The Quiet Burden of Holiday Leadership

I wasn't planning to share this, but leadership is about transparency. This morning, between flights, I had a moment of clarity. After a tough but necessary conversation with my family about the sacrifices required to build a world-class organization, I reflected on a lesson most leaders learn too late...

The holidays are a time of joy, but also of quiet struggle for those called to steward a company to greatness. While others relax, we carry the weight of Q1 planning, of keeping the enterprise aligned and ready to execute going into the new year. I thought to myself, watching my kids unwrap their presents, "If they only knew the discipline it takes to step away, even for a day."

But that's the burden of leadership. To hold the line on culture, even as the siren song of gingerbread and gift wrap tries to lure you away from your mission. To be present, but never disconnected from the drumbeat of innovation and growth. In those peaceful moments by the tree, leadership whispered its eternal truth: the mission never sleeps.

So to all the leaders out there drinking coffee by the light of your laptop while the family sleeps in, I see you. I feel the weight you carry, the hard choices you make to stay accountable to the vision, no matter the season. Some lessons can't be taught.

Grateful for the journey. Proud of this team. Because leadership isn't for everyone. But for those few called to its unforgiving peaks, there is no greater gift than the work itself. #LeadersLead #HolidayHustle #GrowthMindset