Sometimes preparing for what comes next isn’t about adding something new. Sometimes it’s about finally dealing with what you’ve been walking around for far too long.
During my summer break, I spent quite a lot of time doing exactly that — literally — while clearing our basement.
One of the things standing there was my grandparents’ old grandfather clock. It had enormous sentimental value, but for almost 18 years I had never quite decided what to do with it.
This summer, I finally did.
And as I restored the clock, gave it a new purpose and cleared out everything else around it, the basement became an unexpected lesson in leadership.
In this Leadership Stories episode of Confident Leadership. In Colour., I explore Ownership in the CONFIDENT Framework — taking responsibility for our choices, our growth and the way we lead.
Because postponed decisions do not necessarily stop costing us something.
They can still take up mental space, emotional space, energy and attention.
I also reflect on a lesson I keep having to remind myself of when leading change:
Other people cannot see the picture inside your head.
When a future direction feels completely clear to us, we can easily assume we have communicated it just as clearly to everyone else.
Most probably, we haven’t.
And what we initially interpret as resistance may instead be missing information, unclear value, concern about what might be lost — or even insight we need to hear.
00:12 What preparing for a new season might really mean
00:35 A quick request to follow the podcast
01:23 Back to everyday life after the hammock series
02:36 The basement and a collection of unmade decisions
03:28 My grandparents’ grandfather clock
05:00 Giving the clock a new purpose
06:14 Seeing the future picture as a leadership strength
07:08 Other people cannot see inside your head
07:49 What this means when leading change
08:21 Is it really resistance?
08:58 A better question for leaders to ask
09:47 What the rest of the basement taught me
11:16 The unmade decisions we carry
12:27 Why postponed decisions still cost us
12:34 Ownership in the CONFIDENT Framework
13:07 What actually deserves to come with you?
13:54 The coaching question
14:29 What happens when you finally decide
15:07 Unfinished versus ignored
15:45 What to carry into the next season
16:05 Take your next step
What decision have you been postponing that, if you made it now, would create more space for the season ahead?
Just one.
Don’t mentally renovate your entire basement.
Perhaps it needs to stay, but in a different form.
Perhaps it needs a new purpose.
Perhaps it needs a conversation or a deadline.
Or perhaps you already know it needs to go.
If this episode gives you something to reflect on, I’d love to hear what resonated with you.
And if you know another leader who is carrying a few too many boxes — literally or metaphorically — share this episode with them.
Follow Confident Leadership. In Colour. so we can keep strengthening our Leadership Palette together.
Be confident – Be you.
