Fuelling Your (Self)Leadership
A Risky Takeoff
I knew a guy in my early flying days who got airborne in an aircraft he was uncertain had enough fuel to get him where he was going. Not only was this a decidedly dodgy decision in the first place, but it was compounded by the fact that he needed to cross a lake to reach his destination – and more fuel. He was uncertain enough to leave his fiancée behind at his point of departure and was reportedly retrieved from the middle of that lake by a fishing boat. The aircraft was never found.
He had options. He could have stayed put. He could have admitted his miscalculation and asked for help. Yes, that may have felt embarrassing and required replanning, but it would have been less humiliating than being hauled out of a lake – and certainly less costly.
It’s easy to judge. It’s easy to point fingers and imagine what we would have done differently. And yet, how many of us are “getting airborne” every day with grave doubts as to whether we have enough “fuel” to reach our destination?
Fuel Levels in Real Life
How many of us are quietly worried about our own energy levels, and those of the people around us? How many are watching teammates sag, and pushing through exhaustion ourselves so we don’t let others down? And the bigger question: where will you be retrieving your teammates from when they run out of fuel? And where will they need to retrieve you from?
Taking time to regroup occasionally is crucial – even when you’re tired. Especially when you’re tired. Even when it’s been tough. Even when you feel like there isn’t much gas left in the tank.
The Power of Pause
We could all do with as many calculated moments of “pause and assess” as we can remember to take. Not because we don’t want to move forward, but because we need to move forward well.
There is nothing that tires us more than trying to live outside the present moment. The past is a murky place of could-have and should-have. The future resists being reeled in no matter how hard we try. The present slips by unless we focus on it – and yet it’s the only place we can both refuel and experience gratitude.
Refuelling for the Journey Ahead
If we want to manage our “fuel state” responsibly and avoid making dodgy decisions for ourselves or others, then we need to ensure we’re fuelled for the journey ahead. And there is no purer fuel I know than gratitude. Gratitude is also very effective at pulling us back into the present moment.
Reminders are everywhere: nothing is guaranteed, tomorrow is not promised, and certainty is often an illusion. Each of these reminders calls us back to living fully in the moment and grasping what we do have with both hands and a brave heart.
If you’re exhausted by mulling over what’s already come or trying to predict what comes next, then pausing to notice what you have here and now is the fastest way to centre yourself and restore your energy. There are businesses and people who haven’t made it through the last few years, much the same as there is an aircraft at the bottom of a lake somewhere.
The fastest way I know to notice what you already have is to ask: “What if everything I wasn’t grateful for today wasn’t there when I woke up tomorrow morning?”.
Gratitude as Leadership Fuel
Self-leadership means taking time to answer that question for yourself – often. Team leadership means creating and encouraging that same pause for those around you, whether at a family table or in a team meeting. It means inviting others to name the things they’re grateful for, the things they’d miss if they weren’t there tomorrow.
Gratitude retrieves us from where our energy is stuck in the past or future, and centres and refuels us for today. Personal leadership means leading by example – and none of us can run on empty.
At Making Teams Work, we believe all leadership begins with self-leadership – and that requires fuelling yourself wisely. Gratitude isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a powerful energy source that equips us to lead with clarity, calm, and courage. If you or your team are feeling drained, maybe this is the reminder to pause, refuel, and carry forward with strength.
by Christen Killick
October 6th, 2025