Reflection Point – Showing up strong for the final quarter

How are you approaching the final leg of the year?  If this were a sprint on a running track, as you turn the final corner of the track for the last leg, you’d have saved some energy for the last burst; for what you know it will require of you.

Just like a sprinter rounding the final bend, leaders need to conserve and channel energy for the final push. And as I’ve been reminded watching the footy finals at home with my three boys in recent weeks, the final quarter—whether on the track or the field—is where outcomes are decided.

The fatigue—and sometimes injuries—are setting in. Recent AFL and NRL grand final games have demonstrated well how important the last quarter, and indeed the last minutes, are to the outcome of the game and to securing the premiership.

When fatigue and pressure rise, our default reactive behaviours as leaders can surface—and we may unconsciously begin to act differently. In mental models language, this is the shift from “playing to win” (creative mindset, grounded in care) to “playing not to lose” (reactive mindset, driven by fear).

A leader I spoke with recently shared how their default position in recent weeks has been to buckle down and work even harder – even when they knew project deadlines could not be met.  We explored the many drivers of this behaviour and what was at risk for them (consciously and unconsciously) at this time.  For them, working harder and longer hours was their default behaviour – and felt safer than proactively re-negotiating timelines and risks, and avoiding the inevitable conflict and difficult conversations they feared would arise.

But the personal cost was high. They were feeling the toll on their wellbeing—having sacrificed their own needs (and sleep!) with no meaningful reward.

As you look ahead at the final bend of 2025, consider the following reflection questions to support your intention in how you can lead well to the end of the year.

Question 1

What would “playing to win” and leading from a creative mindset     look like – for me and my team – in this final quarter of the year?

Question 2

Where might I need to re-negotiate expectations or priorities to protect my energy and lead sustainably?

Question 3

 What personal decisions – outside of work – do I need to make to support what I intend to create professionally? (eg health, exercise, social and family connection, rest)

P.S. It’s been a month since my last Reflection Point. I took time to manage my energy and health before a family holiday in New Zealand. I’m back now, refreshed and ready for the final quarter—and grateful to re-connect with you here xx