We find ourselves in a world where leaders are celebrated for doing more, when the real competitive edge lies in doing less while focusing on what matters. The rest is noise. Research shows that when leaders choose to rest, reflect, and recover, their teams perform better, employee attrition is reduced, and the workforce is more productive.
At EmiliaSpeaksCX, we have an enduring philosophy: sustainable leadership is built on intentional rhythm, not endless hustle.
Cost of Leadership Overload
Recent leadership research shows that 71% of leaders reported high levels of stress since taking on a managerial role, and many participants associate this with insufficient rest.
On the other hand, a Superhuman report shows the burnout rate amongst executives to be 56% in 2024, and C-level leaders reported a range of 73% admitted to insufficient rest.
It’s safe to conclude that when leaders are depleted, their ability to inspire, innovate, and transform their team begins to decline, which in turn weakens organizational culture and ultimately revenue outcomes.
Why leaders need to be OKAY with saying yes to rest
Taking your time to take a step back should not be interpreted as doing nothing. Rest should be seen as a strategic investment to regain energy and clarity. Here is how adequate rest affects your team:
- Rest leads to proactive decision-making.
- Time for reflection models sustainable norms.
- Pause builds psychological safety
- Being alert and refreshed promotes innovation.
Four Reflection Practices Leaders Can Adopt
At EmiliaSpeaksCX, we provide leaders with guidance on integrating rest into their leadership framework. These are the four practices that make the difference:
- Explore and define rest your way: Choose to make it a 10-minute walk, playing video games, reading a novel, going for a power-walk or picking the phone to call someone you have been putting off. Define what rest restores to you.
- Block time for Rejuvenation: Set time out, whether daily or weekly, for walking, exercising, thinking, and recovering, just you schedule meetings.
- Block the time on your calendar to let your team know: Communicating with your team when you are offline and unavailable will prevent a sense of guilt, while signaling they should follow your lead to go off too, especially during non-working hours. Being on all the time leads to burnout.
- Connect your recovery with impact: Let your rest decisions impact your team outcomes: say “I am offline now, so tomorrow we will launch with fresh energy,” to lead a healthy workforce on your team.
Promote Reflection and Action as a Culture
Leaders who consider rest part of daily life shape their team culture. Using the same model will shift your team from always available to always committed. By implementing rest as a culture, it becomes a strategy and not an option to consider.
At EmiliaSpeaksCx, our Leadership and Customer Service Training and Executive Coaching integrate rest as a core competency and not just a wellness window.
Ready to Build a Rest-Driven Leadership Rhythm?
If you are ready for impactful leadership that leads with health, Emilia can help.
Contact Emilia D’Anzica to integrate a brand that promotes more reflection instead of reaction, to build a culture your team speaks of positively when you are not in the room, and to lead sustainable performance.
Explore our Coaching and Training Programs here: Emilia Speaks – http://www.emiliaspeakscx.com/.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Emilia D’Anzica advises organizations worldwide on go-to-market strategies for customer growth, revenue growth, retention, and loyalty. She also serves as an instructor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where she teaches Customer Lifecycle Management: Understanding the Customer Journey and Ways to Improve Customer Experience in the Chief Revenue Program. As an educator, she also teaches executives proactive leadership skills grounded in emotional intelligence and customer centricity.
Previously, she served as the CEO and Founder of Growth Molecules, as a Revenue Architect at Winning by Design, Vice President of Customer Engagement at WalkMe, Chief Customer Officer at Copper, Operations Director at BrightEdge, and Director of Customer Success at Jobvite.
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