Thursday's Thoughts

Leaders,

Let's Talk About Worry...

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very thing, why do you worry about the rest?"— Luke 12:25–26

As leaders, we often carry the weight of strategic uncertainty, team dynamics, market shifts, and the responsibility of vision casting. But here’s the paradox: 

Worry doesn’t equip us to lead more effectively — it drains clarity, presence, and innovation.

According to Meg Selig in Psychology Today, the opposite of worry isn’t numbness or control — it’s mindfulness.

A mindful leader is one who can acknowledge emotion, respond rather than react, take aligned action when possible, and stay grounded in the present.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.

So here’s a reflection for you and your leadership team:

What is the true cost of worry in your organization — to decision-making, to culture, to creativity?

Let’s define it:

Worry (v.) – to give way to anxiety or unease; to allow one’s mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.

It’s mental noise — a signal that your inner system is stuck trying to “problem-solve” something that may not be in your control.

In coaching conversations with executive clients, we often ask:

• Is this a real and present challenge, or a projected fear?

• Is there a specific action you can take now to shift the outcome?

  
  

  If the answer is “no” to either, worry may be serving as a false protector — delaying action, blocking creativity, and keeping you out of presence.

  
  

Try this instead:

Shift to a Wonder Question. A technique from Gay Hendricks that activates curiosity, vision, and creativity — the mental states associated with high-performance leadership.

• I wonder how I can show up as a calming force during organizational change?

• I wonder what possibilities will open up once I delegate this decision?

• I wonder how we can reimagine this challenge as an opportunity for team growth?

  
  

Invite your team into this practice. Make space in your next leadership meeting for everyone to share one Wonder Question they’re holding. You might be surprised by the energy it unlocks.

How are you modeling the shift from worry to curiosity?

Where might you be holding onto control rather than creating space for insight?

Let’s have the conversation.

You've got this!

— Coach Tavia, PCC Creating space for transformation, one question at a time.

Related article: What Is the Opposite of Worry?