Patti Cotton

Sustainable Energy Is Not About Recovery

Patti Cotton — Mon, 11 May 2026 08:49:26 +0000

Why alignment – not endurance – is what sustains leadership over time Across this series, we’ve explored several places where energy quietly drains for capable leaders. It does not always show up as visible overload. More often, it accumulates beneath the surface – in how leaders relate to their expertise, how they manage ambiguity, and […]

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The Hidden Cost of Constant Reactivity

Patti Cotton — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:33:54 +0000

Urgency is draining more than your workload. Senior leaders rarely think of themselves as reactive. They see themselves as engaged, responsive, and closely connected to the work that matters. In many cases, that’s accurate. But in complex organizations, responsiveness can gradually become something more costly. The pace increases. Escalations multiply. Decisions are expected quickly. Over […]

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When Expertise Becomes an Energy Drain

Patti Cotton — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:42:44 +0000

For most professionals, expertise is the goal. We spend years building it. We refine judgment, strengthen pattern recognition, and become the person others rely on when decisions matter. Expertise creates credibility. It opens doors. It increases influence. Over time, it also becomes part of how we see ourselves. By the time someone reaches senior leadership, […]

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Burnout Isn’t About Workload – It’s About Where Your Energy Gets Stuck

Patti Cotton — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:29:06 +0000

For years, we’ve talked about burnout as if it were a simple math problem: too many hours, too much pressure, not enough rest. The implied solution is equally simple, work less, take more breaks, create better boundaries. And while all of that matters, we are missing something essential. Most of the leaders and professionals I […]

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Resetting the Energy You Carry into the New Year

Patti Cotton — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:25:40 +0000

As the year draws to a close, it’s natural to turn your attention to what’s ahead—new strategies, fresh goals, the momentum you want to build. But in your eagerness to prepare for a stronger year, you may skip over something essential: You can’t step into the new year with clarity or strength if you’re still […]

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Forgiveness as a Leadership Culture: Restoring Energy Across Teams and Organizations

Patti Cotton — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 14:06:20 +0000

Forgiveness isn’t soft. It’s not sentimental. And it’s certainly not a private, one-time act we keep tucked inside our own minds. In leadership, forgiveness is a way of freeing energy—our own and our team’s—so we can focus on what matters most. When leaders learn to let go, acknowledge tension, and create space for repair, something […]

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