Helping businesses attract and retain diverse talent
Helping businesses attract and retain diverse talent
Inspired by the Victory of the England Lionesses – UEFA Women’s Euro Champions 2025
Great leadership has never been just about momentum. It’s also about knowing when to pause—when to step back, breathe deeply, and reconnect with something quieter and deeper before moving forward again.
The England women’s football team—the Lionesses—offered a masterclass in this during their victorious Euro 2025 campaign. Their performance wasn’t just about fierce play; it was about knowing when to wait, when to hold formation, when to trust each other. It was leadership in motion—and stillness. The roar of their win was built on moments of calm, courage, and connection.
We often associate leadership with speed: driving change, making decisions, responding fast. But the leaders who create lasting impact—on the pitch or in the boardroom—are not always the loudest or fastest. They are the ones who know when to be still.
Let’s challenge a myth: that slowing down is the same as falling behind.
It isn’t.
Stillness is not absence. It’s presence. As we saw with the Lionesses, it’s about intentional pause—centering before action. Watching them hold their nerve under pressure, calmly assess their options, and make decisions with precision reminds us that stillness can be the most strategic form of movement.
In high-stakes environments—from elite sport to executive leadership—reactivity often becomes the default. But over time, this constant motion wears us down. Stillness invites us to return—not just to the task, but to ourselves.
In poetry and sport alike, the still point is sacred. It’s the space where everything aligns—the eye of the storm, the breath before the strike. On the field, this is what we witnessed in the Lionesses’ teamwork: a shared rhythm grounded in trust, not haste.
In leadership, the still point is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline.
It’s where insight lives. Where instinct sharpens. Where clarity returns.
Operating from the edge—driven by deadlines or competition—can erode our inner compass. But the Lionesses show us what happens when you hold the centre: you lead, not chase.
In today’s leadership landscape—filled with digital noise, shifting expectations, and competing pressures—calm can feel radical. But calm is not passive. Calm is power.
As the Lionesses demonstrated under the glare of stadium lights and global media, calm under pressure is the difference between collapse and championship.
Leaders rooted in calm:
You don’t need a stadium to practice presence. Here’s how to build your own inner centre:
Stillness isn’t silence. It’s wisdom.
The most powerful leadership moments often come not from what’s said—but from what’s felt. The pause that invites others in. The breath that prevents a rash decision. The calm that inspires confidence.
This is the strength we saw in the Lionesses. Not just in their goals—but in their grace. In the moments between whistles, when they held space for each other—and for greatness.
Leaders who find their own still point are better at holding space for others. And that’s what winning teams do. They don’t just lead from the front—they lead from the centre.
Great leadership—like great sport—isn’t just about speed or power. It’s about presence. Awareness. Trust.
We saw that in the Lionesses. We can live it in our leadership.
There will always be another email. Another demand. Another match to win.
But your ability to pause—to find your still point and lead from there—will define your impact. Not in how fast you go, but in how deeply you serve.
So ask yourself: