Why Running on Empty Makes Leadership Harder (And What to Do About It)
As the calendar winds toward the end of the year, many of us arrive at the finish line of the year feeling more than a little drained. Tasks completed. Meetings ticked off. Busy-ness done. And sometimes, heart and purpose fading somewhere in between.
Watching Wicked: For Good last weekend had me with all the big feels. It reminded me about the things that matter. Sacrifice, integrity, curiosity, forgiveness, and collaboration which can often be the hardest to sustain when our tank is running empty. Yet they are the very things that define resilient, authentic leadership.
Sacrifice and Integrity. Choosing What Matters When It’s Easier to Opt Out.
In the musical, characters make deeply personal sacrifices, standing up for what they believe is right even when easier, safer options are within reach. As leaders, we’re often tempted to meet the year end grind with quick fixes. Cut corners, drop values under the pressure, deprioritise the soft stuff. But integrity isn’t optional fuel. It’s core fuel. Choosing what matters, even when it hurts, builds trust, meaning and long term strength.
At year’s end, I encourage you to ask: “Where am I tempted to take the easy shortcut because I’m tired at the cost of integrity?” And then choose differently.
Staying Curious. Don’t Let Comfort Kill Questioning.
Sometimes the hardest battles come not from outside pressure, but from inside complacency. Wicked: For Good shows that things are rarely what they first seem and that curiosity, questioning and open-mindedness are acts of courage.
As we close out the year, it’s tempting to fall back on what ‘we’ve always done’. Instead, lean into curiosity. Ask hard questions. Why do we do this? Who is included, or excluded by our assumptions? What stories haven’t we questioned lately?
Remaining curious keeps us honest, adaptive and alive.
Forgiveness. Letting Go to Move Forward.
Conflict, tension, misunderstanding. These build up fast under stress. But holding grudges and harbouring resentment can drain more energy than it saves. The act of forgiveness in Wicked: For Good isn’t weakness. It’s liberation. It’s freeing up emotional and collective energy for something better.
As leaders, forgiveness is also an act of creation. It clears space for trust, connection and belonging. As the year closes, maybe especially then, consider what grudges, judgments or closed doors do you carry? What would it take to let them go or at least open them just a crack?
Working Together. Complementing Strengths When We’re Tired, Not Drained.
In the film, the power doesn’t come from one hero going solo, but from a group, each with distinct strengths, working together. That’s the kind of leadership we need when we’re tired. A recognition that we don’t need to carry everything ourselves. We need each other.
At Sparrowly, we often talk about diversity of thought, background and skills. And we did that when we came together last week for our annual planning day. Now is the moment to lean into that. Ask for help. Share burdens. Celebrate others strengths. Collaboration isn’t a luxury, it’s continuity. By being vulnerable, honest and creating a safe space to share, we didn’t just crack the door open, we kicked it down to get to the core of where we are and what we need, together to open more doors in 2026.
When the Tank Is Empty. A Simple Ritual to Reconnect.
Inspired by the kind of reflection we advocate for at Sparrowly, here’s a year end ritual you might try. I’m actively doing right now to refuel the tank, not just on the Christmas break but now, in preparation for the last stretch, so that I can properly enjoy my time off and walk in 2026 not only fully charged but with the tools to keep charged.
Name the tank - acknowledge that you’re running on empty. Say it. Write it. Accept it.
Honour what still matters - list the values, causes, people that you see as non-negotiable. Even if your energy is low, they deserve recognition.
Ask yourself and your team three questions
Where did I take the easy shortcut this year when I should have chosen integrity?
What assumption have I locked into that needs questioning?
Who do I need to forgive or ask forgiveness from to leave behind heaviness before we start fresh?
Reach out - not as a sign of weakness, but as a sign of leadership. Ask for help, support, collaboration. Let others’ strengths complement yours.
Make a small promise - don’t plan grand resolutions. Just one small promise to yourself or your team. A commitment to stay curious, or to speak up, or to connect, or to forgive. One small act of integrity.
Because leadership at the end of a long year isn’t about what you accomplish when you’re at full throttle. It's about what you choose to carry forward, even when your tank is empty.
The lessons from Wicked: For Good are not just for the screen. They’re for the real world of teams, business and belonging. And now perhaps more than ever they remind us why we lead. Not for status, but for values. Not for recognition, but for connection.
As we wrap up this year at Sparrowly Group, perhaps the greatest act of leadership we can commit to is this. Caring enough about what matters, being brave enough to question what doesn’t, humble enough to share strength, even when we feel like we’ve nothing left to give.
Here’s to finishing the year well and entering the next with courage, curiosity and heart.
