📬 In This Week’s Issue:
Why feeling stuck is often a signal, not a problem
How retreats and off-sites can reset your energy and vision
The hidden ROI of stepping away from the grind
Reader Q&A: “What should I actually do on a leadership retreat?”
A challenge to step back so you can lead forward
Setting the Stage
Ever feel like you’re thinking in circles?
Same meetings. Same problems. Same ideas.
You’re not broken—you’re just stuck in the loop of execution.
When leaders hit that wall, they usually try to grind through it.
But the smartest ones?
They step away… on purpose.
🔎 THE BIG INSIGHT
Feeling stuck isn’t always a mindset issue.
It’s often an “environment” issue.
When you’re deep in day-to-day decisions, there’s no time for reflection.
And without reflection, leadership becomes repetition.
That’s why retreats and off-sites are a must, not a luxury.
Whether it’s 1 day or 3, solo or with your team, stepping away helps you:
→ Regain clarity
→ Reconnect with purpose
→ Spark new solutions
→ Rebuild your energy
Don’t look at it as a vacation…
What Great Offsites Actually Create
Distance from the Noise
The phone’s not ringing. Slack’s not pinging.
That mental quiet is where new ideas start to breathe.
Deeper Trust with Your Team
Offsites create space for real conversations, not just updates.
Shared meals, hikes, whiteboard sessions… these build alignment and belief.
Space to Zoom Out
You can’t fix what you can’t see.
Stepping back reveals patterns you missed up close.
A Pattern Interrupt for Yourself
Changing your physical environment often sparks creative breakthroughs.
Sometimes clarity shows up where there’s no cell signal.
Action Item:
I want to make sure you hear something… in my many years of coaching high-performing leaders, it’s rare that “more hustle” is the answer.
You need to unplug and think bigger picture.
Offsites aren’t an escape from leadership or you taking time off, they’re strategic.
They’re how you get better at it.
💬 READER QUESTION
Q: “What should I actually do on a leadership retreat?”
Here’s a simple structure that I’ve seen work across many of our clients (assuming you’re taking a solo retreat):
→ Morning: Walk, journal, or read, no inputs
→ Midday: Reflect on 3 questions:
What’s working?
What’s not?
What needs to change?
→ Afternoon: Creative space—whiteboard, strategy, vision work
→ Evening: Movement + stillness—hike, workout, or do nothing
Whether it’s solo or with your team, the goal is simple:
Step back so you can see forward.
~ Chad Todd
This week, try blocking a half-day to unplug and reflect. Even just a few hours outside your normal rhythm can unlock clarity you’ve been missing.
P.S.
If you’re serious about building a stronger culture and better leadership systems, check out Culture Wheel.
It’s the platform leaders go to hone their skills and build engaged teams and simplify performance reviews.
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