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Hi Reader, Welcome to Your Dose of Mana — a quick, weekly note with: On Pace, Patience, and Knowing When to Slow Down 1 Real Story Patience. For those of you who know me well, you can stop laughing now. Seriously. My relationship with Bruce has required me to develop more patience than I’ve ever needed, for such an extended period of time. It’s been hard. Depending on how you count, we’ve been together about a year. Or more. Or exactly a year. No one can even agree on when the “first date” was, which feels oddly appropriate. Here’s the thing. I’m impatient. I move quickly. I process out loud. I text. I call. I like momentum. Bruce likes to explore.
He’s meditative in all senses of that word. He doesn’t rush conversations, decisions, and especially not relationships. Silence, to him, isn’t a problem to solve. At one point, I described it this way: In my past relationships, things moved fast. Whirlwinds. Swept off my feet. Love bombs. And then, years later, they crumbled. Was it because we rushed past the part where you actually learn how something works? Likely. This time has been slower. More curious. More intentional. Less about racing toward an outcome and more about exploring what is and what could be. Regardless of the outcome, I’m just enjoying the time we have together. Carpe Diem. 1 Leadership Insight his shows up in leadership more than we like to admit. Sometimes leaders need to act quickly. Decisions can’t wait. Speed matters. Other times, what’s required is patience. Slowing down to understand people, dynamics, motivations, and the ripple effects of a decision. Both approaches are valid. Where leadership breaks down isn’t in choosing speed or patience. It’s in misreading the moment. Rushing because stillness feels uncomfortable. Most leadership failures aren’t about bad intent or lack of capability. They’re about applying the wrong pace to the situation. 1 Practical Takeaway The next time you’re facing a decision, pause and ask yourself: What is this moment actually asking for? Am I pushing toward an outcome because it’s necessary, or because sitting with uncertainty makes me uneasy? Sometimes the most effective leadership move isn’t doing more or deciding faster. It’s being present. Letting the moment be what it is. Sometimes the outcome doesn’t matter as much as we think. Presence does. 1 Dose of Art A little whimsy. A little joy. A little doodle. A little insight into Gary’s approach.
Doodle by Gary Schechner, 1/31/26 Even though this is a “mass email” I mean it when I say—let me know what you are up to. Reply, book a Zoom, pick up the phone. I’d love to catch up. And if leadership, culture, or people challenges are taking up too much brain space lately— Thanks for letting me show up in your inbox. More joy. Less friction. Always. |