Taking Care of You In The Midst of Chaos
Nov 05, 2025
With shifting labor dynamics, shrinking resources, and a noticeable drop in team engagement, food leaders are facing the constant pressure to do more with less. The chaos isn’t slowing down—and neither are the expectations.
When the whirlwind picks up, leaders must get intentional about taking care of themselves.
“If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others.”
– Jill Stuber
In this week’s episode of Real Talk with Tia & Jill, we dive into 3 practical shifts to stay grounded, lead with intention, and take care of yourself—without checking out.
π₯ 1. Get Out of Firefighting Mode
Urgency feels like it’s the default in food—but it’s not a strategy. When every issue feels like a five-alarm fire, leaders burn out… and their teams follow.
When we find ourselves firefighting often, “..we’re chasing that dopamine high of being in the know. And we’re stressing our bodies out.”
– Tia Glave
The fix? Get honest about what’s fueling the fires. Shift from solving surface symptoms to changing the deeper patterns. And most of all—protect your thinking time, not just your production time.
Ask yourself: Am I leading on purpose, or just reacting today?
π§ 2. Use Self-Talk as a Leadership Tool
Your mindset matters more than you think. The story you tell yourself shapes how you show up.
“When I wasn’t intentionally looking at myself—understanding where I was leaning in or pulling back as a leader—I wasn’t leading well.”
– Jill Stuber
The moment you start noticing your internal voice, you take your power back.
Try this:
- Replace “I don’t have time” with “What can I release to make space?”
- Shift “I should be doing more” to “I’m doing what matters most today.”
Reframing builds resilience, protects your energy, and helps you stay connected when things get tough.
βΈ 3. Slow Down to Show Up
Presence isn’t passive. It’s what makes people feel seen, safe, and supported.
“Before you know it, you’re so far away from ease and flow in your life, you don’t even know what it looks like to be there.”
– Jill Stuber
That’s what happens when leaders never pause.
You don’t need an hour. Start with ten minutes:
- Reflect before your next team meeting.
- Check in with a teammate without an agenda.
- Breathe before making that tough call.
These tiny shifts create space—for clarity, connection, and better decisions.
Because leadership isn’t about going faster. It’s about showing up with purpose.
Let’s Make This Real
The chaos isn’t slowing down. But you can stop running on empty.
Start with one shift. Interrupt the autopilot. Because as we say at Catalyst:
“Leadership isn’t a box to check. It’s a pattern to change.”
π§ Listen to the full Real Talk episode on YouTube or Podcast.
#LeadWithPurpose #CatalystLeaders #FoodSafetyCulture #GrowthMindset #IntentionalLeadership #BeTheCatalyst #RealTalk
