Red Thread Check-In: Fueling Your Leadership Endurance
I’ve started a Friday post series anchored in my FIRE framework—checking in weekly on our Focus, Intentions, Resilience, and Energy.
This week, I found myself zeroing in on energy—specifically, where it’s being fueled and where it’s being drained.
One of the biggest contributors to our energy levels is how we feel about the work we do each day. Marcus Buckingham’s research on “red threads”—the work that energizes us—is particularly relevant here. He notes that it only takes about 20% of energizing work in your week to prevent burnout. While that number seems surprisingly low to me, it also shows how powerful even small pockets of fulfilling work can be.
Still, if we want to lead for the long haul, we ideally want that percentage to be much higher.
⚡️Reflecting on My Red Threads
This theme really landed with me this week as I compared the work that filled me up with the work that drained me.
For those of you who’ve followed my journey, you know part of why I left my corporate role was to focus on what I love most—strategy and coaching leaders. It’s not that I couldn’t do the operational parts of leadership. I just knew those tasks didn’t play to my strengths.
And as Marcus Buckingham frames it:
“Strengths are not what you’re good at. Weaknesses are not what you’re bad at. ... The simplest and best definition of a strength is ‘an activity that strengthens you.’ And the proper definition of a weakness is ‘an activity that weakens you’—even if you’re good at it.”
That resonates deeply.
I remember one leader describing me as someone who was strategic, but also got things done. But when too much of my time is spent on “getting things done,” it becomes draining—even if I’m capable. That’s the hidden cost of operating outside your red threads for too long.
🎯 What Red Threads Looked Like This Week
I had several client sessions this week that lit me up. Here are just a few examples that show how leaders are using endurance coaching to navigate what matters most:
Strategic Alignment with the Board
One client was prepping for a strategy session where she anticipated friction with a board member. We simplified her messaging, crafted a prompt for AI-supported market research, and worked through what might get in the way of her influence.Quarterly Strategy Review & Reset
Another client and I reviewed her annual and Q1 goals—what worked, what didn’t, and where she wanted to shift her Q2 priorities. We clarified what she wanted to recommit to and defined the right level of accountability to keep momentum.Navigating a Career Crossroads
A longtime client needed a sounding board as he considered a new opportunity amid organizational change. We prepped questions, explored alignment with his longer-term goals, and reflected on past themes from our work together.Processing Difficult Feedback
One client brought in recent feedback tied to organizational performance and team dynamics. My role was to listen, ask the right questions, and create space for her to work through next steps with clarity and confidence.
Each of these sessions looked different—but they all supported leadership endurance in real time. That’s what this work is about.
🧭 Red Threads as Fuel for Endurance
Leadership isn’t linear—it’s full of uncertainty, human complexity, and constant recalibration. Add in the personal layers—family, health, community—and it’s no wonder it can feel like a lot.
But when more of your work aligns with your red threads—the things that strengthen you—you’re far more likely to lead with energy, clarity, and sustainability.
So, as you reflect on your own week:
What percentage of your time was spent on your red threads?
What drained you—and what energized you?
Send me an email - I’d love to hear.
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