Yesterday, I was mid-email when I realized my son was using my laptop charger to tie the neighbor’s dog to a lawn chair.
And we’re out of popsicles.
Again.
I’ve declared a moratorium on screen time while also silently thanking the gods for Gorilla Tag.
It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine.
This is just… another season of leadership.
One where everything’s a little louder, messier, and stickier. And maybe that’s okay.
Control vs. Capacity
Summer can feel like a paradox, especially for those of us trying to work while kids are home, camps are inconsistent, and the structure we’ve clung to all year suddenly evaporates like sidewalk chalk in a heat wave.
We want to keep everything running.
We want to be fully present and fully productive.
We want to lead well — at work and at home.
But here’s the hard truth:
You don’t need a better plan. You need a different mindset.
Because the problem isn’t your calendar.
It’s the expectation that you should be able to do it all exactly the same way you do in October.
Leadership Has Seasons, Too
We talk a lot about seasons in nature.
But leadership has seasons, too.
There are seasons of growth and planning.
Seasons of intensity.
Seasons of rebuilding.
And yes —seasons that feel like total entropy wrapped in sunscreen and snack wrappers.
Summer, especially for parents and caregivers, is one of those “in-between” seasons.
It’s not quite rest. Not quite rhythm.
But it’s still part of the whole.
And how we show up in this season shapes how we lead through the next.
Lead Like a Human, Not a Robot
If your nervous system feels frayed and your bandwidth is melting like those forgotten popsicles, here are a few reminders from our Tactical Emotional Intelligence™ Toolbox that might help:
🌀 Name what’s real.
Yes, it’s harder to focus with a house full of chaos. Call it what it is. Honesty is the first step to adjustment.
🎯 Redefine success (for now).
Instead of “everything done perfectly,” aim for:
– One thing moved forward at work
– One moment of connection at home
– One moment of regulation for yourself
🧠 Set expectations you can actually meet.
Leadership is not about pushing harder. It’s about knowing what’s possible — and communicating that clearly.
💬 Ask for support, out loud.
Whether it’s with your team, or your partner, or your neighbor, speak the truth: “I’m in a season with less margin. Here’s what I need.”
It takes a village.
The Takeaway
This summer, your leadership might look different.
It might look like:
– Slower mornings and louder afternoons
– A little more screen time than you planned
– Less polish, more presence
– More compassion, less control
And that’s not failure.
That’s adaptation.
Resilience in the summer isn’t about getting it all done.
It’s about learning what can bend—and what can break.
So take a breath. Let something go.
And if you’re feeling wobbly — know that you’re not alone.
We see you.
And we’re holding space for all of it — with snacks.
Your Colleague in Chaos,
Elise
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