Do you want a long, successful career or do you want to run hot and burn out fast? I know which one I want!

As leaders, it’s important to set ourselves up for sustainable success that builds on itself over time. A big part of that is pacing ourselves. Long term success is a marathon, not a sprint. Knowing when to push and when to stay patient is an invaluable skill in your leadership toolkit.

Powerlifters have their own jargon for this concept: they call it “phase potentiation.”

When I played sports as a kid, my coach often told me, “Play to win. Don’t play to not lose.”

At the time, I did not understand the distinction. After all, “winning” and “not losing” are the same thing, right?! 

As I matured, however, I realized there is a huge difference between these two approaches, and they almost always result in very different outcomes.

Being knowledgeable is a good thing. I’m a huge proponent of lifelong learning. There’s always something we can learn more about—especially as we strive to become better leaders!

With that said, there’s a difference between using your knowledge for good and using it...unproductively. 

Sharing your knowledge is a good thing. You should use it to help the people around you, whether you’re encouraging the growth of your junior colleagues or working with peers to find a solution. 

Does this sound familiar? Your team has been ticking along nicely for months and you think you are finally getting the hang of this management thing - when one of your direct reports who manages a team informs you they are leaving the company to pursue another opportunity.

Suddenly, it’s panic stations. 

We’ve all got goals. There’s something we’re after, or something we want to be…

Action is next. Could you prove you're doing something with your actions? Put aside your own thoughts and intentions. Would an outside observer agree? Press it further, pretend for a moment you were in a court of law. Would your “argument” hold up? Or, would there be enough "evidence" to "convict" you?

As leaders, our ability to create a positive work environment is essential to getting the most out of our teams. We want our employees to feel empowered to learn, grow, make tough decisions - and even make mistakes. 

But how can you create this kind of culture? The way you interact and communicate with your people is key.

A former client of mine, let’s call him Sean, truly exemplified this concept. Sean’s job was to lead specialized manufacturing and construction projects. He had been in the field for years, and was very good at what he did.

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for A Complex World by United States Army General Stanley McChrystal is an amazing, thoughtful, in-depth discussion of how organizations must move away from chasing efficiency through hierarchical command-and-control.

Instead, McChrystal shows how organizations can achieve their goals through adaptability and by fostering a culture of self-sufficiency that empowers people to make informed decisions across the organization. 

As a leader, it is vital to be cognizant of how and when you use your energy. If you burn yourself out worrying about unimportant things, you will not have enough left in the tank to handle crucial tasks like showing up for your team and making high-level decisions.

Many people view energy as a finite resource, either on or off, linear or constant. However, there is another way to think about energy expenditure. It involves four buckets:

Two Big Buckets: Positive and Negative

Two Small Buckets: High and Low

The quick answer: executive coaches can cost anywhere from $13,000 to $30,000 for a six month engagement, per the Conference Board Council’s Executive Coaching Fee Survey. According to SHRM magazine, coaches charge about $350 an hour on average, with hourly rates typically ranging from as little as $200 to as much as $3,000.

Of course, cost depends on a number of factors…