What Happens When You Don’t Respond Immediately
| Last week, we talked about why stepping out of response mode feels uncomfortable. Pausing instead of responding immediately can feel risky (letting a request sit or allowing someone else to solve the problem). But when leaders tolerate that discomfort, something interesting often happens. The work keeps moving. People find answers. Problems resolve. And space begins to appear—space for clearer thinking and space for others to take ownership. Another assumption often pulls leaders back into response mode. Myth #4: If I don’t respond immediately, things will stall. Response mode quietly trains teams to look up the chain of command for answers. An intentional pause trains them to look around—for resources, for each other, and for solutions. Over time, something begins to shift. Ownership spreads. Initiative grows. This week, try one small experiment: Pause longer than you normally would before responding. (Not forever. Just long enough to see what happens). Next week, we’ll explore the difference between being available and being constantly accessible—and why many leaders confuse the two. |
