Why Skilled Leaders Embrace the Disconnect

Returning to the office after a long weekend, I feel…refreshed. A surprising response as it was just a few days – and included excessive heat, which is not typically my idea of “refreshing”. 

Routinely, I remind the executives I advise to schedule and honor periods of genuine downtime. Leaders who take time to refresh and reset send a clear signal to staff that this is time well spent. It is both valuable to and valued by the organization.

So, when the chance for a long weekend arose, I embraced the opportunity to disconnect. To adopt a new pace, even without dramatically changing the place. Certainly, there's value in adventure, which I often pursue for longer periods.

Yet, there is also much to be found in the stillness.

Standing atop an alpine summit or in the depths of an ancient cave. Enjoying the ebbs and flows of a river or sitting by the sea. Hanging out in the yard or a park. All of these spaces lend perspective. How vast, varied, and jagged the peaks of any journey. The remarkable power and resilience within our world and ourselves. The connections beneath the surface that transform what's visible.

Quality downtime – when you truly disconnect from the daily demands of work and life – benefits both leaders and their teams. Why? Intentionally or not, executives set the rhythm and pace of their organizations by their own actions. Too much pace can be exhausting. Too little can cause a stall (as I wrote for Chief Executive here.)

Everyone benefits from actively disconnecting.

Of course, not everyone has access to travel or the flexibility to leave work for a long weekend, let alone an extended period. Yet, everyone benefits from actively disconnecting from their current reality, even in small or simpler ways.

As leaders, it’s important to recognize when to push forward and when to choose a different path. Perhaps, consider these:

• What two or three things truly can’t wait until tomorrow - or next week?

• Which one matters most to your success later?

If there is something that truly cannot wait and has a meaningful impact on subsequent success, address it. Otherwise, disconnect. Give your brain - and team - the space it needs to refresh.

Like many of the senior executives I advise, I sometimes find it disconcerting to disconnect fully. And yet the benefits – for teams and companies of any size – are immeasurable and sometimes, surprising. There is simply so much to be gained.

Embracing the disconnect requires forethought, discipline, and a leap of faith - three things every leader needs to execute strategy well.

How will you and your team embrace the disconnect to drive strategy forward?