Leaders
Worksheet
Between pressure waves
45 min, then 10 min weekly
Solo
4
A practice for leading in constant pressure.
Use this when there's no gap between waves and waiting for things to settle isn't an option. Time 45 minutes the first time, then a 10-minute weekly check · Format Solo · Moment Between pressure waves
This worksheet helps you restore balance while you move, rather than waiting for calm that isn't coming.
1 · Name the conditions you're in
List 3–5 specific pressures from the past 3–6 months.
Pressure | Constant background, or sharp disruption? |
Describe your environment in one sentence.
Right now, I am leading in conditions that feel like…
2 · Notice your pattern under pressure
When pressure rises, which way do you move first?
- Reactivity: speeding up, firefighting, jumping to the next urgent thing.
- Withdrawal: slowing down, deferring, waiting for perfect clarity.
How does this show up?
Where | What I notice |
In my calendar | |
In my body (sleep, tension, energy) | |
In my decisions (what gets delayed or over-prioritised) |
Looking at the last two weeks:
Prompt | Notes |
Where did my pace match reality? | |
Where did it feel mismatched (too fast, too slow, too narrow, too scattered)? |
3 · Recover your anchor
Answer quickly. Don't overthink.
- Who am I as a leader, at my best, in these conditions?
- What am I here to do for this organisation or community?
- When pressure rises, how do I want people to experience me?
Your one-line identity statement. Keep it visible.
When pressure rises, I choose to show up as…
4 · Design your micro-adjustments
Small shifts in pace, attention, and energy that keep you balanced while moving.
Attention reset. Choose one prompt to widen your view.
Examples: What matters most over the next 12–18 months? What's the real decision here? What will I wish I'd done, looking back in a year?
My prompt:
Nervous system reset. Choose 2–4 you'll actually use.
- Six slow breaths before key meetings
- Stand and stretch between calls
- A two-minute name-and-notice check-in
- Grounding scan: five things you see, three you hear, one you feel
- A 3–5 minute walk without your phone
- A two-minute no-input pause
- Say your identity statement before pressure moments
The practices I'll use:
Calendar reset. Block these now.
Block | Day / time |
Horizon block (60–90 min) | |
Deep work block | |
Recovery block (off-grid) |
5 · Weekly check: compression or orientation?
Ten minutes, once a week.
Prompt | Notes |
This week, were most decisions about relieving pressure (compression) or moving in the direction that matters (orientation)? | |
One decision I'd handle differently, and how future-focused me would approach it | |
The one shift I'll make next week |
6 · Closing reflection
Use alone or with your team.
- Where did I work in a way that matched the reality we're in?
- Where did urgency set a pace that wasn't helpful?
- How did returning to my identity change how I showed up?
- Which micro-adjustment made the biggest difference?
Back to the mahi.
Want support with what came up?
If you want to be ready before your own stormy day arrives, a Strategic Orientation conversation is a good place to start. No preparation required, just twenty minutes to work out the right next step together.