SHIFTING GEARS: THE LEADERSHIP POWER OF PAUSING, REFLECTING, AND REALIGNING

When I was learning to drive at 16, mastering a stick shift was a rite of passage. Back then, manual transmission was common—you had to learn to control the gears yourself, balancing power and speed through the delicate dance of clutch and gas.

Today, less than 3% of cars on the road have manual transmissions (crazy, isn't it?)

. But for those of us who grew up driving them, there’s an important lesson here: leadership, like driving, isn’t about mindlessly pressing on the gas pedal and hoping for the best. It’s about mastering when to push forward and, just as importantly, when to shift gears.

Understanding how a transmission works sheds light on an essential principle for effective leadership and personal growth. A transmission ensures that your engine—your power source—operates within its limits. Push it too hard without shifting, and you'll burn out. Shifting gears is how a car adapts to different speeds and conditions. The clutch provides that brief moment to disengage, creating the space for a smooth shift to happen.

But what about you? As a leader, when was the last time you pressed the clutch to shift gears?

The Leadership Clutch: Why Pausing is Critical

Leaders are often taught to keep pushing—to drive forward, no matter the obstacles. The "gas pedal" of your career can be rewarding, but relentless acceleration without reflection leads to fatigue, burnout, and eventually, poor decision-making.

Adam Grant often speaks about the value of rethinking, reframing, and reevaluating. In leadership, those "clutch" moments allow you to reassess whether your current approach still aligns with your goals and values. Without pausing to reflect, you risk driving down a path that no longer serves you or your team.

Tony Robbins emphasizes the concept of “pattern recognition”—the ability to spot when you're stuck in the same unproductive cycles. A shift requires first recognizing that pattern. Too often, leaders maintain the status quo because they haven’t created the space to pause and ask themselves the deeper questions that lead to transformation.

Marshall Goldsmith famously reminds us: "What got you here won’t get you there." The habits, mindsets, and strategies that have served you so far in your leadership journey are unlikely to be the ones that propel you into your next chapter. To truly evolve as a leader, you must regularly shift gears, consciously transitioning from what you’ve always done to what’s required to move forward.

The Power of Intentional Shifts

When leaders don't take the time to shift, the result can be disastrous. Decision fatigue sets in. You keep pressing harder, expecting more results, but the outcome is a breakdown—much like a car engine that has exceeded its redline.

Shifting gears doesn’t mean stopping. It’s about staying agile. When you press the clutch, you’re making an intentional decision to change—be it to speed up or slow down—based on the road ahead.

As leaders, the road ahead is constantly changing. Whether it's navigating the complexities of a global market, managing diverse teams, or adapting to new technologies, your ability to pause and realign determines your capacity to lead effectively.

Marshall Goldsmith calls this the "what to stop" framework. Sometimes, shifting gears means stopping behaviors, thought patterns, or processes that no longer serve you or your organization.

So, the question isn’t just about when to shift, but about what you’re shifting away from and toward.

Pausing for Reflection: Key Questions to Ask Yourself

These "clutch moments"—the intentional pauses for reflection—are where the real work happens. This isn’t about quick fixes or minor tweaks; it’s about deep, transformative shifts. The following questions can help you guide this reflection:

• What am I shifting toward? Vision drives leadership. What does your ultimate destination look like? Without a clear direction, even the most powerful engine will eventually run in circles.
• What must I shift away from? As Tony Robbins says, “Success leaves clues.” But so does failure. What patterns, habits, or mindsets are you clinging to that no longer serve your highest potential?
• Am I shifting into a higher gear or a lower gear? Every phase of leadership demands a different pace. Sometimes, it’s about accelerating—taking bold, decisive action. Other times, it’s about downshifting—slowing down to conserve energy and reassess your path.
• What needs to happen before I can shift? Adam Grant talks about creating psychological safety in teams—this applies to yourself as well. Are you in a space where you feel safe enough to make bold moves? What support, resources, or clarity do you need before you can shift effectively?
• Am I ready and willing to shift? Perhaps the hardest question of all: are you ready to let go of what’s comfortable and known? True growth requires discomfort, and shifting gears often means leaving behind the familiar.

Leadership is a Dynamic Process, Not a Destination

The most effective leaders understand that leadership is dynamic, not static. Like a vehicle on a journey, your leadership must evolve as the terrain changes. Sometimes that means speeding up and pushing forward. Other times, it means downshifting, reassessing, and making intentional decisions about your next move.

Leadership coaching offers a structured space for this kind of intentional reflection. It’s not about tips and tricks, though you may pick some up along the way. It’s about creating the time and space to ask the hard questions, pause for reflection, and make intentional shifts that are aligned with who you are and where you want to go.

Because, in life, just as in driving, continuing to grind the gears only damages the engine.

By making the conscious choice to press pause, reassess, and shift gears, you ensure that your leadership remains agile, aligned, and effective. Just as a car can’t operate at its best in the wrong gear, neither can you.

I'd love to hear what resonates from all of this for you? If you need someone to chat more about this, visit www.anchoredleadership.com and click on "Schedule a Call."