Blog 9: Leading When You’re In Over Your Head – Draw the Next Right Thing
Leading When You’re In Over Your Head: Draw the Next Right Thing
Discover how emotional intelligence helps leaders navigate uncertainty. Learn why courage and clarity come from drawing the next right thing.
Leading When You’re In Over Your Head
In Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, there’s a moment when Harold realizes he’s in over his head. Literally.
“His hand holding the purple crayon shook.
Suddenly he realized what was happening.
But by then Harold was in over his head…
He came up thinking fast.”
That isn’t just a clever children’s story. That’s leadership. That’s emotional intelligence in action.
When the path disappears…
When your gut clenches…
When fear says freeze and wisdom says move—
That’s when you draw the next right thing.
My Purple Crayon Moment
I’ve been there too. Over the Christmas holidays, I had a conversation with my daughter about purpose, values, and the kind of leadership work that truly lights us up. That conversation didn’t just inspire me—it gave me a backup plan before I knew I’d need one.
So when I was laid off in March, it didn’t feel like freefall. It felt like acceleration.
No business yet. No formal plan. Just conviction, clarity, and a blank page.
And just like Harold, I came up thinking fast.
I didn’t wait for clarity. I created it.
I didn’t find the path. I drew it.
That path became SemitaCor.
What Emotional Agility Looks Like in Practice
At SemitaCor, we help leaders build the same kind of emotional agility:
Self-awareness when fear hits
Self-management under pressure
Creative action when the path disappears
We do it through coaching, reflection, and AI-powered micro-nudges that keep leaders clear, calm, and courageous before the waves hit. These prompts don’t automate your leadership—they align it. Like moonlight on Harold’s path, the tech isn’t the guide. It’s the glow.
You still have to draw the next right thing.
But you don’t have to do it in the dark.
The Leadership Lesson
Leadership isn’t about knowing exactly where you’re going. It’s about choosing the next right line with heart, intention, and courage.
So let me ask:
What’s a moment in your leadership journey when you had to draw the next right thing before you had it all figured out?
