The Boldest Leadership Move You're Not Making

I grew up in one of those small towns where everyone knew everyone. Your best friend’s mom might also be your homeroom teacher. Their dad, your dentist. Our house sat right at the entrance to our neighborhood, so someone in my family was always watching who was coming and going, often with a running commentary.

So when it came time to choose a college, I picked a small school that mirrored what I knew: close-knit, familiar, predictable.

And then 9/11 happened.

Suddenly, the world felt massive, and I felt small inside it. I realized how little I actually knew about life beyond my bubble. That moment nudged me toward something unexpected: I applied to a program called Semester at Sea. I had never even been on a plane, but somehow, I found myself boarding a ship to sail around the world.

Stillness is the hand on the wheel—not turning frantically, but holding steady, guiding with quiet strength.

It was wild and overwhelming and awe-inspiring. I learned how much I didn’t know, and how much I wanted to understand. And while there were many lessons from that voyage, one I’ve carried with me the longest is the lesson of stillness.

Stillness might sound like an odd takeaway from a program based on movement. We were constantly in motion: new countries, new cultures, and new questions. But the sea had its own rhythm. Sometimes, it was calm and glassy, almost too quiet. Other times, waves rocked the ship so intensely that you had no choice but to find your center.

This is what the sea taught me: You don’t have to move fast to move forward. Stillness can be strength. Presence can be power.

In India, during a time when the U.S. was on the brink of war, we stayed with a local family. One evening, our host father led us in meditation. He taught us how to still our minds, even as the world outside was anything but still. That experience changed something in me.

I realized stillness isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about being deeply present. It’s the space between stimulus and response, the breath before the decision, the moment where clarity lives.

As a leader, I’ve found that stillness is often where the real work happens. It allows you to listen fully. To make better decisions. To build trust, not just speed. Momentum has its place, but it’s stillness that gives it direction.

Stillness might not get the spotlight, but it just might be your strongest move.

What Stillness Can Teach You About Leadership

Here’s what stillness has taught me about leadership and what it can offer you:

1. Clarity doesn’t come from noise. In a world that rewards fast answers and instant reactions, stillness gives you a competitive edge. It creates space to think clearly, to ask better questions, and to respond with intention, not impulse.
   

2. Presence is more powerful than performance. You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to be the most impactful. Some of the most effective leaders I’ve known are the ones who pause before they speak, who listen fully, and who stay grounded, even in uncertainty.
   

3. Urgency is not always emergency. Not everything needs an immediate response. Stillness teaches you to discern what’s urgent from what’s important. When you stop reacting to everything, you can finally lead what matters most.
   

4. Your team takes their cues from your pace. If you’re frantic, they’ll feel it. If you’re grounded, they’ll trust you. Stillness isn’t just a gift you give yourself, it’s one you give to everyone around you.
   

5. Reflection creates resilience. In motion, we often miss the meaning. Stillness helps us make sense of our experiences, integrate our learning, and grow from it. That’s how you build wisdom, not just knowledge.

Stillness isn’t weakness. It’s strength, honed.  It’s not delay. It’s discernment.  It’s not inaction. It’s inner alignment.

In a world that’s constantly asking you to speed up, choosing stillness just might be the boldest leadership move you can make.

It's your turn: Take a moment.

Before you move on to the next thing, try this grounding exercise known as Box Breathing:

Breathe in for 4 counts.

Hold for 4.

Exhale for 4. Hold for 4.

Do that for one minute.

Let your shoulders drop. Let your thoughts settle. Let stillness do its quiet work.

If this resonated with you, and you’re ready to explore a deeper way of leading—one rooted in clarity, presence, and purpose.

Journal Prompt: Where in your life or leadership might stillness serve you better than momentum? You don’t need the answer right away. Just start by noticing.