Reclaiming the Neglected Acts of Leadership
Why Thinking Time, Building Trust, and Time for Self matter more than ever
What is holding your leaders back? And what is this costing your organisation?
These questions are more than provocative – they’re urgent. Because when leaders are overwhelmed, reactive, and running on empty, the consequences ripple far beyond the individual. The cost to the business is real and measurable.
Burnt-out leaders make poorer decisions. They default to short-term fixes rather than long-term strategy. They lose the capacity to inspire, coach, and connect with their teams. And when trust erodes – between leaders and their people – engagement drops, innovation stalls, and retention suffers. The result? Lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and increased turnover – all of which directly impact the bottom line.
The Leadership Crisis
In today’s high-pressure working environments, leadership is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Diaries are crammed, decisions are reactive, and the pace of change is unrelenting. It’s no surprise that 72% of leaders report feeling “used up” or burned out by the end of the day.
This isn’t just a personal issue – it’s a strategic one. When leaders are depleted, their teams suffer, trust erodes, and long-term performance falters.
The Way Forward
So how do we begin to restore leadership effectiveness in a world that seems designed to undermine it?
As highlighted by Andy Dent, Catrina Hewitson, and Caroline Taylor – authors of the Amazon bestselling book The Neglected Acts of Leadership – the answer is deceptively simple: we must reclaim three essential but often overlooked practices:
- Thinking time
- Trust building
- Time for self
“These are not luxuries,” says Andy Dent. “They are the very foundations of effective leadership – and they’re often the first to go missing when pressure mounts.”
The Decline of Trust
Equally concerning is the erosion of trust. In 2023, the MIT Sloan Management Review found that high-trust organisations see employees who are:
- 260% more motivated
- 41% lower absenteeism
- 50% less likely to look for another job
Yet Mercer’s 2024 Global Talent Trends Review reported a sharp decline in employee trust – from 80% in 2022 to just 69% in 2024.
In today’s hybrid world, building trust is more complex than ever. Leaders are often managing relationships with people they rarely meet in person. And when the moment for an authentic conversation arises, it’s easily undermined by fatigue, fear of offence, or hasty assumptions.
“Trust isn’t built through performance alone,” says Caroline Taylor. “It’s earned through presence, empathy, and the courage to listen.”
Time for Self: The Most Personal Act
The third neglected act – time for self – is perhaps the most personal and the most misunderstood.
Despite the explosive growth of the wellness industry, most leaders still struggle to care for themselves in meaningful ways. McKinsey’s 2021 report valued the wellness market at $1.5 trillion, yet most consumers report stagnation or decline in their wellbeing.
For many leaders, taking time for themselves comes with guilt. Their to-do lists are endless, their teams overstretched, and the boundaries between work and home increasingly blurred. Even when they do find a moment to pause, they’re not always sure what they need to replenish themselves.
“It’s not about the latest fitness fad or wearable tech,” the authors argue. “It’s about identifying what truly restores you – and making it a habit.”
So, where do you start?
In a world as cacophonous as the one we’ve described, simplicity can feel too simple. But returning to the basics, regularly, is what sets us free.
Here are a few practical steps to begin reclaiming the neglected acts of leadership:
- Take back control of your diary.
Ask: What should I stop doing? What could others do as well as me? - Schedule thinking time.
Use structured thinking directions – open-ended creativity to short-term planning – to help focus your mind. - Make time for authentic conversations.
Prioritise honesty, empathy, and respect in your interactions. - Pin down what you need to be at your best.
Use habit stacking – pairing new habits with existing ones – to make change sustainable.
Dive deeper into these transformative ideas by reading the opening pages of The Neglected Acts of Leadership.