tough it out."
Handling Pressure Isn’t About Being Tough—It’s About Being Smart
If toughness alone isn’t the answer, what is?
The best performers—whether in business, sport, or leadership—aren’t the ones who ignore stress. They’re the ones who train their response to it.
Here’s what actually works:
🔥 Anticipate Stress—Don’t Just React to It
It’s easier to deal with pressure when you see it coming.
Psychologist Dr. Martin Seligman, who pioneered Positive Psychology, found that those who plan for challenges ahead of time are far more effective at managing stress.
In high-stakes environments, top-performing teams use pre-mortem analysis—thinking ahead to what could go wrong so they aren’t caught off guard.
🔥 Reframe Setbacks as Data, Not Failure
I’ve had moments where pressure got the better of me. But the difference between those who thrive under pressure and those who struggle? They don’t see setbacks as personal failures—they treat them as data.
Carol Dweck’s research on Growth Mindset shows that people who view setbacks as part of the process are far more successful in the long run.
A London Business School study found that leaders who acknowledge mistakes and extract lessons from them build stronger, more adaptable teams.
🔥 Train Recovery as Much as Performance
Handling pressure isn’t just about the big moments—it’s about what happens between them.
Dr. Anders Ericsson, who coined the term "deliberate practice", found that elite performers rest just as intentionally as they train—they know that recovery is part of performance.
A McKinsey & Company study on executive decision-making found that leaders who protect time to step back and reset make significantly better decisions under stress.
🔥 Stay Adaptable, Not Just Persistent
I used to believe that sticking to a plan was the mark of strong leadership. But the best leaders aren’t the ones who double down—they’re the ones who pivot when needed.
Harvard Business Review found that adaptability is one of the strongest predictors of leadership success, particularly in unpredictable industries.
The ability to adjust under pressure is often the difference between those who grow and those who get stuck.
Why This Matters for Leaders & Organisations
If you lead a team, their ability to manage pressure directly impacts performance, decision-making, and engagement.
📌 Do your people freeze under stress?
📌 Are they afraid to fail?
📌 Is pressure leading to burnout and bad decisions?
A Deloitte study found that businesses that train employees to handle stress strategically see 30% better performance in high-pressure situations.
I’ve seen this play out first-hand. When pressure isn't managed well, it filters down through the team, impacting decision-making, motivation, and even company culture.
The leaders who navigate stress without letting it take over don’t just improve their own performance—they set the tone for their entire organisation.
So, How Do You Build It?
I work with leaders and teams to turn pressure into a competitive advantage—through coaching, leadership workshops, and practical strategies for handling high-stakes environments.
📩 Pressure is a constant—but getting better at handling it is a choice.
What’s one high-pressure situation that caught you off guard? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear how you handled it.
References & Further Reading
For those interested in diving deeper into the research behind these insights, here are the key sources:
📖 Dr. Martin Seligman – Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life (1998)
📖 Carol Dweck – Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (2006)
📖 Dr. Anders Ericsson – Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise (2016)
📖 Harvard Business Review – Adaptability: The New Competitive Advantage (2011)
📖 McKinsey & Company – The Resilience Imperative: Leadership Strategies for Uncertain Times (2021)
📖 London Business School – The Power of Learning from Failure in Leadership (2022)
📖 Deloitte Insights – Thriving Under Pressure: Organisational Resilience in High-Stakes Environments (2020)
What the Sound of My Walk Taught Me About Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
Years ago, someone I worked with told me they could tell my mood just by the sound of my step as I walked across the raised floor in the office.
Before I even said a word, they knew what kind of day it was going to be, and how I’d deal with people.
I had no idea.
Something as small as my walk was setting the tone for my team before I even opened my mouth.
But they noticed.
That conversation stuck with me because it highlighted something we often forget as leaders:
We don’t just communicate with words. We communicate with our presence, our body language, and our energy.
And often, we’re the last to realise it.
The Emotional Wake We Leave Behind
We all leave an emotional wake—the impact we have on those around us.
Some leaders bring a sense of calm and confidence into the room, making people feel safe, supported, and ready to do their best work.
Others, without meaning to, carry tension, impatience, or unpredictability. Their teams pick up on it, often without even realising why.
The challenge is that many leaders assume they are self-aware when, in reality, they are not.
A global study by organisational psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich found that while 95% of people believe they are self-aware, only 10-15% actually are (Eurich, 2017).
That gap explains why so many leaders believe they are emotionally intelligent yet struggle to see how their presence and behaviours truly affect others.
And in today’s hybrid work environment, that challenge is even greater.
How Hybrid Working Has Changed Leadership Presence
Before remote work, leaders could rely on in-person presence to shape team culture.
They could sense the mood in the room, read body language, and adjust how they communicated in real time.
Now, with video calls, Slack messages, and emails replacing face-to-face interactions, the dynamics have shifted.
Leaders need to be more intentional about how they show up when body language, tone, and presence aren’t as visible.
What This Means for Leaders
1. Your Emotional Wake is No Longer Just Physical
In an office, people could gauge your mood as you walked in.
In a hybrid setting, your first message of the day, your response time, and even your punctuation choices set the emotional tone for your team.
A short, blunt message can feel cold.
A delayed response can create uncertainty.
A lack of face time can erode trust.
Ask yourself: Does my communication reflect the tone I intend to set?
2. Active Listening is Harder But More Important Than Ever
With fewer in-person interactions, leaders need to be more intentional about listening.
In a video meeting, it’s easy to focus on what’s being said and miss what’s being unsaid—body language, hesitation, or a shift in energy.
Ask yourself: Am I fully present in virtual meetings, or am I distracted by emails and notifications?
3. Emotional Intelligence Must Extend to Digital Communication
Without tone of voice or facial expressions, digital messages can easily be misinterpreted.
A casual “Got it.” might seem neutral to you but feel dismissive to someone else.
Ask yourself: How might this email or message be perceived? Does it convey warmth and clarity?
The Emotional Intelligence Gap: Awareness vs. Application
We hear a lot about emotional intelligence (EQ) in leadership circles, but many leaders get stuck at awareness and never move to application.
It’s one thing to know you’re stressed, it’s another to stop it from spilling over onto your team.
It’s easy to say you listen, but do you hear what’s not being said?
You might care about your people, but do they feel it in how you interact with them?
Daniel Goleman, who popularised emotional intelligence, puts it simply:
"IQ might get you the job, but EQ determines how well you lead."
Leaders with strong EQ:
Make better decisions under pressure.
Build stronger teams through trust and engagement.
Gain more influence by managing emotions thoughtfully.
Develop greater resilience, handling stress without passing it down the chain.
But if EQ is so important, why do so many leaders struggle with it?
Common EQ Blind Spots in Leadership
1. Overestimating Self-Awareness
Many leaders assume they know how they come across.
Ask yourself: How do I react under stress? Do my team and I see this the same way?
2. Listening Without Truly Hearing
Active listening isn’t just about staying silent while someone speaks.
It’s about reading between the lines, noticing body language, tone shifts, and unspoken concerns.
Ask yourself: Do I listen to understand, or just to respond?
3. Underestimating the Power of Presence
Leadership isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you show up.
Ask yourself: What do I signal to my team before I even speak?
Moving From Awareness to Application
Emotional intelligence isn’t something you’re born with or without, it’s something you practice.
Here are three ways to develop it:
Pause Before Reacting – Before responding in a difficult situation, take a breath, step back, and ask: What outcome do I want from this conversation?
Ask for Feedback (And Be Ready to Hear It) – How do I handle stress? What’s one thing I could improve in how I interact with others?
Recognise Your Emotional Triggers – The difference between good and great leaders is that great leaders know their triggers and manage them.
Final Thoughts: What This Means for Leaders Today
That simple comment about my footsteps all those years ago made me rethink how I showed up as a leader.
It was an insight I didn’t ask for, but one I needed.
It made me realise that leadership isn’t just about what we do, it’s about how we make people feel.
Let’s continue the conversation.
Has anyone ever pointed out something about you that you weren’t even aware of?
How did it change the way you lead?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Why Most Leaders Get Stuck – And How to Break Through
The Decision-Making Trap No One Talks About
I’ve spent years working with leaders who, from the outside, seem decisive and confident. People assume that if you run a company, manage a team, or have years of experience, you just know how to make the right call every time.
That’s a myth.
I’ve worked with CEOs, founders, and senior executives who felt utterly paralysed by big decisions—whether to invest, pivot, restructure, or walk away from something that no longer served them. The common theme?
It wasn’t the decision itself that was hard. It was the fear of getting it wrong.
And I know this firsthand.
I always thought I was good at making decisions. I moved quickly, relied on instinct, and rarely hesitated. I’d read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and thought, That’s me, I thin-slice decisions and trust my gut.
But looking back, I realise that was only half the truth.
Because when it came to the really tough decisions—career changes, personal challenges and many others, I often got stuck. And when I got stuck, I stayed stuck for quite a while.
Should I leave this job? I sat on the decision for months.
Should I invest in this opportunity? I overanalysed it to death.
Should I have that tough personal conversation? I kept waiting for the ‘right time’, which, of course, never came.
The worst part? I knew that not deciding was a decision in itself. But I couldn’t even commit to that.
I don’t leave much room for regrets, but with hindsight, I know I could have handled many of those decisions, or non-decisions differently.
The Hidden Force Behind Indecision: F.E.A.R.
A coach I know, Alf Dunbar, shared a quote that stuck with me:
F.E.A.R. has two meanings:
Forget Everything And Run.
Face Everything And Rise.
Every leader I’ve worked with has, at some point, done both.
I’ve seen incredibly intelligent, successful professionals forget everything and run, from difficult conversations, from uncertainty, from the fear of failure. I’ve seen others face everything and rise, taking action even when they weren’t 100% sure they were making the right call.
What separates the two?
It’s not intelligence. It’s not experience.
It’s having the right balance between thoughtful reflection and the ability to move forward.
Because while action can break indecision, action without clarity is just movement, not progress.
The 3-Step Clarity Framework: A Balanced Approach to Decision-Making
I work with leaders who need to make tough decisions, without overthinking themselves into exhaustion or rushing in blindly.
Here’s the three-step process I now use when making decisions (and one I coach leaders through every day):
1️. Zoom Out
Imagine yourself five years from now.
What decision would you be most proud of making today?
This isn’t about forcing an answer—it’s about shifting your perspective. Often, decisions that feel overwhelming in the moment become clearer when we step back.
2️. Separate Fear from Risk
Fear and risk are not the same.
Ask yourself: ‘What’s the real worst-case scenario? Can I handle it?’ (Chances are, yes.)
Most of the time, fear distorts our thinking and makes problems seem bigger than they actually are. But that doesn’t mean all hesitation is unfounded—sometimes our instincts are telling us to slow down and get more information.
3️. Take the Right First Step
Clarity doesn’t come from any action, it comes from the right action.
If you had to move forward in the next 24 hours, what’s one step that would give you more clarity rather than just forcing momentum?
This could be having a conversation, gathering one more key piece of information, or setting a decision deadline to avoid dragging it out indefinitely.
The key isn’t to just ‘decide and go.’ It’s to make sure that when you move, it’s with a level of confidence, even if that confidence is just in your ability to adapt.
Final Takeaway: Thoughtfulness + Movement = Clarity
I’ve made some brilliant decisions. I’ve also made some terrible ones. But the worst ones? The ones I didn’t make at all.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in coaching leaders through tough calls, it’s this:
The answer isn’t waiting for the ‘right’ decision. It’s creating clarity by combining perspective with action.
Or, as Martin Luther King Jr. put it:
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
If you’re stuck in a decision right now—whether it’s business, career, or personal—what’s one step you could take today to bring more clarity, not just more movement?
Fear is a Mile Wide but an Inch Deep: How Leaders Can Break Through Decision Paralysis
The Moment Fear Shrinks
I was struggling with a decision recently, stuck in my own head, overthinking every angle, and getting nowhere.
No matter how much I analysed it, I couldn’t move forward. I kept thinking about the risks, the unknowns, and all the ways things might go wrong.
Then I heard a phrase on Steven Bartlets Diary of a CEO POD Cast with Alex Hormozi that stopped me in my tracks:
🔹 "Fear is a mile wide but an inch deep." 🔹
It was a perspective shift. I’d built the fear up in my mind, but when I broke it down, the reality wasn’t nearly as daunting. The worst-case scenario wasn’t bad enough to justify hesitation.
And as soon as I recognised that, I moved forward.
This experience isn’t unique to me (and I don’t think the phrase is unique to Alex) I see it all the time in business leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who are on the cusp of something great, but get stuck because fear magnifies uncertainty.
Why Fear Distorts Decision-Making
Fear isn’t always a bad thing. It serves a purpose, it makes us pause, assess risks, and avoid reckless decisions. But when it goes unchecked, it distorts reality.
Psychologist Daniel Kahneman, in Thinking, Fast and Slow, explains that our brains are wired to overestimate risk and loss more than potential gain, this is known as loss aversion. In business, this means:
🚩 Fear of Uncertainty → Avoiding Action
Leaders delay decisions because they don’t have all the answers. The unknown feels risky, so they hold back instead of taking calculated steps forward.
🚩 Fear of Failure → Over analysis & Perfectionism
In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield describes fear as “Resistance”—a force that keeps us from moving forward, often disguised as overplanning or waiting for the “right moment.”
🚩 Fear of Judgment → Playing Small
Brené Brown, in Dare to Lead, highlights how fear of vulnerability stops leaders from taking bold action. We hesitate not because we lack ability, but because we fear how we’ll be perceived.
How to Shrink Fear and Move Forward
If you’re stuck in indecision, try this framework to put fear in perspective and take action:
🔹 1. Define the Worst-Case Scenario
What’s the absolute worst that could happen? Often, the worst-case isn’t as catastrophic as we think, it’s just uncomfortable or inconvenient.
🔹 2. Define the Best-Case Scenario
What’s the upside if it goes well? Fear makes us focus on risk, but we often forget about potential rewards.
🔹 3. Identify the First Step
Instead of trying to solve everything at once, what’s one small action you can take today to move forward? Momentum is the best antidote to fear.
🔹 4. Test the Fear
Is the fear based on facts or assumptions? If you challenge it, you often find it’s not grounded in reality.
Final Thought: The Real Risk is Doing Nothing
The real question isn’t "What if this goes wrong?" but rather:
👉 "What if I do nothing?"
Fear tricks us into believing that staying still is safer than taking action. But in reality, inaction often carries a bigger cost, missed opportunities, lost time, and regret.
So, if you’ve been circling around a decision, ask yourself:
Is this fear really as big as it seems? Or is it just a thin layer of hesitation that disappears once you step forward?
Because more often than not, fear is a mile wide but only an inch deep.
Further Reading on Fear & Decision-Making
If this resonates with you, here are some excellent books that dive deeper into the topic:
📖 Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (on how our brains process risk and uncertainty).
📖 The War of Art – Steven Pressfield (on overcoming fear and taking action in creative and business work).
📖 Dare to Lead – Brené Brown (on how fear of vulnerability impacts leadership and decision-making).
📖 Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway – Susan Jeffers (a classic on reframing fear as a stepping stone to success).
What to Do Next
🔹 Have you ever hesitated on a decision that turned out to be easier than you thought? Let me know in the comments.
🔹 If you want to build resilience and take decisive action in your leadership or business, let’s chat.
Running on Empty, A Wake-Up Call We Keep Ignoring
The idea of commenting on a topic that keeps popping up in the media, one that we should really have a better handle on as individuals, makes you wonder, how do we keep ending up in these situations? And I include myself in that bracket.
Have you ever felt like you’re running on fumes, pushing forward but with no real sense of progress? Do you notice when your team starts losing motivation or when that spark of creativity fades? How often do we tell ourselves that exhaustion is just part of the job, something to push through rather than a sign to pause and reassess?
This isn’t about recovering from burnout, it’s about recognising the signs early and avoiding it altogether. Burnout isn’t just personal, it affects teams, businesses, and entire industries. We all know the statistics, the articles, the research, and yet, time and time again, we ignore the warning signs until it’s too late.
The Journey Up, and the Crash on Arrival
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about burnout, not just as an abstract concept, but as something real that I’ve experienced firsthand. Many of us push ourselves relentlessly on the way up, eager to prove our worth, impress the right people, and go the extra mile. Leaders recognise potential, and opportunities open up, but without the right conditions in place, we arrive at the top already depleted.
I’ve seen talented people lose their spark, teams become less effective, and businesses suffer simply because no one spotted the early warning signs. We push, we climb, we sacrifice, only to realise that by the time we “make it,” we may not have much more to give.
David Whyte, one of my favourite thinkers, dives into this in Constellations 2, and Maria Popova unpacks his reflections beautifully in The Marginalian. Whyte sees burnout as more than exhaustion, it’s a hollowing out, a loss of connection to what once gave us energy. The Financial Times covered the corporate side of things last year, questioning whether businesses are really doing enough to stop this downward spiral before it spreads like wildfire (FT article). And Harvard Business Review recently explored how companies often focus on individual resilience rather than addressing the systemic causes of burnout (HBR article).
What If We Looked at This Differently?
We all say prevention is better than cure, but do we really act on that? Do we recognise the early warning signs of burnout in ourselves before we hit the wall? More importantly, do we see it in the people we work with and lead?
As leaders, colleagues, and friends, what if we approached this not with judgement, but with curiosity? Instead of seeing someone struggling and assuming they’ll “push through,” what if we asked better questions? What’s going on behind the scenes? Have they lost sight of why their work matters?
A Reminder I Needed Too
The truth is, I needed this reminder myself. I’ve spent years working hard, pushing through, convincing myself that resilience meant just keeping going. But that’s not resilience, that’s denial. Burnout doesn’t just drain energy, it drains meaning. And if we’re not careful, we wake up one day wondering where the joy and purpose went.
So, this isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being aware, of ourselves and of those around us. Let’s get curious now, because the alternative isn’t worth it.
How to Build Resilience and Extend the Benefits of the Kick Off
As we step into the new year, many ex-colleagues and leaders in multinational organisations are attending their annual Kick Off events. These gatherings, whether grand productions or smaller team-focused sessions, are vital moments to celebrate achievements, recognise high performers, and align teams with the year’s goals. While not every company operates on the same scale, the concept of taking time to deliver annual messages is universal and impactful.
When I served in a regional leadership role, I was responsible for organising these events, and I often found myself wondering: How long does that energy last? When teams inevitably face obstacles, would they recall the inspiring messages and maintain their momentum? Looking back, I realise that this was a question I should have explored further. Were we equipping our teams not just for the high of the Kick Off but for the highs and lows of the year?
A key question arises: What can leaders do after the Kick Off to sustain its impact? Resilience, the ability to bounce back from challenges and adapt to adversity, emerges as a critical factor. Without it, even the best Kick Off messages may fall flat when reality hits. As a resilience coach, I’ve seen how embedding resilience into leadership and team culture can transform a Kick Off from a single event into a lasting driver of success.
Here are three ways organisations can use the momentum of the Kick Off to build resilience that lasts throughout the year.
1. Model Resilience as Leaders
Leadership sets the tone for resilience across teams. After the Kick Off, leaders should:
Demonstrate transparency and adaptability: Share how they navigate challenges and setbacks, showing vulnerability and a solutions-focused mindset.
Foster psychological safety: Create environments where team members feel safe to voice concerns, take risks, and learn from mistakes.
Involve teams in problem-solving: Communicate openly about challenges the company or team faces and invite employees to contribute ideas.
2. Embed Resilience into Daily Routines
Resilience isn’t a one-time effort; it requires consistent reinforcement. Build it into daily operations by:
Encouraging reflection: Start team meetings with quick check-ins to discuss what’s working, what’s challenging, and how to improve.
Focusing on incremental wins: Break big goals into smaller milestones to provide frequent opportunities for celebration and adjustment.
Providing practical tools: Offer workshops or resources on stress management, adaptability, and effective decision-making under pressure.
3. Invest in Well-Being as a Foundation for Resilience
Personal well-being directly impacts professional resilience. Ensure that employees have access to resources that help them thrive:
Promote balance: Encourage time off, manageable workloads, and flexible scheduling where possible.
Support mental health: Offer programs such as counselling, mindfulness sessions, or resilience coaching.
Proactively address burnout: Train managers to recognise stress signals and take early action to support their teams.
Conclusion
Looking back, as much as it was great to stand on a stage, seeing the hyped faces and feeling the excitement of the energy generated at a Kick Off, I can’t help but wonder: if I knew then what I know now, would success have been easier to achieve? Perhaps if I had given more attention to embedding resilience and creating structures to sustain the momentum, the path might have been smoother.
Resilience is the bridge between the highs of the Kick Off and sustained success throughout the year. By equipping teams with the tools, support, and culture needed to adapt and thrive, organisations can ensure that the energy and inspiration from the event translate into meaningful, lasting impact.
My Annual Kickstarter
As the new year begins, attending the Pendulum Summit has become a tradition that energises my professional journey as a coach and advisor. I feel fortunate to participate in an event that not only inspires but also encourages me to reflect on how I approach my work for the year ahead. This year was no different, a blend of deep insights, personal stories, and actionable strategies left me motivated to tackle the year ahead. Here are some of my reflections and key takeaways.
Resilience and Overwhelm: A Shared Challenge
One theme that echoed throughout the summit was resilience. Speaker after speaker emphasized its importance as a critical skill for navigating the complexities of today’s world. While resilience is undeniably vital, its frequent mention, almost to satuaration, made me reflect on how it has become a necessity for many facing increasing demands both personally and professionally.
Christine Armstrong’s session on the future of work highlighted this perfectly. She spoke about the growing sense of "overwhelm" that many people feel and shared pragmatic advice for leaders, such as creating supportive environments, reducing unnecessary meetings, and listening more deeply. Her practical approach to improving workplace culture was refreshing and actionable.
Memorable Insights
Several speakers delivered ideas that have stuck with me. Christine Armstrong’s thoughts on workplace engagement, Jimmy Carr’s blend of humor and wisdom about turning challenges into opportunities, and David Meade’s practical tools for influence and communication all provided actionable advice.
Mary Portas shared an impactful observation that trauma can propel us forward because we often have no choice. This resonated with me deeply, as it reminded me of the human capacity to adapt and survive. Ant Middleton’s remark that "Anyone can have an epiphany; it’s what you do with the epiphany that matters" underscored the importance of taking action rather than waiting for perfect circumstances.
Dr. Lollie Mancey’s insights on safeguarding cognitive freedom in a tech-driven world, Dr. Martyn Newman’s focus on emotional intelligence as a leadership superpower, and Aisling Smith’s discussion on inclusivity and neurodivergence further enriched the conversation, offering fresh perspectives that challenged and inspired me.
The Power of Stories
Some of the most powerful moments came from the personal stories shared by speakers like Sugar Ray Leonard and Andre Agassi. Their journeys of triumph over adversity reminded me of the resilience and determination it takes to reach the pinnacle of any field. These narratives were a poignant reminder of the universal human capacity to overcome challenges, a theme that aligns closely with my work as a coach.
Nick Santonastasso’s high-energy session reinforced the value of focus and mindset. He reminded us that events like this are not always about learning something new but often about reconnecting with what we already know. His message that "what you focus on, you get more of" resonated deeply and served as a reminder of the power of intentionality.
A Call to Action
The Pendulum Summit underscored the growing need for resilience and adaptability in today’s world. Many people find themselves in situations requiring deep mental strength and support—a challenge I am eager to address in my work. As a coach, I aim to provide tools and strategies to help individuals and organizations thrive amidst uncertainty.
This year’s summit wasn’t just an intellectual exercise; it was a call to action. It encouraged me to think about how I can apply these lessons to my practice, whether through workshops, one-on-one coaching, or thought leadership.
Final Thoughts
Attending a conference like the Pendulum Summit is more than just a professional milestone; it’s an opportunity to reset and rethink how we approach the challenges ahead. The collective insights from speakers like Christine Armstrong, Jimmy Carr, David Meade, Mary Portas, Dr. Lollie Mancey, Dr. Martyn Newman, and Aisling Smith remind me that these gatherings are not about passive learning but active engagement. For me, this annual event serves as a kickstarter, a moment to pause, recalibrate, and move forward with renewed purpose and clarity.
Reflections on 2024: “Beyond Business Books: Five Reads That Inspired Me This Year”
I had intended to write a piece about the business and coaching books I have read this year, but as I was preparing to do this, it hit me: was there anything I could add to what has already been written? Many of these books have been popular this year, and I wasn’t sure I could offer anything new that you, the reader, might appreciate. Then I had a thought about the books that have left a mark on me rather than just inform and educate, books that offered me perspective, solace, and meaning. These are the ones that have helped me reflect, reframe, and ultimately grow as a coach and advisor.
Some of these books delve into themes that might seem heavy at first glance, mortality, meaning, and resilience, but they’ve been anything but discouraging. In fact, they’ve inspired hope, clarity, and a deeper appreciation for life’s complexities. With the festive season upon us and the last weekend before the holidays fast approaching, I’d like to share these books with you. Perhaps they might resonate with you or even serve as thoughtful gifts for someone in your life. Here are five books that have left a lasting imprint on me this year:
1. The Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart
This book is a beautiful collection of poems paired with emotional states and challenges. Sieghart curates’ poems that serve as "prescriptions" for issues ranging from loneliness to stress, offering solace and perspective. What makes this book so powerful is its ability to connect deeply with the reader in moments of vulnerability, you know, those times when you just need something that speaks directly to your heart. For me, it’s been a reminder of how art can distil complex emotions into something comprehensible and healing. This ability to connect with emotions and find resonance is something I often try to emulate in my coaching practice, offering clients tailored approaches that address their unique challenges.
2. Consolations by David Whyte
Whyte’s book offers meditative reflections on words that carry deep emotional resonance, such as “Friendship,” “Heartbreak,” and “Rest.” Each essay encourages the reader to explore the layers of meaning behind these words and their relevance in life’s challenges and joys. This book has been a compass in moments of uncertainty, the kind of book you turn to when you’re searching for clarity, not necessarily answers, but a deeper understanding. Whyte’s reflections echo the approach I aim for in coaching, facilitating self-discovery over prescriptive advice. You can hear David read his essays on Sam Harris Waking Up app something that has only deepened their impact for me.
3. A Beginner’s Guide to Dying by Simon Boas
Simon Boas’s book is a profound exploration of the human condition, touching on themes of mortality, grief, and renewal. It’s a candid and moving account of life’s fragility and the lessons we can learn from embracing it. This book has encouraged me to approach transitions, whether personal or professional, with more empathy and insight, like a gentle nudge reminding you to pause and reflect. Its reflections on growth amidst loss have influenced how I help clients navigate change, framing challenges as opportunities for resilience and renewal.
4. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
This classic has been on my bookshelf for many years but revisiting it this year felt particularly timely. Frankl’s harrowing account of surviving concentration camps during the Holocaust is paired with his insights into logotherapy, the idea that finding meaning is the key to resilience. This book serves as a masterclass in perspective. Helping clients uncover their “why” is often the most transformative step in their journey. Frankl’s insights felt like a confirmation of the power of purpose to carry us through. His testament to the enduring power of hope and meaning resonates deeply in both personal and professional contexts.
5. Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
This collection of reflections encourages readers to embrace the finite nature of life. Burkeman’s practical yet philosophical approach helps to quiet the noise of day-to-day busyness and refocus on what truly matters. I’ve particularly appreciated the simplicity yet impactful nature of his writing. Burkeman’s reflections on embracing limitations as opportunities rather than barriers really struck a chord with me. It’s like he’s saying, “Focus on what counts,” which I guess is what we should try and achieve and learn to compress distractions that confront us.
Why These Books Matter
These books have offered me a fresh lens through which to view both my personal and professional life. They serve as reminders that growth often comes not from quick fixes, but from deeper understanding and meaningful reflection. As you reflect on your own year, perhaps these works can offer you the same gift they’ve given me: a moment to pause, to think, and to reconnect with what truly matters.
If you’re looking for a meaningful gift or simply a way to ground yourself as the year comes to a close, I can’t recommend these books highly enough. May they inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me.
"From BRATS, Manifesting, and Polarising to Enshittification: How Charli XCX and 2024’s Words Defined Us"
As I was preparing to write about further reflections for 2024, the recent wave of articles about the word of the year caught my attention. Every year, the “Words of the Year” lists give us a snapshot of where society is focused, or perhaps distracted. This year, we were gifted gems like "manifest" (Cambridge Dictionary) capturing TikTok’s obsession with visualization, "polarization" (Merriam,Webster) reminding us of societal divides, "enshittification" (Macquarie Dictionary) perfectly describing the decline of once, good things, and "brat" (Collins Dictionary), influenced by Charli XCX’s "brat summer," symbolising a playful yet confident attitude. But one word stood out—not because it won, but because it remains a constant in my conversations with both individual clients and companies: resilience.
Resilience wasn’t officially crowned as a Word of the Year—it was merely shortlisted by Cambridge Dictionary—but it lingers. It’s a word that hovers over discussions about wellbeing, leadership, and workplace dynamics. If I’m honest, I suspect some people are starting to grow tired of hearing it. Yet, the fact remains: resilience is as relevant as ever.
This article isn’t just about words of the year; it’s about why resilience remains a focal point in work and life. What does it really mean? Why does it dominate our conversations? And more importantly, are we doing enough to ensure it’s not just about surviving?
What Is Resilience?
Resilience is often described as the ability to recover quickly from setbacks. But it’s more than just bouncing back; it’s about adapting, learning, and moving forward in a way that fosters growth.
Adversity is a given—whether it’s workplace stress, personal challenges, or global uncertainties. Resilience equips us to navigate these obstacles with purpose, determination, and hope. But in conversations with individuals and teams, I often find that resilience is talked about as a personal trait when, in reality, it’s a shared effort between individuals and the environments they operate in.
Why Resilience Matters in the Workplace
In the workplace, resilience is more than a nice to have, it’s a strategic necessity. As businesses face economic uncertainty, rapid change, and shifting employee expectations, resilience directly impacts outcomes like productivity, retention, and innovation. The numbers make this clear:
Poor mental health costs UK businesses between £53 and £56 billion annually (Deloitte, 2022)
Wellbeing concerns are a leading reason for employee turnover, with 21% of people leaving roles due to burnout. (Gallup, 2021)
Greater workplace well-being is positively associated with increased profitability at the business-unit level. (Krekel, Ward, & De Neve, 2019)
Despite its importance, resilience is often misunderstood as simply enduring hardship. This ignores a key question: Why do we need so much resilience in the first place?
Are We Creating Resilient Cultures—or Just Demanding Resilience?
Organisations often focus on individuals’ resilience, framing it as a personal responsibility. While personal resilience is essential, this approach risks overlooking the systemic factors that create unnecessary stress and adversity in the first place.
Building resilience should not be about expecting employees to endure poor conditions but about fostering environments where resilience becomes a natural outcome. When resilience is built into the fabric of an organization, it shifts from being a survival mechanism to a foundation for thriving.
Resilience as a Shared Responsibility
Resilience isn’t solely the responsibility of organisations. For individuals, it’s about taking proactive steps to maintain wellbeing—prioritizing rest, building strong relationships, and fostering adaptability. For organisations, it means embedding resilience into their culture through:
Transparent communication and realistic goal, setting.
Leadership training to role, model and foster resilience.
Regular wellbeing assessments to identify and address challenges.
The outcome? A workforce that is not only resilient but engaged, innovative, and ready to tackle challenges head on.
Final Reflections: Building Resilience for 2025
As we head into 2025, resilience stands out not as a fleeting buzzword but as a cornerstone of workplaces and lives. The real challenge is ensuring resilience isn’t just about surviving adversity but about creating conditions that allow us to grow and succeed.
If this resonates with you or your organization, let’s continue the conversation. Visit www.anthonyomara.com or reach out directly.
And as for "enshittification"? Let’s make reducing it a priority—for our workplaces, our systems, and the world at large.
Quiet Quitting and Fast Quitting: Two Sides of the Same Workplace Challenge
As the year draws to a close, I am taking the time to reflect on the topics, interactions, and influences that have been prominent in my year. Among them, quiet quitting and fast quitting stand out—not just as workplace trends, but as calls to action for leaders and organisations. These phenomena reveal the tensions between employee expectations and organizational realities, and they remind us of the vital role leadership plays in fostering engagement and retention.
Whether it’s the slow withdrawal of quiet quitting or the abrupt exit of fast quitting, both trends have one thing in common: they reflect a disconnect between people and their work. The question is, how do we bridge this gap?
Quiet Quitting: A Symptom of Disconnection
Quiet quitting has been called the silent workplace revolution, employees staying in their roles but doing only the bare minimum. For some, it’s an act of self-preservation in the face of burnout or frustration. But for organisations, it represents a significant loss of energy, innovation, and productivity.
As someone who’s worked with individuals and teams navigating these challenges, I’ve seen how this disengagement often stems from:
Lack of Recognition: Employees need to feel valued for their contributions.
Unrealistic Expectations: Overburdened employees withdraw when they feel set up to fail.
Absence of Purpose: Without a sense of meaning in their work, people lose motivation.
For organisations, quiet quitting is a wake-up call to invest in leadership and culture. But it’s also a moment for individuals to reflect: Am I truly advocating for what I need, or am I stepping away silently?
Fast Quitting: The Cost of Early Departures
Fast quitting, where employees leave within six months of starting a job, poses an even greater challenge. According to Korn Ferry, over half of UK workers now leave jobs within this timeframe, often due to “shift shock”, the gap between job expectations and reality.
For businesses, the financial and cultural costs of fast quitting are enormous:
Replacing an employee can cost up to twice their annual salary.
High turnover disrupts teams and damages morale.
Trust between employees and leadership erodes with every unfulfilled promise.
Organisations need to address the root causes of fast quitting, including:
Transparent Recruitment Practices: Avoiding "shift shock" starts with honesty during the hiring process.
Effective Onboarding: Employees need to feel equipped and supported from day one.
Leadership Accountability: Managers must bridge the gap between organizational demands and employee needs.
The Leadership Imperative
Both quiet quitting and fast quitting highlight a crucial truth: leadership is the linchpin of engagement and retention. Employees disengage or leave when they don’t feel supported, heard, or connected to their organization’s vision. Leaders who fail to recognize this risk creating environments where talent cannot thrive.
Here’s how organisations can empower leaders to tackle these challenges:
Be Transparent from the Start
Leaders should ensure job descriptions and expectations align with reality. Including incumbent employees in the hiring process fosters trust and reduces early turnover.Foster Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
Leaders with high EQ can better manage team dynamics, offer meaningful support, and address concerns before they escalate. Empathy and active listening are non-negotiable.Set Realistic Expectations
Unrealistic demands lead to burnout and frustration. Leaders must balance ambition with achievable goals, ensuring employees have the resources they need to succeed.Communicate Vision and Purpose
People want to know that their work matters. Leaders who articulate the company’s mission and connect individual roles to that vision create stronger engagement.Create a Positive Workplace Culture
Toxic environments drive both quiet quitting and fast quitting. Leaders must cultivate trust, inclusivity, and psychological safety through open communication and genuine feedback.
Individual Responsibility: Owning Your Role
While leadership plays a vital role, employees also have a responsibility to reflect on their own expectations and contributions. In my work with clients, I often challenge them to ask:
Am I clear about what I need from my work, and have I communicated it effectively?
What steps am I taking to grow and develop my skills?
Am I willing to advocate for change, or am I withdrawing silently?
Taking ownership doesn’t mean accepting poor conditions. It means being proactive about your career and seeking support when needed.
A Way Forward: Empowering Leaders, Engaging Employees
Quiet quitting and fast quitting are more than workplace trends, they are signals that something needs to change. For businesses, the message is clear: leadership and culture are key to addressing disengagement and turnover. For individuals, the challenge is to own your career journey, advocating for what you need while contributing your best.
If these challenges resonate with your organisation, or if you’re navigating them personally, I’d love to help. Visit www.anthonyomara.com or reach out directly.
Further Reading
To explore these ideas further, consider the following resources:
“The Great Resignation vs. Quiet Quitting” by Gallup link
“Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink
“Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
“The Joy of Work” by Bruce Daisley
“How Leaders Can Reduce Burnout in Their Teams” by Harvard Business Review (HBR) link
Korn Ferry Report on Fast Quitting link
The FT’s Comment On Burn Out
There have been more articles than I can count about burnout and the great resignation recently but this one in the FT resonated as it identified three areas that may get overlooked as companies rush to find solutions.
https://lnkd.in/dXEWbEQP (this is pay walled)
Many employees feel uncomfortable talking to their manager
about burnout."We have to ask - don't assume”
"You don't have to have the solution, but people need to be
heard".In the rush to find solutions, and there are lots of solutions being proposed, are the safe places being created for employees to be heard and leaders to listen?
#coaching #leaders #people #leadershipdevelopment #burnout #greatresignation #leadershiplens #ft
When Work Life Just Becomes Muscle Memory
Senior leaders I work with tell me that they are stuck and frustrated in “routine”.
Many struggle to free themselves, to make a bigger impact and achieve the potential that they were hired to deliver.
One potential cause is muscle memory.
"Muscle memory", the ability of our muscles to remember certain movements or actions after repeated practice”.
There is a growing concern that our work lives have become so routine and habitual that we are no longer consciously thinking about the tasks we are performing.
Obviously certain parts of work require an element of this, however, when this tips beyond a certain level we may find ourselves going through the motions without really thinking about what we're doing.
Technology has become a driver of why work life has become an exercise in muscle memory. We rely heavily on smartphones, email, and other digital tools to manage our work and communicate with colleagues. These can be helpful and if nothing else allow us to deal with certain elements of work at speed. However, they can also create a sense of automation and routine in our work lives.
As a result, we may find ourselves going through the motions without really thinking about what we're doing. We may be responding to emails, attending meetings, and completing tasks without ever stopping to consider whether these actions are truly necessary or if there is a more efficient or effective way to do them.
Research has shown that when we rely on routine and habit to perform tasks, we may become less creative and innovative. According to a study conducted by the University of Illinois, participants who performed a task repeatedly for several days showed decreased creativity compared to those who performed the task only once.
This is because when we rely on muscle memory to perform tasks, we are less likely to explore new ideas and approaches. Instead, we may continue to perform tasks in the same way because it feels comfortable and familiar.
Likely consequences of muscle memory imbalance in the workplace include:
Less creativity and innovation,
When we are constantly performing the same tasks without thinking, we may become bored or disengaged with work. Which in turn can lead to,
Decreased productivity,
Increased absenteeism,
Low retention rates
Physical and mental health problems.
In a growing number of cases burn out,
This can lead to feelings of exhaustion, frustration, and dissatisfaction, which can ultimately lead to burnout,
Research has shown that burnout is a major issue in the workplace, with an estimated 23% of employees experiencing burnout at some point in their careers.
Some of the ways we can combat this and stop it from happening are.
Create the space and time to allow yourself to regularly evaluate your work habits and routines.
Stay curious by taking a step back and asking yourself whether the tasks we are performing are truly necessary,
or if there is a more efficient or effective way to do them.
Create opportunities for professional development, attend workshops, and encourage knowledge sharing. By continuously learning, you'll be more engaged and less likely to get stuck relying on muscle memory.
Set Personal Challenges: Continuously challenge yourself by setting personal goals or challenges that go beyond your daily routine. These goals can be related to efficiency, productivity, or learning new skills.
Implement "Hack Days" or "Innovation Time": Dedicate specific days or time periods where you can explore new ideas outside of the regular routine.
Seek Feedback. Regularly seek feedback from colleagues or supervisors on your work and processes. Act on the feedback received and on your approach to tasks. By constantly refining and improving your methods, you avoid stagnation and ensure your work remains dynamic and effective.
Practice mindfulness. Research has shown that mindfulness can have numerous benefits in the workplace, including increased productivity, creativity, and well-being.
The phenomenon of work life becoming muscle memory can have negative implications for productivity, creativity, and well-being in the workplace.
However, these strategies can be used to combat this issue.
Let’s get back to purposeful engaged innovative stimulating work.