Most leadership teams dive into strategic planning with spreadsheets, dashboards, and a whiteboard full of KPIs. It's not a bad approach - data is important.
But what if your breakthrough isn’t hiding in the metrics… but in the silence between your breaths?
A few weeks ago, I worked with a client whose business is stable. Great product. Strong values. Smart team. But they were sorta stuck in slow gear...solidly performing, but not blowing anyone's socks off.
Here's the deal...they didn’t need more goals. They needed more oxygen.So when we got together for an offsite, instead of jumping straight into revenue targets and org charts, we started in a very different place.
We paused.
We breathed.
We talked about what it means to actually feel aligned.
To get quiet enough to hear the signal beneath all the corporate noise.
At one point, I guided the team through a short meditation, inviting them to dream into the potential of their futures. Eyes closed. Feet grounded. Imagining not just what they want to achieve, but what it would feel like.We anchored into breath, vision, and emotion.
It felt… different.
For some, a little uncomfortable.
But something shifted.That breath became a throughline. We used it again before a couple of tough conversations... Before bold declarations...Before shaping some new plans. It created space for clarity and connection.
You’ve probably heard Peter Drucker's declaration: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast."
I believe that. 100%.
But it doesn’t mean strategy doesn’t matter.
It means culture sets the table.
It creates the environment where good strategy can actually land. Ultimately, they feed off of each other. Strong, human-centered strategy strengthens culture. And a healthy, trust-filled culture makes space for bold, aligned strategy.
And here's where breath comes in...It’s what brings us back to ourselves and back to each other, co-creating something that actually lasts.
This team is in a good position for accelerated growth...clearly it's early days, but we had some fantastic breakthroughs. They’re enjoying the process. It’s not hustle-based. It’s a little more breath-based. Still strategic. Still ambitious. Just a bit more human.
Because shallow breath leads to shallow thinking. And shallow thinking...leads to shallow strategy.
So here’s an invitation: Next time you sit down to plan your future, start by re-oxygenating your present.
Close your eyes.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Repeat.
Your strategy and your culture, just might thank you.
What about you?
Have you tried integrating mindfulness into planning or decision-making?
Drop a comment or send me a message...I’d love to hear how you breathe life into your leadership.
