Break the Leadership Boredom (#244)
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
When our kids were young, I fondly remember the end of a long school year and the beginning of summer. About ten days in, one of them would say, “I’m bored.” My wife usually winked at me, as we knew that was the start of the season of creativity—building a fort, inventing a game, or transforming the mundane into something fun. There’s a lesson in that for leaders.
“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”
— Frank Zappa
This Week’s Edition
Research indicates that boredom is not merely a nuisance—it serves as a signal for change. Leaders who actively pursue novelty and change excel in high-stakes situations. Let’s explore how to shake things up.
Clarify Your Thinking
Leaders can experience their own form of boredom—not through inaction, but from the monotony of daily routines. When everything feels predictable, motivation wanes, and leadership can start to feel like just another job.
One CEO I work with recently told me, “I feel like I’m just checking boxes. Nothing feels fresh.” He wasn’t lacking competence or drive; he was trapped in a cycle of doing what had always worked. Fascinatingly, he noticed his team mirroring his energy—lethargic and uninspired.
“Robin, the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ For the past few years, I’ve held true to that. For a long time, we were winning, and I left well enough alone, even enduring the boredom of the grind, which, by the way, was profitable. However, I fear I’ve been too hands-off, not reinventing the business or innovating for the future.”
Great leaders don’t wait for change to occur—they create it. If you feel stuck in your routine, it’s time to intentionally introduce challenges that compel you (and your team) to grow.
Old Thinking: “If I just push through, things will eventually feel exciting again. At least I hope that’s the case.”
New Thinking:“If I want new energy, I must create new things for the business.”
Thoughts Lead to Actions
If left unchecked, leadership boredom can lead to disengagement. However, the solution isn’t merely to work harder—it’s to work differently. Here’s what breaking free looks like:
Seek out new challenges in the business—specifically, proactive ones. While there are many challenges that require reactive measures, these often drain a leader’s energy. In contrast, embracing proactive challenges offers opportunities for renewal and increased energy.
Think about these 3 steps to shake things up:
- Experiment with a New Approach – Try a different way of solving an old problem. The best ideas often come from unexpected places.
- Surround Yourself with New People – Put yourself in the company of fresh thinkers who challenge your assumptions. Innovation thrives in diverse perspectives.
- Set a New Goal – Pick something that excites and challenges you, even if it feels slightly out of reach. Growth comes from discomfort.
Leaders who are dedicated to overcoming monotony pursue new challenges, engage with diverse thinkers, and commit to experimenting with innovative growth strategies.
They report that the impact is nearly immediate. Their energy revitalizes. Their team reacts. They notice an increase in creativity and performance.
Shake things up; you’ll see how quickly your leadership energy reignites.
Boost Your Performance
What’s Your Opinion?
What’s one change you’ve made recently that helped break you out of a leadership rut? Share it with me at robin.pou@robinpou.com.
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
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What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
