Be a slow leader

I hate hindsight.

Because she teaches you too late. The damage is already done.

Like the time I joined an organisation and started changing things (at least in my head) before I even showed up for my first day.

Such-and-such team is going to have to go (the sooner the better). That way of doing things went out with the ark so in the can it goes. And I can’t believe they allowed this person to be in that role, so she will be saying goodbye as soon as I hit the ground running.

And so on.

The trouble was that I hadn’t given enough time to discover why certain practices were in place. Why the team had a particular way of doing things. And why this person was actually the best person for the job.

So, I went in with both feet, hacking away like some jungle explorer with a machete and shook things up.

There were some who loved it and cheered me on. It’s about time somebody made some changes around here.

But I know I bruised people too. I made a snap judgement about one person in particular and only later realised the value they bring. I don’t think she ever recovered.

I made judgements about people without getting to know them. I went in too fast, seeing only my vision ahead. Too fast to notice that I was dealing with human beings. People who were fragile. A person who can get hurt.

Welcome to Animal Instincts where I attempt to extract some wisdom from our natural world and see what it might teach us at work and at home.

If you have read any of my other articles on this site, you might know I have a bit of a thing about sloths.

Here’s another sloth article (this is the last one, I promise).

Maybe.

Sloths are famous for doing everything slowly. That’s partly because they are formed that way. Their ‘slow living’ allows them to thrive on a low-calorie diet of leaves that would not sustain other mammals.

A sloth’s slow life helps him to conserve energy.

Maybe a slower pace in some aspects of our lives, would conserve things for us too. Preserves things worth keeping. Lady hindsight taught me (rather painfully) that you can slow decisions down without compromising vision.

Slowing things down a little might protect valuable relationships. Might protect valuable people. And even promote wise decisions—decisions that can only be gleaned by standing still enough to notice something.

Or getting to know someone first before making a judgement.

And a slower pace in making changes could consolidate a team rather than fragmenting it.

That has to be better for everyone. Perhaps slowing down isn't weakness at all. Perhaps it's wisdom.

Who knows—your mental health might thank you too!

Don’t hack away, take them with you

A sloth’s slow, deliberate movements mean they rarely fall from high trees. Cautious movements rather than rapid reactionary ones don’t take away the danger, but they do ensure a safer journey.

In a similar way, taking a bit more time to make a change since my jungle hacking days, has helped me to give space for better decisions, new insights, and fresh understandings. The dangers of unnecessary hurt are always present, but when vision compels us to invite people in a new direction instead of forcing them, we can tread more carefully, weigh things more thoroughly and give others enough time to process and contribute.

And (hopefully) that means we can take them with us rather than leaving them behind.

No matter what screams at you, don’t rush into the change. Get to know people first; get to know why their ship sails that way.

Slow leadership isn't passive leadership.

It's thoughtful leadership.

And thoughtful leadership usually wins in the long run.

……….

If you enjoy reading articles like this, Sloths Are Awesome: Slow Down and Breathe is part of the Animal Instincts series of guided journals, each inspired by lessons from the natural world to help you work, rest and live with greater purpose. This journal helps you slow your pace, overcome burnout, restore healthy rhythms, and discover the strength that comes from living and working with intention.

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