Leading AT Your Post:  When You Can’t Withdraw But Can’t Continue at 100%

Operating in difficult times – You’re still showing up, but you’re running on fumes

This post is for those who are under pressure, those who are still showing up, but barely recognising yourself.    What does that look like?  Reflecting on caddying episodes, my mind goes to someone who is dealing with one significant issue after another (think multiple bush fires breaking out), another who feels the job is just too big and constantly under pressure, never able to get on top of things, and a third person whose marriage is falling apart while needing to pull off a major trade show. 

This isn’t a bad day, but sustained significant pressure.  And you’re running out of gas.

You feel the oxygen has been sucked out.  Concentrating is hard.   You just want to escape.  But you can’t – you have to see this through. 

So what do you do?  How do you manage this season when staying at 100% isn’t an option? 

What leading at your post actually looks like  

For some of you, you may notice yourself becoming more unproductive.  Anxiety is stealing your performance.   Your ‘get up and go’ may have gone and you struggle to get it back.  The mounting issues or workload just seem insurmountable. 

In some cases, you may notice you are working harder and longer but don’t seem to be making any headway.  You stay back, push through, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference.  And bitterness towards your colleagues, family or friends starts creeping in. 

For others, life might be collapsing at home and spilling onto work (or vice versa).  Either way, you know you’re ‘off’ and are unsure how to get back.  You might not even see light at the end of the tunnel. 

As you can see, storms take a wide variety of forms.  But you’re here, reading this, seeking help.  You’ve taken the first step toward recovery. 

Now, let’s take another.  When you can’t lead at 100%, you need a different strategy:  triage.  Here’s how it works.   

Framework 1: The Triage System – What must survive vs what can wait

When you’re in wartime at your post, the first question isn’t “How do I fix everything?” It’s “What actually needs to survive this season?”

Here’s a simple exercise i have found helpful.  Take a blank page. Write down every significant issue you’re dealing with right now — work crises, personal struggles, decisions pending, relationships strained. Be specific but just use headings.  Circle each one. Those circles are your bubbles.

What this does:

First, it shows you the truth. You’re not dealing with one hard thing. You’re juggling six, eight, ten bubbles simultaneously. Seeing them all on one page validates why you’re exhausted.

Second, it creates language. i tell my colleagues, “i have bubbles.” They know what that means — i’m dealing with a lot, operating at reduced capacity, and need their support. No elaborate explanation needed. This isn’t weakness. It’s strategic communication.

Third, it forces triage. Look at your bubbles and ask:

• Which of these must survive this season? (Non-negotiable)
• Which can wait 3-6 months without catastrophic consequences?
• Which can I delegate, drop, or renegotiate?
• What can I get rid of quickly?

You can’t sustain all your bubbles at 100%. Something has to give. The question is: will you choose what gives, or will your body choose for you?

Later in this post, we’ll use your bubbles to build a practical recovery plan. But first, you need to see them clearly.

Framework 2 – Communication Strategy (what to tell whom)

You can’t tell everyone everything. And you shouldn’t. Different people need different levels of information (whether at work or home).  Here’s how to decide what to tell whom.

Your Authority (Boss/Board/Key Stakeholders):
They need to know you’re operating at reduced capacity and what’s being covered. You don’t owe them details.
Say this: “I want you to know I’m dealing with some significant personal/professional challenges right now. I’m staying on top of [X, Y, Z priorities], but I may not be as available as usual for the next [timeframe].”
Don’t: Apologize excessively or overshare details that undermine their confidence in you.

Your Team (People you lead):
They need enough information to understand changes in your availability without carrying your burden.
Say this: “I’m navigating some things right now that are taking extra bandwidth. You might notice I’m less responsive than usual. Here’s what hasn’t changed: [key commitments]. Here’s what I need from you: [specific support].”
Don’t: Pretend everything’s fine or dump your crisis on them.

Your Postage Stamp People (3-5 trusted advisors):
These are the list of people whose names together fit on the back of a postage stamp (the very few). They get the full truth.
Say this: Everything. The whole messy reality. These are your people.  Be vulnerable and honest.
Don’t: Hold back or perform strength. You need them to help you think clearly.

Family/Close Friends:
What they need to know depends on whether they’re part of the crisis or your support system.
If they’re part of the crisis: Only what helps move toward resolution.
If they’re your support: Enough truth to let them help you carry it.
Don’t: Isolate yourself OR dump everything on people who can’t handle it.

Everyone Else:
They get professional boundaries and nothing more.
Say this: “I’m dealing with some things right now, so I may not be as available.”
Don’t: Explain, justify, or overshare.*

Framework 3 – Minimum Viable Leadership (the essentials)

In wartime, your job isn’t to excel — it’s to survive with your capacity intact. That means leading at 80%. How? By being ruthlessly selective about what gets your energy.

You already know what you’re dealing with (your bubbles from earlier). Now the question is: given that crisis load, what work can you realistically protect? Which 2-3 deliverables must survive? Everything else is negotiable.

Here’s what gets thrown overboard:
Professional development projects. New initiatives. Meetings without clear outcomes. Networking events. Strategic planning beyond 4 weeks. Perfectionism on administrative tasks. Anything with “nice to have” energy.

Here’s what stays — your Minimum Viable Leadership checklist:

1. Show up — physically present, even at reduced capacity
2. Communicate clearly — tell people what’s changed and what hasn’t
3. Protect 2-3 critical priorities — the work/deliverables that can’t wait
4. Delegate or defer everything else — no guilt
5. Maintain one anchor routine — the habit that keeps you stable (morning walk, weekly check-in, whatever grounds you)

This isn’t lowering your standards. It’s strategic load-shedding. You’re protecting your ability to lead long-term by accepting reduced capacity now.

Wartime leadership isn’t about doing everything well. It’s about doing the essential things well enough to get through.

Here’s What This Looks Like in Practice: James’ Story

A deputy CEO — call him James — came to me dealing with a narcissistic CEO creating chaos across the organization. Tension between them was escalating. The role was becoming unworkable.

At home: a four-month-old with silent reflux. His wife was surviving on three hours of sleep a night. At the same time, his mother’s dementia was worsening, creating conflict with his siblings about her care.

Three bubbles. Work crisis. Home crisis. Family crisis. All at once.

Here’s what James did:

He drew his bubbles. Seeing all three on paper validated why he felt like he was drowning. He identified what had to survive: keeping his job (financial stability with a new baby), protecting his marriage, and making one decision about his mother’s care.

Everything else got paused. Professional development? Dropped. New strategic initiatives at work? Delegated. Perfectionism? Gone.

He told his CEO: “I’m dealing with some significant personal challenges. I’m covering the critical deliverables, but I won’t be taking on new projects for the next three months.”

He told his wife and siblings: “I can’t fix everything. Here’s what I can do. Here’s what I need help with.”

James is still in wartime. The CEO hasn’t changed. The baby still has reflux. His mother’s dementia isn’t reversing.

But he’s leading at 80% instead of collapsing at 30%. He knows his season. He’s stopped pretending he’s in peacetime.

The Monday Test (one thing to try this week)

Here’s your assignment for this week:

Draw your bubbles. Take 10 minutes with a blank page. Write down every significant issue you’re dealing with right now. Circle each one. Count them.

That’s it. Don’t try to solve them yet. Just see them clearly.

Then ask yourself one question: “Am I leading like someone with this many bubbles, or am I pretending I’m in peacetime?”

If the answer makes you uncomfortable, you’re ready for the next step.

James is still at his post six months later because he matched his strategy to his season.

But not everyone can stay. Some crises require strategic withdrawal.

Be kind to yourself. Storm seasons are challenging.

And as always, hit subscribe (or e mail feedback@yourlifecaddy.com) with what’s on your mind – your burning issues shape where the caddy goes next.

Thank you for staying connected. To next month . . .

Your Life Caddy

Related Resources

Part 1: Peacetime vs Wartime Leadership — When Your Foundation Is Shaking
Take the 5-Minute Self-Assessment: Are You in Peacetime or Wartime? (link to toolkit page)
– **Coming Soon:** Part 3 — Leading from the Cave (May 2025)