Chapter 1
The Endurance Leader
You will make better decisions once you begin thinking
long-term rather than short-term.
ADAM SMITH
The Need For Endurance In Leadership
“I just don’t know how long I can do this.” Preethi and I weren’t far into our coaching conversation before she slumped in her chair, rubbed her weary eyes, and made this sobering declaration. As vice president of operations at a large equipment manufacturing company, she had been sitting at her desk since 3:30 a.m. and looked exhausted and beleaguered. She had been working twelve-hour days for months, navigating new and unprecedented realities in her business, prompted by global health and economic crises.
Ensuring employees and facilities were safe while maintaining production volume and low overhead costs was a daily challenge. Considered essential workers during a major public health crisis, Preethi and most of her staff came into the office every day while many others in her company worked from home. This created additional stress on her and her team. Meanwhile, her children had shifted to virtual school, and Preethi had to quickly pivot to find childcare when few people wanted to be in others’ homes. It seemed there was a fresh perdition arising with every passing day.
When I began coaching Preethi a few months prior, we’d built her strategic thinking and delegation skills. However, for several weeks before this conversation, much of her energy was spent trying to hold her head above water. She felt overwhelmed, stressed, and unsure of how to forge ahead. With almost no time to rest and reflect, she found it hard to plan much further than one to two days, let alone meet our development objectives. More than once, Preethi had said, “I feel like I’m in a constant sprint.”
The Challenge Of The Constant Sprint
Does this sound familiar? Do you feel like you’ve been sprinting a marathon for the past few months (or years)? With business demands unrelenting, change happening faster than ever, and global issues fundamentally altering how we live, many people feel they are struggling to stay upright. And the impact is taking a massive toll on our physical, emotional, and mental health.
Some alarming statistics:
From The 2023 American Psychological Association’s 2023Stress in America survey:2
