Blog 16: Leading with Margin – The Missing Ingredient in Sustainable Leadership
Leading with Margin: How Sustainable Leaders Avoid Burnout
Discover why margin, not hustle, is the key to sustainable leadership. Learn practical ways to protect energy, honor your genius, and lead with clarity.
The Missing Ingredient in Sustainable Leadership
In today’s rhythm of nonstop leadership, it’s easy to mistake momentum for effectiveness. We push through disruption, fatigue, even burnout—because somewhere along the way, “always on” got confused with “always strong.”
But here’s the truth: leadership that lasts isn’t fueled by adrenaline. It’s sustained by margin.
Margin isn’t just empty space on a calendar. It’s emotional oxygen. Strategic stillness. The room to lead with clarity instead of reactivity. And in a culture that prizes hustle, margin is a radical act of wisdom.
Margin Creates Sustainable Grit
At SemitaCor, we don’t believe in grind-for-grind’s-sake. Our model of grit with grace emphasizes perseverance fueled by purpose, not pressure.
Margin doesn’t slow leaders down. It helps them move forward with vision, not just velocity.
Working Genius: A Map to Energy and Margin
The Six Types of Working Genius gave language to what many of us already sensed: we thrive in different zones.
For me, that meant Discernment and Galvanizing. I’ve always found energy in evaluating others’ ideas and rallying people toward the best path forward. Now I understand why it lights me up—and what drains me, too.
Leaders who know their Genius can protect energy, build healthier teams, and sustain performance without burning out. And the numbers don’t lie:
Teams using Working Genius report 31% better meeting productivity
They see a 67% reduction in misalignment between talent and role
When leaders understand their genius, they create space for everyone to thrive.
Four Practices to Lead with Margin
(And what I’ve learned from living them.)
Schedule White Space
Early in my career, a mentor challenged us to spend 10% of our time—about four hours a week—just thinking. No deliverables, no meetings. That rhythm recharged creativity, improved collaboration, and built capacity for the future.Honor Your Genius
Once I understood my Working Genius profile, everything clicked. When I’m evaluating ideas (Discernment) and energizing people (Galvanizing), I’m not just working—I’m thriving.Protect Your Purpose
My compass has always been values. Margin creates the room to say no to what doesn’t align and double down on what matters most.Model Recovery Out Loud
Back in my New Orleans days, those “vision hours” sometimes became impromptu sailboat rides on Lake Pontchartrain. The wind would hit just right, and a few of us would take our big ideas out on the water. It wasn’t wasted time—it was culture, creativity, and connection.
A Final Word
Margin isn’t a luxury. It’s a leadership essential.
Because in the end, sustainable leadership isn’t about lasting longer—it’s about leading better. With heart, with purpose, and from a place of strength.
This blog insight is pulled straight from the Leadership Margin Toolkit. Want the full version? Email me “Margin” in the subject at info@semitacor.com and I’ll send it.
