Core Concepts: 'Settle' - Finding Balance in a Busy Business World
Knowing Self-Aware Leadership Minimalistical
Hello KSKOers
I keep hearing the word ‘settle’! Different people keep using it in different places. It’s got me thinking about the benefit of settling ourselves, taking a moment of calm and resetting for whatever is to come next. Settling feels like resilience walking.
This week’s Knowing Self Aware Leadership blog article was all about settling. Here’s a minimalistical, drawing out the core concepts for you. You can read the full article here.
Looking forward to joining you on your learning journey!
Active Reset: Settling isn’t passive, it’s a deliberate act of regulation. It means grounding yourself, calming your system, and preparing your mind for what comes next. It’s how you show up with intention, not just momentum.
Mind the Transition: Modern workdays blur one task into the next. But real clarity comes in the space between. Give yourself permission to pause between meetings or decisions - it’s where focus and balance are rebuilt.
You Already Do It: When you say “Give me a sec” or “Let me breathe,” you're settling, whether you name it or not. Start seeing these as purposeful tools for self-regulation, not guilty pauses or wasted time.
Reframe the Word: If the word ‘settle’ brings up school-day reprimands, try reframing it. Think ground, centre, reset. Settling isn’t shutting down; it’s stepping into calm authority and composure.
Lost Natural Pauses: In-person work gave us natural breathers: walking down corridors, running up stairs, and jumping into lifts. Remote work-life erased those buffers. Now, settling requires intention. Without it, we risk losing presence, clarity, and mental space.
Micro Rituals Matter: Simple acts like pouring a coffee, stepping outside and tidying your desk can be powerful settling rituals. They don’t need to be long, just mindful. These moments shift you from reactive to responsive.
Settle Before You Speak: Settling isn’t just for quiet moments, it matters when you’re in the spotlight too. Before you speak, present, or respond, a pause lets you recalibrate. It boosts presence, sharpens impact, and earns attention.
Build It In: Don’t wait for overwhelm to force a pause. Proactively schedule time to settle. End meetings five minutes early. Walk between tasks. Protect your transition time like it’s part of the work. As they say - make time for your health or your health will take time from you.
Lead from Stillness: The most grounded leaders don’t rush. They pause. They think. They act with purpose. Settling gives you the traction to lead with clarity, not chaos. It’s not a delay, it’s a strategy.
The Last Word
Settling is a powerful, intentional act of self-regulation that supports clarity, presence, and resilience. In a world of constant motion, it offers a moment to pause, reset, and transition with purpose. Whether through small mindful pauses, breathing deeply, or scheduling time between meetings, settling helps shift us from reactive to responsive. It's not about stopping, it’s about grounding ourselves to move forward with calm focus and deliberate impact.
Nia is an expert leader who talks the talk and walks the walk. She is an academically awarded thought leader in self-aware leadership and practices self-aware leadership every single day in her role as a Director in a Children’s Charity.
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