The best gift I can give myself\u2014and my company\u2014is to add margin to my life. I\u2019m not talking about financials but something else entirely: space to think, space to breathe and space to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the earlier part of my career, I said yes to almost everything. I reached a point where I was stretched so thin that I wasn\u2019t truly present in any area of my life and, over time, I\u2019ve realized that it was my own mindset at fault. Because there was always one more meeting to attend, one more initiative to oversee, one more stakeholder needing attention. I had to learn over time to set boundaries, to give myself the space I needed to operate at my best and, equally important, to take back more time for myself. So I engage in the practice of \u201cadding margin\u201d in three ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everything I do is guided by a simple but clear purpose: helping people live better lives through problem-solving. When a new request or opportunity comes my way, I ask myself if it aligns with that purpose and whether it\u2019s a true priority. If not, I\u2019m much more comfortable saying no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This wasn\u2019t easy at first. I used to think that saying no meant missing out or disappointing someone. But I\u2019ve realized that if I say yes to everything, I\u2019m not fully present for the things that matter most. This purpose-driven approach allows me to make decisions with intention, and it\u2019s helped me focus on what will truly move the needle, both personally and professionally. As a CEO, it\u2019s crucial to be clear about what you\u2019re working toward, and a well-defined purpose can serve as a powerful compass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a recovering perfectionist. Early in my career, I felt I had to be involved in everything to ensure the outcome met my standards. But one pivotal experience changed that perspective. Before my first maternity leave, I left my team with a detailed list of how I wanted things done in my absence. When I returned, I found they had ignored my instructions and done things their own way; to my surprise, they\u2019d done an even better job. Lesson learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Melinta, I focus on building high-performing teams and creating a culture where they feel trusted to make decisions and take risks. In an industry as innovative as pharmaceuticals, you can\u2019t have breakthroughs without taking risks\u2014which means there will be mistakes. That\u2019s why one of our core values is \u201cBe Bold, Be Different, Create Value.\u201d We encourage people to try new approaches, knowing that we\u2019ll support them even if things don\u2019t go perfectly. By building this supportive environment, I\u2019ve found that I can step back without losing control, which has given me more margin in my own life and greater strength in my team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, creating margin isn\u2019t just about saying no at work\u2014it\u2019s about making intentional space for personal recharge. Every Saturday is my day of rest\u2014I don\u2019t check email or respond to work messages. I come back each Monday feeling refreshed and ready to give my best to my team. I also work closely with them to ensure my schedule aligns with my priorities. We color-code my calendar according to five areas of focus\u2014work priorities, family, personal growth, faith and health. This system gives me a clear visual of how I\u2019m spending my time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can feel uncomfortable, even risky, to set boundaries as a leader, but I\u2019ve found that this approach is the foundation for more effective and sustainable leadership. So get clear on what matters most to you, create the space to recharge and trust your team to step up. Not only will you be a better leader, but you\u2019ll also build a stronger, more resilient organization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The CEO\u2019s schedule is notoriously punishing\u2014long hours, constant demands, a relentless pace. But the real source of exhaustion often isn\u2019t the workload itself; it\u2019s ourselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31346,"featured_media":352601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2200],"tags":[57692],"class_list":["post-352595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ceolife","tag-featured"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n