Here’s a nugget for you. I’ve been thinking about building an online leadership community. All year.
And when I say ‘thinking about,’ what I really mean is:
Excitement → research → overwhelm → do nothing.
I’ve perfected this dance. Lather, rinse, repeat.
For you, this might mean delaying a conversation, putting aside making a decision, or getting lost in analysis paralysis before giving the go ahead on a project.
(And is vaguely bringing to mind the tabloid headline of “Celebrities! They’re just like us!” Not that I’m a celebrity…) But I digress.
Here’s why I get hung up on overthinking:
- I may or may not have a need for control or perfection.
- What if no one signs up? There’s that fear of looking foolish to other people.
- I’d prefer not to waste time and money on half-baked ideas.
Please tell me it’s not just me?
The challenge is that leadership (or running your own business) requires taking action that moves the business forward, often without full clarity. Or a crystal ball.
Waiting “until the time is right” comes at a cost. Doing so means lost opportunity because you never tested the idea, credibility because your team or colleagues sense your hesitancy and lose confidence, and momentum because a ball not in motion is still a ball not in motion.
The overthinking pattern is the same whether the stakes are low or high. You’re probably facing decisions that feel much more loaded and career-defining than my community idea. The mechanics of getting stuck? I’m guessing the pattern is the same.
As far as my business goes, the decision to create a community is fairly “low stakes.” Yes, it has the potential to create all kinds of opportunities for me and others. And if I don’t do it, no one is losing their livelihood or their life.
Here’s what I’m doing to help me break the cycle:
- Going back to my purpose. I want to make work suck less. Leadership can be lonely. Especially without a network or the right resources, tools and strategies (been there, done that, many T-shirts!) There are so many ways in which a community can provide leaders with support, that eliminates the lonely and adds joy back into work. I will spend time revisiting why this is important to me vs. getting hung up on the how.
- Start small. I get wrapped around the axle thinking I need to have it all figured out before I start (see above – certainty.) The reality is I can test the idea by floating it by a few people (say you, for instance!), or asking others with communities how they started, etc.
- Create accountability. I have many people who can support me here once I take that first step. (See above – get a network!) The key will be telling them what helpful accountability will look like for me.
- Define progress, and measure what matters. I do not need to come out of the gate locked and loaded. (See above – start small.) I can create milestones along the way and measure key metrics as we go.
Welcome to my “messy middle.”
In today’s world, we don’t really have the luxury of “wait and see” (especially with how quickly AI is advancing and revolutionizing so much of the work.) This doesn’t mean rushing to check a box. It is about being intentional in creating momentum and forward progress.
Full transparency: I wrote this as much for you as I did for me. This is my starting small, testing the idea.
I want to build a community built on Leadership Fluency, designed to help you trust your instincts and lead with more clarity and ease.
Your turn. Where are you hesitating and what’s one step forward you can take this week?
