As women leaders committed to social change, our dedication runs deep. Our work isn’t simply about a paycheck—it embodies our values and reflects what matters most to us. Our purpose guides both why and how we lead. We are the leaders whose will and determination always find a way.
Yet, leading sustainably from purpose can feel elusive. While we celebrate the victories that come from our persistence and principle-guided action, we must also acknowledge the costs. This is especially true as increasing community needs rise alongside diminishing resources. Many of us are doing more with less. And let’s be real—no one can maintain this pace indefinitely.
Even as we remain committed to our purpose, we feel the toll that our approach to values-embodied work is taking: our health, relationships, and families are suffering. It begins to feel like our only options are opting out or burning out.
Shifting to an Endurance Approach
Sustaining our impact requires more than individual grit; it demands intentional renewal systems. It also requires a mindset shift and practices that support that approach.
Transformational change is a marathon, not a sprint. Shifting our approach to endurance allows us to pace ourselves for the long haul. Attempting to sprint through a marathon inevitably leads to burnout. Yet external pressures convince us we can’t afford to slow down let alone rest; that is a luxury we can’t permit ourselves.
Sports science clearly documents that rest is essential for full recovery and produces the greatest strength gains. The same principle applies to leadership—leaders need rest to be most effective. Yet we often struggle to apply this wisdom to our leadership practices.
Even when stepping away for that necessary full-stop rest doesn’t seem possible, there are other approaches we can use to gain the benefits of rest while still moving forward. I recently learned such an approach not from a leadership training, but from my swim coach.
A Leadership Lesson from Open Water Swimming
In 2023, I took on a new physical challenge: open water swimming. This past spring, my coach prepared me for a 5K race (3.1 miles), building on my successful 2.5K swim the previous year. This year, she wanted me to level up my skills for this longer distance. I expected our training to focus on improving my individual technique—perfecting my stroke and breathwork to become a more efficient solo swimmer.
Imagine my surprise when, instead of coaching from her paddleboard, she jumped into the water and started swimming beside me.
As I swam freestyle through the waves, I realized my coach was unusually (and uncomfortably) physically close to me. When we surfaced, she explained: “That is drafting. You give it a try.”
She positioned me right next to her, with my head at her hip, and instructed me to swim. As I kept drifting away, uneasy with the proximity, she repeated: “Get closer.”
My internal resistance was immediate: “This feels wrong. I’m invading your space. My face is practically at your backside. This seems rude and must be annoying for you. I couldn’t possibly do this to another swimmer without first asking their permission.”
But my coach was clear: “No. Drafting is exactly what you’re supposed to do when you long distance swim in a group. You have to be physically close to get the benefit of being drafted.”
Beyond my discomfort, drafting felt like “cheating.” Then she reframed how to think about drafting: “Just think of drafting as resting.”
This. Changed. Everything.
During the race the next day, I nimbly moved between individual swimmers and clusters who broke the water’s resistance, reducing my drag. I stayed physically close as I had been instructed—often uncomfortably close. I maintained my pace with less effort and even swam faster while “resting” in their slipstream.
The counterintuitive nature of this experience was mind-blowing: I was resting, exerting less effort, while still moving forward faster than I would have alone.
The Strategic Art of Moving Forward While Resting
When we position ourselves within networks heading toward shared goals, especially those moving at our pace or slightly ahead, we advance our objectives while preserving energy. This strategic approach optimizes our limited resources.
The key? Staying close—close enough to benefit from the reduced resistance the network or community you are moving with creates. Luna Jiménez Institute for Social Transformation (LJIST) invites values-guided leaders to experience the power and impact of “Leadership Drafting” as active rest and a core practice for long-haul, sustainable transformational impact.
Consider the “flying V” formation of migratory birds. The leader at the point breaks through the most wind resistance, while others maintain forward movement with much less effort. When the lead bird tires, it rotates back, and another takes its place.
As Paul Bennett notes, “Birds flying in this V formation can cover 71% more distance using the same amount of energy.” The geese in the back even “honk” to motivate those in front.
The beauty of this system is that each leader takes turns at the front and at rest while the group continues to move forward. We don’t have to push through exhaustion or step away completely to find renewal—and it’s expected we’ll all take and offer a turn for resting.
That’s Leadership Drafting: advancing together through intentional positioning. Many of us are the lead bird in our organizations, yet our teams may not effectively use the uplift we create, or we don’t let them come close enough to benefit from our slipstream.
Finding Your Position in the Formation
Sustainable leadership requires knowing when to lead at the front, when to support others in taking that position, and when to strategically position yourself to preserve energy through active rest.
- Executive leaders: How are you developing others to step into drafting positions so you can fall back when needed? How are you teaching your team to effectively use the slipstream rather than working in isolation until burnout?
- Emerging leaders: What support do you need to step into the lead position so those ahead of you can rotate back and rest? What would it mean to actually use the drafting your leader offers?
Close proximity and clear communication are just as crucial as supporting each team member to take their turn. These elements form the foundation of this sustainable leadership practice.
The drafter understands their role isn’t to win or finish first—it’s to make progress easier for those they’re drafting by breaking the resistance and forging a path that’s easier for those who come directly behind them. By conserving our energy on these long-haul campaigns, we have reserves to tap when we need to “turn it up” for a sprint or take our turn drafting for others.
When we position ourselves within the peloton—what cyclists call a strategic cluster of riders to draft—heading toward shared goals, we advance more efficiently while preserving precious energy.
The Intimacy of Support
Effective drafting requires proper positioning—close enough to benefit from reduced resistance without losing momentum or disrupting the flow. In Leadership Drafting, “closeness” means everything from intellectual to emotional intimacy.* This kind of closeness requires trust and vulnerability that professional relationships rarely foster and even actively discourage.
Yet this very closeness is what makes drafting work.
This is exactly how LJIST supports women leaders: creating spaces for authentic relationships, building trust networks, and offering structured practices for rest, healing, and renewal.
The beauty lies in the ripple effects. Those who benefit from this support often create similar environments for others, extending the impact throughout their networks.
Tuck In Close: An Invitation to Rest While Moving
When leadership feels overwhelming and resistance has drained your reserves, remember that strategic sustainability isn’t just permitted—it’s necessary for long-term effectiveness.
Connect with networks designed to reduce resistance. Position yourself close-in within supportive communities. Allow yourself periods of reduced resistance while maintaining momentum.
At LJIST, we are drafters who teach leaders how to draft and train others to do the same. We support women leaders by absorbing resistance and creating space for active rest, enabling greater progress while preserving energy.
We waste precious resources and reinforce patterns of isolation when each woman leader swims alone. We need each other in close to be and use the slipstream for rest, renewal, and restoration.
You can’t break the wheel if it breaks you first.
Long-term transformation requires understanding the dance between intensive front-line leadership and strategic positioning within supportive networks. This is what LJIST is all about: Strategic positioning. Intentional sustainability. Distributed responsibility. Collective advancement.
LJIST creates that slipstream so “you don’t have to go it alone.” We invite you to tuck in close with us for active rest as you continue your leadership journey. Learn more about our transformational leadership programs at ljist.com or coaching with me here.
*Emotional intimacy is the feeling of safety and closeness that comes from sharing your innermost feelings, fears, and vulnerabilities.
- Sharing personal feelings: Communicating openly about your emotions, both positive and negative, builds trust and connection.
- Active listening: Providing a non-judgmental space for someone to share their thoughts and feelings is a core component of emotional intimacy.
- Empathy and validation: Showing a deep understanding and acceptance of another person’s feelings makes them feel heard and valued.
Intellectual intimacy is nurtured when individuals connect through shared ideas, perspectives, and stimulating discussions.
- Engaging in deep conversation: Going beyond small talk to discuss beliefs, values, and abstract ideas can foster a deep connection.
- Learning together: Exploring a new topic, reading a book, or debating a current event can fuel intellectual closeness.
- Respectful disagreement: Feeling safe to express a differing opinion while respecting the other person’s view is a sign of healthy intellectual intimacy.