Leadership is full of pressure, deadlines, meetings and decisions. Most leaders I coach tell me the same thing: “I don’t have time to connect — I’m too busy doing the work.”

But here’s the truth that changes everything:

The time you spend connecting isn’t time away from the work. It’s the thing that prevents rework, misalignment and doing the job twice.

And when leaders understand this, their teams shift — fast.

Anyone who has been leading teams for a few years will likely have realised something: the higher you go, the fewer honest mirrors you have. People look to you for clarity, steadiness, direction — and you give it. But it means you don’t always get the space to think out loud, test ideas or explore what’s really going on beneath the surface.

And it can feel vulnerable to ask for input for yourself. You’re supposed to have it all figured out, right?

When I was in a senior leadership role, I felt that too. I wanted to be at the top of my game. I understood how much leadership shapes a team, a culture, a business. I wanted to lead well, not just competently.

And that’s what led to one of the most important decisions I made in my career: I called in an expert.