When I was coaching, I noticed something about players who missed training. They’d always have a reason. A sore knee. A late night. A busy week. They’d tell themselves they’d be fine once the game started.
But you could always tell who’d skipped training once the whistle blew. Their timing was off. Their decisions were slower. Their confidence dropped the moment pressure arrived.
Leadership isn’t all that different. The habits you skip quietly in the background eventually show up when it matters most.
When we avoid preparation, the one-on-one check-ins, honest conversations, or taking time to think ahead, we pay for it later. You can’t fake readiness. It’s built through consistent, unglamorous work long before you need it.
The best leaders I know make time for that work. They schedule thinking time. They practise communication. They prepare for difficult conversations before they happen. It’s not exciting, but it shows up when pressure does.
This week’s challenge:
Look at your week ahead. Where do you need to “train” before game day? It might be rehearsing an important meeting, setting up time to listen to your team, or reading something that stretches you. Whatever it is, commit to it.