Take a Breath
A reminder that leadership isn’t meant to feel like survival.
It struck me, while attending various industry panel events recently, that many entrepreneurs and business leaders trying to drive their businesses forward share the same furrowed brows and quiet frustrations. The relentless pressure of day-to-day issues absorbs so much of their focus. Some seem to sense it; others don’t appear to realise how far they’ve drifted from their original vision and purpose with every new crisis.
In the fast-paced and demanding world of the UK food industry, senior leaders and CEOs are constantly pulled in multiple directions. From supply chain disruptions to shifting consumer demands, from compliance challenges to internal team dynamics, the pressure to respond quickly is relentless. Yet, this constant urgency is quietly undermining strategic leadership. When leaders are perpetually reacting to immediate concerns, they lose sight of their original long-term vision, forget the value of an innovation culture, and often inadvertently breed an igloo mentality amongst their leadership teams that results in isolated decision-making and a dearth of communication.
“The result is a leadership culture focused on survival rather than growth.”
Many food industry leaders begin their day with the best intentions. However, before the first double Espresso is downed, they are often swept into a tide of operational chaos. A missed delivery, a retailer threatening to delist a product, a team member requiring support, or a social media post needing damage control, are just a few examples of the daily disruptions that demand attention. While these issues are real and important, they consume mental bandwidth and distract leaders from the strategic priorities that truly shape the future of their business.
“It’s not abnormal for a CEO to gather their Board to draft and review a “critical” email response to a Retailer buyer, taking hours to perfect what will be scan read in seconds.”
Another significant challenge is the over-reliance of teams on senior leadership. In many UK food businesses, particularly those with traditional hierarchies or experiencing rapid growth, decision-making remains heavily centralised. Teams frequently seek approvals, guidance, and reassurance from the top. Although this may feel flattering to leaders, it is ultimately exhausting and counterproductive. This dependency creates bottlenecks, slows progress, and stifles the development of leadership capabilities within the team. When every decision must pass through the CEO, leadership becomes a form of babysitting rather than empowerment.
The hidden costs of constant motion go beyond operational inefficiency. Reactive leadership erodes creativity, clouds strategic clarity, and impacts personal wellbeing. In an industry shaped by fast-moving trends, such as plant-based diets, sustainability, and health-conscious eating, leaders must have the space to reflect, anticipate, and adapt. Without this space, they risk falling behind, unable to respond proactively to market shifts.
Several systemic factors contribute to this cycle of urgency. The complexity of the food industry, with its intricate regulations, logistics, pervasive Retailer power and reputational risks, makes it uniquely demanding. Many businesses still operate under a legacy culture where the mindset is “the boss knows best.” Leaders often fear that delegation equates to a loss of control, and middle managers may lack the training or confidence to lead independently. These issues are deeply embedded, but they are not insurmountable.
Imagine a leadership approach rooted in reflection rather than reaction. By stepping back, not in retreat, but in strategic pause…taking a breath…Leaders can transform their impact. They can shift focus from fire-fighting to strategy, empower their teams, protect their energy, and foster a proactive business culture. This is not about doing less; it is about doing what matters most.
“It’s about building a balance of strategic vision and short and medium term action - not creating an unrealistic world of idealistic horizon gazing but advocating a world in which one battle follows another and leadership keeps one eye on the objectives of the war.”
To escape the urgency trap, leaders can adopt several practical strategies. Delegating with intent allows teams to make decisions, starting small and building trust. Redesigning meetings to streamline agendas and using asynchronous updates can reduce time waste. Investing in leadership development equips managers to lead, not just manage. Protecting thinking time by scheduling non-negotiable periods for strategic reflection is essential. Leaders must also model the behaviour they wish to see, demonstrating the value of pausing, prioritising, and reflecting. Finally, using technology wisely to automate routine tasks and leverage dashboards for visibility can free up time for judgment and strategic thinking.
“With the current maelstrom of pernicious headwinds facing our Industry it’s not realistic to expect your commercial teams to have the capacity and focus for strategic assessment and recalibration-this needs to be led by the CEO and baked into a quarterly Board schedule.”
The UK food industry does not need more exhausted heroes. It needs resilient, thoughtful, and mentally healthy leaders who can navigate complexity without being consumed by it. Leaders who can see the big picture, empower their teams, and create space for strategic thinking. Leadership is not about doing everything—it is about enabling everything to be done.
For those feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from their strategic purpose, the solution begins with a simple but powerful act: taking a breath. The business, the team, and the future self will all benefit from that moment of pause.