Are you giving yourself what you need to truly thrive — in business and in life?

On a recent walk near my parents’ home in England, I paused, as I have many times, to gaze at two oak trees that always seem to catch my eye. They’ve stood in the same open field for decades, maybe centuries. Still. Expansive. Rooted. And quietly thriving.

I’ve been thinking about what allows them to grow so powerfully. Time. Space. A resource-rich environment. And how, sometimes, those are the very things we deny ourselves when we’re deep in work or building something important.

This month’s newsletter (in National Stress Awareness Month) is about growth that doesn’t come from pushing harder, but rather from making room, stepping back, and letting deeper roots take hold. If this resonates with where you are in your own work or life right now, I’d love to hear from you. Just hit reply and let me know what you’re noticing.

As anyone who writes newsletters knows, timing is always a bit of a gamble. I wrote this before the recent tariff announcements; you're reading it after. I'm not an economist or a politician, and I won’t pretend to be - but I do know how to support leaders through uncertainty. Whether you're leading yourself, a team, a company, or a project, this exploration of "pausing" may be valuable in your work. Sharing what I've learned over the years of my career is one way I can support my community, so I'm offering a free, virtual workshop on Leading in Challenging Times. There's a link to register in the final section of this email.

Warmly,

Joanna Kozlowski

Founder, Resolute Consulting LLC

P.S. If this message resonates with you, consider forwarding it to a colleague or friend who could use a strategic pause.

Step Back to Move Forward

In leadership and business, stepping back can feel like a luxury, but often it’s the smartest, most strategic move you can make. Stepping back isn't necessarily about slowing down, it's about recalibrating. It’s about regaining perspective, so you can make more informed decisions, respond with clarity, and align your energy with what truly matters.

Stepping back matters because:

• Burnout is real. Ambitious professionals often carry too much for too long. Without pause, performance suffers.
• You lose perspective. Being in the weeds prevents you from seeing the bigger picture. In volatile times, it's critical to notice when the landscape has changed. (note: the article is technical and a bit clunky, but worth the read)
• You stop learning. Reflection creates space for insight. Without it, experience doesn’t translate into growth.

What stepping back can look like in real life:

• A personal offsite: Book a day at a quiet spot - just you, a notebook, and your thoughts. Let the "aha" moments find you!​
• A “thinking week” (or afternoon): Inspired by Bill Gates' practice: no meetings, just reading, reflecting, and exploring ideas.
• A structured strategy session: Use strategy driving frameworks like SWOT or “Start / Stop / Continue” to review your business from above. You can do this solo, with your team, or with a guide or coach (check out the next section for how we could do this together).
• Silent working time: Block hours where input stops and output pauses. Create an intentional gap in the noise, unplug from alerts, email, etc. Dig in deep to questions that matter.

These practices don’t just reduce stress, they improve performance. They’re what help you work on the business instead of just in it.

Ready to Step Back - Strategically?

If you’ve been craving time to think, reset, or see your business from a higher vantage point, the Strategic Step Back might be exactly what you need. This isn’t a retreat or a coaching package. It’s a powerful, structured process designed to help you step away from the day-to-day, gain clarity, and chart your next move with confidence. Designed for one-to-one work, I’m currently booking one session per month, with availability in June and July.

Download the brochure here to see if it’s the right next step for you.

Upcoming Programming

• 4/15/25 CREW DC CREW Business Book Exchange - Coffee + Connection I'm thrilled to host this free event as part of CREW DC's professional development committee. Register through the link above.
• 4/16/25 IN PERSON workshop Lifelong Learning. This FREE session is a beta-test for my brand-new upcoming conference presentation (SMPS NERC, below). It's a fast 60 minutes, hands-on, and applicable personally as well as professionally.
• 4/17/25 VIRTUAL workshop Leading in Uncertain Times. A way to give back to our community through a FREE workshop. Whether you're leading yourself, a team, a company, or a project, join us online to learn skills and tools to support yourself and others.
• 4/23/25 - 4/25/25 SMPS NERC in Lancaster, PA. I'll be presenting Living Into Lifelong Learning - Building a Personalized Plan, Whatever Your Budget on Friday.
• 6/5/25 HAND 34th Annual Meeting and Housing Expo. It's my privilege to be a judge for the 2025 GenerationHAND Scholarship.

Work with Resolute for Training | Professional Development | Cohort-Based Leadership Development | Associations + Membership Organizations Programming | Retainer-Based Support | Leadership Advisory | Individual + Group Coaching | Special Projects

If you'd like to learn more about the services we offer, email us to receive our updated Statement of Qualifications.

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