When Success Starts to Feel Misaligned: How Leaders Can Recognize Drift and Return to Clarity with Kristi Huber

[00:00:01] Welcome to Expanding Access, a podcast by Behavioral Health Tech, where we explore the cutting edge of mental health, substance use, and autism and IDD care. Each episode features insightful conversations with industry leaders who are driving real change through technology and innovation. Whether you're a provider, payer, or just passionate about expanding access to behavioral health care, you won't want to miss these stories. Let's dive in.

[00:00:30] Hello and welcome everyone. This is Solomay Tibibu, your host of the Expanding Access podcast. And Kristi, I'm so excited to have you today and to share your story and expertise with our audience. To get started, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself, please?

[00:00:48] Kristi Huber Great. Well, thank you so much for having me. My name is Kristi Huber and I am the founder of Perspective Shift Consulting. And my work really does focus on helping leaders, especially high achieving leaders, helping them understand that there is a way to avoid burnout. And by having the ability to recognize if they are experiencing leadership drift, how they can

[00:01:18] use a radical clarity compass, how they can use a radical clarity compass, how they can use a radical clarity compass, my format that I've put together to help them get radical clarity on what it is that will help them avoid drift and help them avoid burnout. Awesome. And this is just so relevant to our industry. Of course, we'd love to hear a little bit more about what is leadership drift? And why do you think so many successful leaders miss these signs until they're already burned out or misaligned?

[00:01:45] Kristi Huber You know, I think that that is one of the most important questions. When we look at Gallup's most recent employee engagement poll, we see that only 30% of team members are engaged in their work. And the stat that is actually even more concerning to me is the fact that 70% of a team's burnout is directly connected to their manager.

[00:02:11] Kristi Huber It's really important that we don't have leaders that are experiencing this and that they have tools to be able to be most connected to them themselves. And so when I talk about leadership drift, I personally in my career as a high achiever, I experienced this leadership drift. And what that is, is at times in our career, we can get really focused on growth.

[00:02:36] Kristi Huber We can get focused on achieving goals. And unfortunately, we take our eye off the ball around what matters most to us. Many high achievers, it's almost sneaky the way that it can sneak up on us because many times we're doing something that we absolutely love.

[00:02:54] Kristi Huber But when we lose sight of our vision, our voice, our values, our vitality, we are most at risk of drifting. And one of the things that I share with people is encouraging them to take strategic pauses along the way, especially being intentional at taking a strategic pause once a week in order for them to get realigned in those four areas.

[00:03:21] Kristi Huber Because in an environment where we are seeing so much information that's coming at us. And the pace of business today is just exponentially faster. Knowing that AI is a big piece of and is driving that. Being able to be intentional in doing a strategic pause to get realigned is one of the most important ways that we can avoid drift and ultimately avoid burnout.

[00:03:50] Kristi Huber Yes, so true. And, you know, we've got a diverse audience, but your background as a senior executive at a health plan, nonprofit, healthcare providers, I think just everything you're saying is applicable for leaders in these roles.

[00:04:06] Kristi Huber And another thing that I know, Kristi, you and I have talked about before is this idea of radical clarity. And can you talk a little bit about just how does radical clarity help leaders, I guess, reconnect with who they are and what they value and ultimately how they want to lead?

[00:04:22] Kristi Huber Absolutely. And again, I go back to this fact that clarity really is in the pause. But motion is what drives a lot of our intentional growth, but also sometimes unintentional chaos.

[00:04:38] Kristi Huber And so when we think about having radical clarity in our careers, and especially I talk about this through the lens of high achievers, but this is not just for high achievers. There are so many opportunities in our career to take on new positions. We're asked to drive new initiatives within organization.

[00:05:02] Kristi Huber And many times if we are not checking in with our radical clarity compass, it's easy for us to say yeah. And I talked to so many leaders, they talk about the challenge of saying no. And we talk a lot about the courage to say no, and to say yes to your best, most aligned opportunities, because that's where we're taking on more and we're adding things to our plate.

[00:05:30] Kristi Huber It's so fun to say yes, I want to do more. I want to try this. I want to experiment this in these different areas. But when you say yes, and you don't intentionally either remove responsibilities, delegate responsibilities, take things off of your plate, then that's where we start to feel the weight of the responsibility.

[00:05:53] Kristi Huber And so being in tune with your vision, your voice, your values, and your vitality most authentically, that makes sure that the yeses that you are saying yes to are the right yeses, whether it be in your professional career, whether it be in your volunteering, whether it be in those extracurriculars that you take on, or even in the things that you and your family say yes to.

[00:06:20] Kristi Huber There are so many ways that we can drift. And being intentional is our best way to avoid or even at times reverse the drift. Kristi Huber Oh, this is so relatable. Kristi Huber I will tell you, I mean, this has been learned. My experience is a lived experience. I have throughout my career, I'm very in tune with teams.

[00:06:49] Kristi Huber And I always just want to help. My intention, Salome, always comes from, I just, I want to lean in. And if a company comes to me and they're like, we need you, you're the person that we need. I will say yes. In the past, it has been an automatic yes. Kristi Huber And always wanting to grow has been something for me that has just been such a core driver.

[00:07:13] Kristi Huber But as I have experienced burnout firsthand and recognized one day, I have to tell you that the piece for me that was so telling was I drove home after a really hard day in my role. Kristi Huber And I pulled into my garage and I pulled into my garage and I looked at myself in the rearview mirror, Salome, and I did not recognize myself.

[00:07:41] Kristi Huber I had drifted that far that I had drifted away from what it was that I intentionally wanted to do in my career. Kristi Huber And I had drifted so far from really the voice and showing up most authentically in my meetings that I was in and speaking up and having the courage to speak up because I had drifted.

[00:08:05] Kristi Huber And ultimately, it was a reflection that I had drifted away from my core value. Kristi Huber And what I had thought I was following was my most authentic values. Kristi Huber I had gotten off on my compass. Kristi Huber Are you good at using a compass? Saul? Kristi Huber I definitely need more practice. Kristi Huber I did too. I did too. And I have gotten better with my compass.

[00:08:30] But the really amazing idea is that even when you're two degrees off on a compass, if you keep walking over time, you can end up miles from where you originally wanted to be. And that was where I found myself that cold October day in my garage looking at myself in the mirror and realizing that I didn't even know the leader that I was anymore.

[00:08:58] I was that far burned out along that burnout journey that my vitality was really at a zero if I was thinking about it. And so for me, as I was growing and wanting to get back to my most authentic leadership, I recognized that I was going to have to take not just a short strategic pause. I actually had to take a three-month strategic pause where I truly then did.

[00:09:26] I had to take some time to reassess where was I, how far off was I, and then how did I want to get back? And the good news is, Salome, that I was able to find my way back to radical clarity and to doing what I'm most passionate and energized and excited about. But it took that intentionality to be able to get back to who I truly am as a leader. And that's why I'm so passionate about sharing this with others.

[00:09:56] Oh, that is amazing to hear just that you pivot toward your way back. And what you're saying, it's so common, but it's like, it's really important. This really derails people in significant ways, to say the least.

[00:10:11] Like, I've been there, and what I wish I would have asked is, what are some early signs that leaders like us could identify that we're operating on autopilot instead of, I guess, leading with intention just ahead of time to prevent these kinds of ultimately dire outcomes? Absolutely. That's why these ongoing strategic pause moments are so important.

[00:10:40] And as an executive coach, I work with a lot of leaders and they tell me, I don't know how I can have time to actually, in my schedule, make time for these strategic pauses. And that's why I say, just start with a 15-minute pause. And just having that awareness that you have, that you are, you're recognizing, you're feeling that you're drifting in one of these four areas.

[00:11:08] Sometimes you're drifting in more than just one of those areas. But that awareness is the key.

[00:11:14] And then being able to take some more time to step back and to really think about, okay, if I am feeling like I'm drifting, and I know that this isn't where I want to go, how can I actually make the decisions that I need to make in order to move forward in the direction back to my most radically clear intention? And so 15 minutes, start with 15 minutes.

[00:11:44] Because again, I can't stress enough that drift thrives in chaos or drift thrives in busyness. And when you're always in motion, you have to be able to take time and take a step back in order for you first and foremost to have that awareness. I think about the conversations you and I have had, Philomene, the fact that you have been in really busy and intense role.

[00:12:12] What would have been helpful for you in that space to encourage you to take a 15-minute strategic pause? Oh, gosh. I mean, a few things. Number one is just going back to the boundaries piece. It's such a critical time in behavioral health, and there's so much opportunity to make a difference. And we have such a robust community and so many good ideas.

[00:12:39] And I am definitely the person to say yes to all the things. But it's like number one for drift from our mission. And so just even learning those skills earlier on to know, like, hey, this is the plan we set out to do. We're going to stick to it. And there's a reason why we need to stick to it, despite how amazing these other ideas are, things that we can do to enhance our work.

[00:13:09] Just even having that knowledge early on, I think, would have helped me in a tremendous way and even how we have rolled out programs over time. But secondly, I think about just even pausing and looking back and recognizing all that we have accomplished. Maybe this is more of like a self-esteem thing, but it's like I certainly have felt, oh, it's never enough. And so let's pile on more. Let's do more.

[00:13:38] But obviously, that's not healthy and not even true. And I feel like a lot of people in our community can relate to that. This is a community that is very passionate about the work that we do. A lot of people with lived experience, if not themselves, their family, their friends. And so it's easy to fall in that trap that, you know, I'm not doing enough. And as a result, boundaries can fall away pretty quickly.

[00:14:04] I want to double click on what you said about how leaders and an organization can drift. Because the greatest indicator of a company that is at risk of drifting is if their leaders are drifting. Because it all flows from the top.

[00:14:24] And I love what you said about really being intentional in the decision that leaders are making in order to be able to, first and foremost, be aware if they personally are drifting. But then with mission drift in organizations, that's another place where that really does and can show up as well.

[00:14:46] So being intentional, how does this decision directly tie back to where the vision of what it was that we had for the organization or for me personally as a leader, how does that tie back? And that's why it takes time. It actually takes time to be able to step back and to reflect. Because if you just allow yourself to continue on, that's where we see the greatest impact, negative impact of drift. Oh, yes.

[00:15:16] It doesn't impact us not only just personally, but all of the people that we're trying to lead. Everyone's impacted. It's such a great thing. Well, and I was going to say that if a leader then starts using 15 minutes of their time. And I encourage people, don't pick the last 15 minutes of your week. Like on a Friday afternoon at 445. You know, people are like, yeah, I can kind of squeeze this in here.

[00:15:45] I really encourage people, take your strategic pause and put it on the calendar just like it's an appointment. And in fact, it might be your most important appointment that you have all week long. Put it at a time when you are at your best for your awareness, for your alertness, and where you can do your best thinking. Because that first, that 15 minutes is huge. And just, again, the purpose there is recognition. And what it gives you is awareness.

[00:16:14] And a good question, because sometimes people are like, oh, Christy, well, I don't know where I start with this 15 minutes. A great question is, what have I been moving too quickly to notice? Oh, I love that. And that's a great place to start. Then, if you, and when you, I'm very optimistic as a person.

[00:16:37] So when you see the value in that 15 minutes, I really challenge you and encourage you to start thinking about a 30-minute strategic pause. With the intention or purpose of that 30-minute being reflection. And a deeper reflection. Because what that reflection will give you is an understanding. And also, it will give you time to start recognizing patterns.

[00:17:05] Patterns are incredibly important as you think about making adjustments in your compass. And sometimes it's a reflection on your calendar. What patterns am I seeing on my calendar of where I might be saying yes to being on a committee, serving in a volunteer leadership role?

[00:17:29] Maybe it's you're seeing patterns of my family is going a different direction. And I'm not seeing a pattern of us coming together consistently. And that's why we're starting to feel so disconnected from each other. That's a really important place. And so the question that I see and encourage leaders to think about is, what pattern keeps showing up that I haven't fully explored? That is so great.

[00:17:59] And once we master doing this on our own, is this something we can do together with our team as well? Yes. Yeah. And so that is one of the most important ways for teams to also get re-centered. And coming back to, are we still on track? Personally, first and foremost, it's great when you can have this type of vocabulary that you can talk about with your team.

[00:18:28] How are you doing personally on your vision? How are you doing personally on your voice? Are you showing up in meetings in a way that's most authentic to you? Sometimes, you know, when we talk about voice and leadership, sometimes I hear from leaders, they feel like that they're just performing leadership. And they're not really authentically showing up with their full voice.

[00:18:52] Maybe they're avoiding having a really hard conversation because they are conflict avoidant. And because they're not having the conversation, that is causing drift and causing frustration and ultimately feeling like there's nothing they can do to change that can be a really intense source of burnout.

[00:19:15] And so that's why as teams, being able to have these conversations around these, not only as a leader with your team, but also as a team coming back to how's our vision team? Are we still on track? Are we still focused on what's most important for us to accomplish what we set out to accomplish? And also with your vision, your voice, your values as a team. Teams have values.

[00:19:44] We talk a lot about culture. And when we think about teams and values, that's one of the most important foundational pieces for us as teams. So true. And Christy, what you're saying, it's pretty simple. It's so important. But it seems to me if individual leaders or teams are going to do this kind of work outside of just one time and an annual onsite, it also takes some discipline.

[00:20:14] And so what kind of advice do you have to stay consistent? And or is there a way that folks can observe the fruits of their labor that might help to continue that discipline? What advice do you have on that front? First and foremost, keeping it front and center.

[00:20:35] When we talk about creating change and helping teams through change, this is a really valuable tool as well as part of a check-in. Because, again, we recognize how anytime you're going through change, it is in times of stress. And this is where, again, having these intentional check-ins. How are we doing on our voice? How are we doing on our vision? How are we doing on our values?

[00:21:05] And how are we doing, most importantly, on our vitality? Where's our energy level at as a team as we are either driving change, as we are encouraging change? How is our vitality? And how are we seeing that across the organization as well? And so, again, really, really valuable.

[00:21:27] There's some great conversations that have happened just because you're willing to put it forward and not let it fall off the agenda. We know that during intense points of change, there's a lot of moving targets. But this one, staying connected to this and making sure your team's radical clarity compass is still aligned, that can be one of the most valuable ways for a team to reach their goals together. Awesome.

[00:21:55] And it seems what you're saying is anyone at any level of an organization can embody these practices and make a huge difference. Absolutely. And I would say this is even incredibly valuable for if you don't lead a team. I talk a lot about leadership, and I'm so glad you bring this up, Salome, because so many people will, I'll talk to them about their leadership and they'll say, wait a minute, I don't lead a team.

[00:22:23] I don't have people that report up to me. And the way that I look at leadership is truly influence. And as we think about the ability to influence others around us, just by bringing this to the conversation, this can be a really way to positively influence your teams and to encourage conversation in deeper ways.

[00:22:49] And so this is not something that you have to be the CEO to move forward. This is what's the next room that you're in? One of my favorite quotes is, how do you change the world? And the quote goes, you don't change the world all at one time. You change it one room at a time. And the next question is, well, which room do I need to be in to change the world? And it just needs to be the room that you're in.

[00:23:18] And being intentional about how you are encouraging others, how you're sharing your ideas, how you're leading with a growth mindset. Those are the things that absolutely change the world one room at a time. It's so important.

[00:23:35] And if everyone listening to this episode just applied that in their lives this week, no matter your role, that could be an account manager at a behavioral health startup working with your customer to asking, are we still on track with our vision? It could be a peer support specialist working with an individual to check in on that alignment.

[00:24:01] I mean, we could apply this in all areas of our lives, like you said earlier. I mean, I just think about the change and the impact that we could have in such a great way in our field, in particular, of behavioral health. And so one final question I have for you, Christy, is if you could share just one practical step that leaders can take this week to move from drift back toward clarity and energy and purpose, what would you suggest?

[00:24:30] Oh, I love this question. I think if you could ask yourself one question and take flea, I encourage you, experiment with taking a 15-minute pause first and foremost.

[00:24:43] You never know when you will be able to grow that over time into maybe even taking one hour a week because that's where scientifically, when you take this time and you're intentional with your week and really dedicating one hour to being intentional about thinking about those four areas, your vision, voice, values, and vitality, you will absolutely avoid drift.

[00:25:09] But the question I would really encourage every single person to ask themselves this week is, what needs to change before drift becomes a consequence in your life? And again, sometimes there's many things that pop up. But for us as individuals, being focused on one area, I talk about this often, that we talk about many times that we have many priorities in an organization.

[00:25:38] And we as leaders maybe have many, many priorities. Priority was never meant to be more than one. When you really focus in on one area, and we talk about the 80-20 rule, when you focus 80% of your energy in, then you see the impact in important ways.

[00:26:02] But when you really get intentional about your time and focus and know your priority, that's where true change happens. And so that's why I would say if you can focus in on your priority and sometimes understanding what needs to change or an area that you need to just kind of double click on in your life that needs to change, that has an impact on other areas of your life.

[00:26:32] And by being focused in on that priority, that has a multiplier effect that can have an incredible amount of positive impact. And that's where you'll see that change really, really happen fast. But a lot of times we get so diluted in our priority that it's really hard for us to actually see change happen. And then we get frustrated.

[00:26:58] So focusing in on one area and leaning in to see the value of that impact. Such great questions for literally all of us. And just to recap for our audience here, I really wish that everyone could take this to heart and really start thinking more about these four Vs. You know, your voice showing up authentically and boldly in moments that matter.

[00:27:24] Your vision, pursuing your own dream definition of success rather than outdated scripts and what others think. Your value, ensuring daily decisions align with who you are. Vitality, protecting your energy. Hopefully that captured everything. Right, Christy? That was beautiful. That was absolutely beautiful. Thank you for doing such a beautiful job. And where can folks learn more about you and get in touch?

[00:27:50] Oh, I would love to talk to individuals that are interested in learning more. You can learn more about this at perspectiveshiftconsulting.com or christyhuber.com. Amazing. Thank you so much, Christy. What a pleasure it was to share your framework and advice with our audience at Expanding Access today. Thank you for the opportunity. You are a gift.

[00:28:20] Thanks for tuning in to Expanding Access. We hope you're feeling inspired by today's discussion. If you've enjoyed the episode, subscribe and share it with your network. For more content and opportunities to get involved in transforming care, visit behavioralhealthtech.com. Until next time, let's keep pushing boundaries and expanding access together.