I took a long weekend recently. A real one.

No Teams messaging. No email triage at 6:00 AM “just to stay on top of things.” No half-listening to a business call from a pool chair while pretending I was present in either location. With a mixture of resolve and low-grade anxiety, I turned off all notifications, picked up a fresh new novel, and truly stepped away. That said, it took about a day and a half before my nervous system believed me.

We romanticize the idea of disconnecting, daydreaming about the cabin, the long hike, the beach sunset, and the relaxing dinner as a true separation from our demanding work lives.  What we don’t talk about is our glowing and buzzing overlord continuously beckoning for our immediate attention. That “… but what if….” earwig that keeps us constantly off balance, amplifying the fiction of self-importance and key person dependency.

The business environment right now does not make this easy. There is real volatility, real pressure, and real decisions that feel like they cannot wait. Navigating uncertainty and job insecurity with no clean resolution or set timeframe can make even a smidge of self-care feel like a small act of irresponsibility.

I truly believe that for leaders (and I’m speaking to myself here), the refusal to disconnect is itself a form of carelessness. Not because you’ll burn out, although you might, but because you’re making decisions for your people with a mind that has neither silence, perspective, or replenishment. You’re also modeling behavior that although unintended, and regardless of the “Don’t be like me!” jokes, is likely to be mirrored by those around you.

I’m not suggesting you disappear forever (although you might want to). Your team needs you, the work is real, and the pressure isn’t imaginary. I’m suggesting that the version of you who comes back from a few days of actual quiet is worth so much more than the version that never left.

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THE LATEST

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This month, we are not sharing a project management article because we have an exciting announcement!

After 20+ years in transformation, IA recognizes the power of human potential in shaping culture, capability, credibility, and growth. It’s why we are so pleased to announce the newest members of our team, Jesika Jorgenson and Jacqueline McQueen.

JJ and Jackie will be addressing one of the most underserved yet critically important roles in driving enterprise transformation: top-tier project management. Their diverse backgrounds and skill sets align perfectly to the moment, and it’s their intelligence, presence of mind, collaboration, communication, and belief that everyone’s role matters that truly sets them apart. Please join us in welcoming them to the IA family!! 

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OF INTEREST

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strategic advisory.

We offer highly bespoke and experience-driven guidance to help leaders define and refine their goals, structures, strategy, and alignment. We apply our decades of experience to serve as a thought partner, provide an objective point of view, challenge assumptions, and ensure decisions marry market theory to your organizational realities.