Brake or Accelerate? Driving Self-Leadership with Balance

Brake or Accelerate? Driving Self-Leadership with Balance

Think about the pedals when driving a car. The accelerator propels you forward with speed and energy, while the brake pulls you back, allowing for caution and control.

This simple metaphor can teach us a lot about the delicate balance required in self-leadership. Both pedals play a vital role in navigating life's challenges and opportunities. While one without the other may lead to disaster, learning to master the use of both can help you reach your destination smoothly.

Self-leadership: Controlling the pedals

Self-leadership is about driving your actions, your decisions, and ultimately, your success. It’s not just about having the courage to act (accelerator); it's also about knowing when to pause and reflect (brake).

The best leaders know that both are essential.

A common misconception is that great leaders are always charging forward, making quick decisions, and pushing themselves and others toward goals. But without using the brake — without moments of thoughtful pause — this style of leadership can lead to burnout, poor decisions, and missed opportunities for growth.

Accelerating with Intention

Let’s start with the accelerator. In self-leadership, this represents our desire to set goals, take risks, and stretch ourselves beyond our comfort zone. It’s about drawing on courage, values, and vision to move forward, even in the face of uncertainty. Like a car’s accelerator, it gives us momentum.

Accelerating is crucial when:

• You’ve set a clear goal and need to take actionable steps.

• You feel stuck in indecision and need to make progress.

• You’re faced with opportunities that require quick, bold decisions.

For instance, consider a healthcare professional who’s been in the same role for years. They may dream of taking on leadership or developing new skills, but fear and comfort hold them back. Here, self-leadership calls for pressing the accelerator — taking a calculated risk, enrolling in a leadership course, or applying for a new role. It’s about courageously driving toward what matters most.

Knowing When to Hit the Brake

But we can’t forget the brake. It’s tempting to see braking as a negative, especially when it’s associated with anxiety or self-doubt. However, the brake is equally critical in self-leadership. It’s what allows us to slow down, be reflective, and avoid rushing headlong into mistakes.

Braking is important when:

• You need to assess the risks or consider new information before making a decision.

• Emotions like fear or anxiety cloud your judgement, and you need time to reflect.

• Your energy or motivation is low, signaling the need for self-care.

Imagine a senior clinician feeling the pressure to make a quick decision on a client’s treatment plan. While speed might seem necessary, pressing the brake could be the best move. It allows for careful reflection, consulting with colleagues, and ensuring the decision is well-informed. The brake ensures that speed doesn’t come at the cost of safety or quality.

What Happens When We Forget the Brake or Accelerator?

Over-relying on either pedal can lead to issues. If we’re constantly pressing the accelerator, we might burn out, or worse, crash — overwhelmed by too much, too fast. We may also take unnecessary risks, leading to poor outcomes or strained relationships. On the other hand, if we’re always riding the brake, we can stagnate, miss opportunities, and lose momentum in our careers.

Self-leadership requires mastering both pedals. It’s not about constantly going full speed or constantly pausing but learning when each is necessary. The art of self-leadership lies in finding the balance between action and reflection, speed and caution.

Mastering Self-Leadership: When to Use the Brake and Accelerator

To cultivate this balance, you can use the following strategies:

1. Set Clear Goals

The accelerator works best when you have clear goals. Identify your long-term aspirations and the steps needed to get there. This helps you know when to press forward and when to slow down.

2. Cultivate Self-Awareness

Pay attention to your internal signals. Are you feeling overwhelmed or energised? Fearful or excited? Self-awareness is the key to knowing when to accelerate and when to hit the brakes.

3. Practice Mindful Reflection

Build regular reflection into your routine. Whether it’s through journaling, meditation, or debriefing with a colleague, take time to assess how you’re feeling and the direction you’re heading. This will help you avoid unnecessary detours.

4. Take Calculated Risks

Risk is part of growth, but it shouldn’t be reckless. When you use the accelerator, ensure your decisions are informed, not impulsive. Weigh the benefits and potential costs, then proceed with confidence.

5. Embrace Feedback

Sometimes we’re too close to a situation to see clearly. Seeking feedback from trusted peers or mentors can help you determine if it’s time to accelerate toward an opportunity or hit the brakes to reassess.

Conclusion

In self-leadership, both the brake and accelerator are vital. Learning when to engage each requires practice, self-awareness, and a deep understanding of your goals and values. It’s not about moving forward at all costs, nor is it about being overly cautious. The most effective leaders are those who can strike a balance — advancing when the time is right, but always with thoughtful reflection.

By mastering this skill, you’ll not only lead yourself more effectively, but you’ll also model a balanced approach to leadership for those around you. Remember, the road to success requires both pedals. Use them wisely.

To finely hone your self-leadership, join one of my self-leadership programs:

If this resonates with you, think about joining my Self-Leadership program or Thriving Professional Women.

The feedback from these programs is loud and clear.

“Joining TPW has been one of the best things I have ever done.” - Kim, participant 2021

“I cannot recommend Michelle’s Thriving Professional Women 10 month mentoring program highly enough. It has been a privilege to share, reflect, learn and grow with other like-minded women under Michelle’s wise guidance.

Michelle is so generous with her time and knowledge, and the support and open sharing of the group reinforced the learnings of each session. I look forward to applying what I have learnt into my leadership role as I strive to operate ‘above the line’.” - Jennifer Gay Team Leader

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