GrowOut
Leadership Challenges: 30 Days of Micro-Practices
Daily 5-minute leadership practices delivered by email. Starts January 1.
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One leadership challenge per day
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One small action you can do immediately
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One reflection question
01
January
Day 1 - Pause Before You Lead
The Challenge
Leadership often rewards speed. But reacting quickly isn’t the same as responding well.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Before responding to anything today, an email, a message, a question, pause and take three slow breaths.
That’s it. No fixing. No framing. Just pause.
The Reflection Question
What did you notice when you gave yourself that small moment of space?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
02
January
Day 2 – Name What You’re Carrying
The Challenge
We often lead while carrying invisible weight—stress, responsibility, unresolved decisions—without acknowledging it.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Write down one thing that’s weighing on you right now.
Don’t solve it. Don’t reframe it. Just name it.
The Reflection Question
How did it feel to acknowledge it instead of pushing it aside?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
03
January
Day 3 – Spot Your Default Mode
The Challenge
Under pressure, most leaders default to a familiar pattern—often without realizing it.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Today, notice your instinct in moments of tension.
Do you default to fixing, avoiding, or controlling?
No judgment. Just notice.
The Reflection Question
Which mode shows up most often for you—and when?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
04
January
Day 4 – Body Check-In
The Challenge
Leadership conversations live in our heads—but stress often shows up in the body first.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Pause once today and scan your body.
Where do you feel tension—jaw, shoulders, chest, stomach?
Don’t change it. Just notice it.
The Reflection Question
What might your body be telling you that your mind is skipping over?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
05
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January
Day 5 – Let Go of One “Should”
The Challenge
Many leadership expectations aren’t real requirements—they’re inherited assumptions.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Identify one “should” you’re carrying today.
Ask: Is this actually mine to carry?
If not, loosen your grip.
The Reflection Question
What changed when you questioned that expectation?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
06
January
Day 6 – Redefine Strength
The Challenge
Strength is often equated with endurance, control, or pushing through—especially in leadership.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Ask yourself:
What would strength look like today if it included rest?
Then act accordingly—however small.
The Reflection Question
What definition of strength are you currently living by?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
07
January
Day 7 – Weekly Reflection
The Challenge
Without reflection, even good practices fade quickly.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Look back on the week.
What did you notice about how you lead yourself—especially under pressure?
The Reflection Question
What’s one small insight you want to carry into next week?
Take time today to journal about this.
08
January
Day 8 – Listen Without Fixing
The Challenge
Many leaders equate listening with problem-solving. But being heard isn’t the same as being helped.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
In one conversation today, don’t offer solutions.
No advice. No reframing. Just listen all the way through.
The Reflection Question
What changed when you stayed with listening instead of fixing?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
09
January
Day 9 – Clarify Intentions
The Challenge
Misunderstandings often come from unclear intent, not bad intent.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Before a message or conversation today, start with:
“My intention here is…”
Then say the rest.
The Reflection Question
How did naming your intention affect the conversation?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
10
January
Day 10 – Ask One Better Question
The Challenge
Advice can shut down thinking. Questions open it up.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Replace advice with curiosity.
Ask one question that invites reflection instead of direction.
Examples:
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“What feels most important here?”
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“What options are you considering?”
The Reflection Question
What happened when you chose curiosity over guidance?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
11
January
Day 11 – Notice Power Dynamics
The Challenge
Power often operates quietly—through who speaks first, who hesitates, and who stays silent.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
In a meeting or conversation today, notice:
Who speaks first?
Who speaks most?
Who holds back?
No correcting. Just observing.
The Reflection Question
What did you notice about how influence shows up?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
12
January
Day 12 – Normalize Not Knowing
The Challenge
Leaders often feel pressure to have answers—even when clarity hasn’t emerged yet.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Say “I don’t know yet” once today.
Then pause.
The Reflection Question
How did it feel to create space instead of certainty?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
13
January
Day 13 – Acknowledge Effort
The Challenge
When results are the only thing recognized, effort becomes invisible—and motivation suffers.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Thank someone today for how they showed up.
Name a behavior, not an outcome.
Example:
“I really appreciated how thoughtfully you approached that.”
The Reflection Question
What shifted when effort—not results—was acknowledged?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
14
January
Day 14 – Weekly Reflection
The Challenge
Connection doesn’t always feel the same in every interaction.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Reflect on the week.
Where did connection feel easier?
Where did it feel strained?
The Reflection Question
What patterns are you noticing in how you lead with others?
15
January
Day 15 – Release One Decision
The Challenge
Leaders are often expected to decide quickly—but constant deciding can crowd out collective wisdom.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Today, don’t be the first to answer.
Pause. Let others speak before you do.
The Reflection Question
What emerged when you created space instead of direction?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
16
January
Day 16 – Invite Disagreement
The Challenge
Agreement can feel comfortable—but it doesn’t always lead to better decisions.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Ask one simple question today:
“What am I missing?”
Then listen without defending.
The Reflection Question
What did disagreement reveal that agreement might have hidden?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
17
January
Day 17 – Name the Unspoken
The Challenge
Avoided tension doesn’t disappear—it just goes underground.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Gently surface one thing you’ve been avoiding.
Use curiosity, not certainty.
Example:
“I might be wrong, but I’m sensing…”
The Reflection Question
How did naming it change the energy in the room?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
18
January
Day 18 – Share the Why
The Challenge
Tasks without context can feel controlling. Context creates ownership.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
When asking for something today, explain why it matters, not just what needs to be done.
The Reflection Question
What shifted when people understood the bigger picture?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
19
January
Day 19 – Shift From “I” to “We”
The Challenge
Language subtly shapes leadership culture—often more than we realize.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Notice how often you use “I” versus “we.”
Experiment with shifting the language.
The Reflection Question
How did that change how responsibility or ownership felt?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
20
January
Day 20 – Let Someone Lead
The Challenge
Letting go doesn’t mean disengaging—it means trusting others to step forward.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Step back once today and let someone else lead—a discussion, a decision, a direction.
Observe what emerges.
The Reflection Question
What surprised you when you weren’t at the center?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
21
January
Day 21 – Weekly Reflection
The Challenge
Letting go can feel uncomfortable—even when it leads to growth.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Reflect on the week.
Where did loosening control feel hard?
Where did it feel relieving?
The Reflection Question
What changed when leadership became more shared?
22
January
Day 22 – Zoom Out
The Challenge
When everything feels urgent, perspective is often the first thing lost.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Ask yourself one simple question today:
“Will this matter in six months?”
Let the answer guide how much energy you give it.
The Reflection Question
What changed when you looked beyond the immediate moment?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
23
January
Day 23 – Reconnect to Purpose
The Challenge
Over time, even meaningful work can start to feel transactional.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Ask yourself:
Why does this work actually matter to me?
Write down one sentence—no polishing required.
The Reflection Question
What did you rediscover when you named your “why”?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
24
January
Day 24 – Redefine Productivity
The Challenge
Productivity is often measured by output, not alignment.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
At the end of today, measure success by this question:
Did my actions align with what matters most?
Let alignment—not volume—be the metric.
The Reflection Question
How did this definition of productivity change how the day felt?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
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25
January
Day 25 – Learn From Friction
The Challenge
Resistance is usually treated as a problem—but it can be information.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Notice one point of friction today.
Ask: What might this be trying to teach me?
No fixing—just listening.
The Reflection Question
What insight emerged when you treated friction as feedback?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
26
January
Day 26 – Nature as a Mirror
The Challenge
Leadership rarely pauses—but clarity often lives in stillness.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Spend five minutes outside today.
No phone. No agenda.
Notice what’s steady. Notice what’s changing.
The Reflection Question
What did nature reflect back to you today?
Try this today. Notice what shifts
27
January
Day 27 – Celebrate Quiet Wins
The Challenge
Not all progress is visible—and what’s invisible is often undervalued.
The Micro-Practice (3–5 minutes)
Name one quiet win from today.
Something that didn’t get recognized—but mattered.
The Reflection Question
How did acknowledging it change your sense of progress?
Try this today. Notice what shifts.
28
January
Day 28 – Weekly Reflection
The Challenge
Leadership evolves through reflection, not just action.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Look back over the past four weeks.
What feels different—in how you think, respond, or relate?
The Reflection Question
What kind of leader are you becoming?
29
January
Day 29 – What Shifted?
The Challenge
Growth is easy to miss when it happens gradually.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Take a few quiet minutes today and reflect on the past month.
Write down three things you’ll carry forward—a mindset, a habit, a question, or a practice.
No need to capture everything. Just what feels essential.
The Reflection Question
What feels most important to bring with you beyond January?
Try this today. Notice what’s already changed.
30
January
Day 30 – Your Leadership Experiment
The Challenge
Leadership isn’t something you complete—it’s something you continue to practice.
The Micro-Practice (5 minutes)
Choose one micro-practice from the past 30 days that resonated most.
Commit to carrying it forward for the next month.
Let it be simple. Let it be human.
The Reflection Question
What leadership practice are you committing to beyond this challenge?
Closing Note
If this series resonated, know that this is the kind of work I explore more deeply through GrowOut—where leadership development happens slowly, outdoors, and in relationship.
Thank you for practicing alongside me this month.
Send me a note to tell me your biggest take away for 30% off on a program for you or your organization.
