The Power of the Pause Between Decisions
Great leaders make decisions. Wise leaders honor the space before decisions. The pause is where pressure leaves the body and truth enters the room. In Shine we pair Know Thyself with Prepare Every Night so your mind can settle, your priorities can reorder, and tomorrow’s choices can be made with a clear head.
Adopt the Two Beat Rule. Before you speak, breathe in for a count of two, out for a count of two. Your words will be fewer and better. Try the Overnight Test for any choice that changes people or capital. Capture your thoughts on paper, sleep on it, decide in the morning. Use micro buffers on your calendar, five minutes between meetings, to reset your state. These small pauses prevent expensive rework and emotional messes. When you pause you also hear what your team is not saying. You notice the flinch in someone’s eyes, the question under a confident tone, the risk hiding in a rosy forecast. That is leadership as awareness. For a practical complement on time and readiness, revisit Shed and Shine Episode 29, Do not Do 25 Dollar Hour Work and Prepare Every Night.
Speed matters. Quality matters more. The pause is where quality is born. Guard it like a strategic asset and watch your accuracy climb while your stress falls.
Stay Focused,
Gino