16/06/2026
Sometimes the Strongest Thing You Can Do Is Come Up for Air
I took this photograph of a humpback whale off the coast of Costa Rica earlier this year. (Yes, I really took it!)
What struck me was not the size of the whale, but what happened before this moment.
For most of its life, the whale remains beneath the surface. Much of its journey is unseen.
Many managers are the same.
From the outside they appear calm, capable and in control. Beneath the surface they may be carrying responsibility, pressure, difficult decisions, staff shortages, budgets, inspections and the weight of looking after everyone else.
For years I worked in senior leadership roles where being busy, resilient and available seemed to be part of the job description. Like many leaders, I became very good at keeping things below the surface.
But eventually there comes a point when staying underwater becomes harder than breaking the surface.
Retirement has given me the opportunity to pause, reflect and breathe again. It has also helped me realise how many managers are silently carrying far more than those around them realise.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or burned out, perhaps the answer is not to push harder.
Perhaps it is simply to come up for air.
These days I enjoy travelling, writing and having meaningful conversations with managers and leaders who are navigating the challenges I once faced myself.
Sometimes a conversation is all it takes to remind us that we do not have to carry everything alone.
What helps you come up for air?
