This Week in Leadership
The Friday Five - Issue 18
Challenging leaders to maximize their potential
Terry Wetzel ~ Summit Leadership Development
To-Don’t List
Consider creating a to-don’t list on a regular basis. Instead of continually adding to your to-do list, this counterintuitive way of thinking can actually increase your impact. The most effective leaders aren't necessarily the ones doing the most—they are the ones refusing to do the wrong things. Strategic subtraction.
What Are You Procrastinating?
Come on. You know full well there is at least one thing you are putting off. Something you keep kicking down the road. Something you just can’t seem to get started on. I challenge you to get going, get a start, get some momentum going today, and get this task done and off your list.
Productivity vs Downtime
In this hustle culture we seem to increasingly live in, do not forget to slow down, be in the moment, and enjoy your life and those you love. While productivity is often the driver of a leader’s success, it is only sustainable when balanced with downtime, stillness, hobbies, and relationships. True leadership requires the clarity that comes from stepping back; if you are always racing, you risk losing the perspective needed to guide others effectively.
AQ
Mos of us have heard of IQ and EQ as representing types of intelligence that predict success: IQ (Intelligence Quotient) measures cognitive, logical, and analytical skills; EQ (Emotional Quotient) measures the ability to manage emotions and navigate relationships. In 2026, AQ (Adaptability Quotient) is becoming critical. For leaders, the ability to adjust, unlearn, relearn, and thrive amidst rapid change will distinguish good from great.
Sleeping
Leadership is said to be 10% strategy and 90% people. When we are short on sleep, our empathy is the first thing to go. We become shorter with our teams, less patient with challenges, and more likely to miscommunicate. An exhausted leader creates a brittle culture. If you aren't rested, your ability to regulate your emotions—and steady the emotions of your team—is diminished. Stop treating “running on fumes” as a badge of honor. In reality, it’s a liability. More and better sleep is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
Quote of the Week
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek
Book of the Week
Silly title aside, this is a thought-provoking book. How to be a Coffee Bean shows you how to make a difference in the lives of others and how to be a “messenger of hope and perseverance” by tapping into your own background, experiences, successes, and failures.
That’s it for this week
Be epic, not average. The world has enough average.
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The photo in today’s web edition was taken in Washington.
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