My Transition - 1 Month in…The Power of Gratitude, Sleep, and Separation - Brian Turner
I am 1 month into my transition from CEO. As most CEOs and senior executives will say, these transitions are epic — filled with reflection, discovery, and restoration. One month in, my shoulders are lighter, my creativity higher, and my optimism greater. This first month, I’ve focused on gratitude to all the people past and present who have helped me, consistent sleep/diet/exercise, and turning off all the operational and strategic questions that fill my head as a CEO. I’m off to a great start in this next chapter — but the more interesting question is how you can get the same effect while you are on the job — because, as they say, “it is a marathon and not a sprint.” Whether you are in the middle of one chapter or are about to start another chapter, here’s what I would say:
Extend gratitude as a daily practice. These jobs are so difficult that we get trapped in the crisis of the day or the metric we are trying to move. What gets lost is individual merit, courage, and learning. I would say go one step beyond simply “thank you” and into impact and curiosity. I think about my colleague, Jen, who years ago thanked me for our work together but then quickly followed with, “How did you do it? What was your thought process? And this is how your actions impacted me.”
Stay on the Plan — diet/exercise/sleep. My first month of this transition has been real disciplined around what I eat, when I exercise, and how much I sleep. You could fill a library with readings on the power of diet/exercise/sleep. Whatever you pick that works for you, stay on the plan and fight against people and events pulling you off of that plan. It shouldn’t take a job change to make that happen; it is a matter of committing to whatever works for you and fighting for it.
Design Separations During the Job. Like you, I received a ton of coaching from mentors, executive coaches, CEO groups like Vistage, and outside experts to build resilience by periodically stepping out of the day-to-day. With the pressures of the P&L and a dynamic market, it is very hard to do — and I was unable to do that effectively in the CEO job mainly because I was an adrenaline junky. I had never taken more than 2 weeks off in a row since the age of 21. I now know, looking backward, that all I had to do was commit to the time and space to step away, allow my mind to slow down, and look for insights all around me. Trust in your team that “they’ve got you.”
Month 1 has produced energy, creativity, and optimism. I think you can build this into your day job.
As I enter month 2 of my transition, I’m thinking a lot about curiosity and exploration — doing things I wouldn’t normally do, learning things outside my domain, and spending time with people who aren’t like me. I look forward to looping back with what happens after month 2.
Brian is a transformative leader with over three decades of experience in guiding organizations through transformative change. Known for his pragmatic, human-centered approach, he collaborates with CEOs and executive teams to address complex challenges and drive meaningful impact. Dedicated to developing future leaders, Brian actively engages in community initiatives, mentorship, and fostering partnerships across sectors.
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