Many mid-level leaders describe their days as feeling like a pinball game, full of constant motion and little time to think. The challenge isn’t always the pace. It’s learning how to slow down so you can lead strategically.
When I first stepped into a broader leadership role that spanned multiple functions, I remember feeling exactly like that pinball, bouncing from one topic to the next. Every meeting came with an expectation to decide or act, often with little time to prepare or reflect.
It’s something I also hear from leaders I coach. They’ve taken on greater accountability with more teams, more decisions, and more visibility. But instead of operating at a higher strategic level, they find themselves reacting to whatever comes at them next.
The result? They feel overwhelmed, unfocused, and unsure where their best leadership is truly needed. Strategic thinking begins to feel like a luxury instead of a necessity.
The Shift: From Managing Tasks to Leading Across the System
The move from managing one area to leading across many requires a mindset shift. It’s no longer possible or useful to be in every detail. Strategic leadership is about creating the rhythm and space to think, decide, and guide others.
Here’s the mindset that helped both me and many of my clients:
Slow down to think strategically, even when everything feels urgent.
If you don’t create that space for yourself, no one else will. And without it, you can’t think clearly, lead intentionally, or strengthen your executive presence.
Three Practical Ways to Regain Strategic Focus
1. Block time for yourself.
Schedule it during the time of day when you do your best thinking. Use it to step back and focus on what’s most strategic, not just what’s most visible. Over time, this builds your leadership rhythm and reinforces your authority.
2. Clarify expectations before every meeting.
Ask for a short pre-read or context summary. Confirm what’s being asked of you, whether it’s a decision, a perspective, or alignment. A few minutes of clarity up front can save hours of rework later and shows the calm, structured leadership that builds trust.
3. Empower your leaders to lead.
Be explicit about where they have decision rights and where you expect them to bring recommendations. When your team knows how far they can go, they move faster and make stronger calls. You, in turn, free up space to think strategically.
Slowing Down Is What Moves You Forward
Leading at a broader level isn’t about reacting to more things. It’s about choosing what matters most and creating the space to think, decide, and guide others with clarity.
Ironically, the best leaders move their organizations forward by slowing down. They make time to think, and that’s what turns constant motion into meaningful direction.