The Match | Rhythm
Word: Rhythm
Sentence:
Rhythm is knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to let time do its work.
Passage:
After leaving the principal role and moving into district leadership, I noticed something I did not have language for at the time.
The rhythm of a leader.
As a principal, I was a bit like an orchestra director. Balancing tempo. Knowing when to speed the team up and when to slow things down. I did not always get it right.
Urgency can feel like responsibility. And in schools, urgency is always knocking. My walkie talkie never stopped chirping. So I stepped in. I fixed. I filled the silence. I tried to keep everything moving.
But in music, the rests matter as much as the notes. That room to breathe is where the rhythm shows up.
Now I work with a leader who understands that. They hold the direction, but they do not fill every gap. They let the people closest to the work keep leading. They know the difference between stepping in and stepping on. They pause before responding, and that pause changes the whole temperature of the conversation.
It is delicate. It takes time to find your rhythm. And it keeps shifting with seasons, people, pressure, and purpose.
But when a leader finds it, you can feel it.
The work gets clearer. The team stays steadier. And you stop confusing movement with progress.
Your Turn:
Where do you need to push, pause, or let time do its work right now?
This is your last week to enter the raffle! In February, every comment on a Match blog post—past or present—will serve as an entry to win a custom The Match hoodie!
That’s right, you will receive an entry for the raffle for every comment you make this month.
The last day for comments is Saturday, February 28th.
The winner will be announced on Thursday, March 5th. I can’t wait to hear your comments and reflections.
4 Comments
Leave a Comment
About The Match Weekly
The Match Weekly is one of the ways I can help provide a small spark each week to help you lead with heart and keep your fire lit. It's sometimes all we need to keep going.
Get the spark by signing up
4 Comments
-
on February 27, 2026 at 8:22 am
Sometimes we get so caught up in all the things that we forget to build in time for the rest, which is important if we want to keep the rhythm. I am in a season of momentum which can be draining so knowing when to press pause will be important for me to keep the rhythm going.
-
on February 28, 2026 at 8:00 am
Thank you for sharing this! Yes those pauses can big or small. Deciding to just show up to a meeting and only listen. Or only asking 1 question after everyone speaks. Or a mental health day for yourself or recommending it to a teammate. There all types of ways to rest and pause within the work day or outside the work day. My mentor made me put lunch for 30 minutes on my calendar and I tried desperately to close my office door and eat by myself a few times a week. I was infamous for walking lunches but this practice did give me a mental boost when I leveraged it. I love your reflection here. So honest and real.
-
on March 1, 2026 at 5:48 pm
Chad. Mic drop! Your weekly messages are always right on time and on point.
Where do you need to push, pause, or let time do its work right now?
I need to push myself to make time for reflection and the beat between the music. I know the I need the pauses as much as the pushes for my health and longevity.
I need to pause my emotions, zoom out, and not take it personal. I read the 4 agreements to myself every morning to challenge myself to live them.
This has been a rare year for me. As much as I have tried to control, I need to let time handle much of it.Thank you for sharing your journey and leadership lessons along the way. With each message, I know I am growing.
-
Appreciate you, my friend. That “beat between the music” line is the whole lesson. The pushes matter, but the pauses are what keep us healthy enough to stay in it. And I love that you’re starting your mornings with the 4 Agreements. That’s real practice, not just talk.
Holding you in that “rare year.” Sometimes the strongest move is letting time do its work.
-
Sometimes we get so caught up in all the things that we forget to build in time for the rest, which is important if we want to keep the rhythm. I am in a season of momentum which can be draining so knowing when to press pause will be important for me to keep the rhythm going.
Thank you for sharing this! Yes those pauses can big or small. Deciding to just show up to a meeting and only listen. Or only asking 1 question after everyone speaks. Or a mental health day for yourself or recommending it to a teammate. There all types of ways to rest and pause within the work day or outside the work day. My mentor made me put lunch for 30 minutes on my calendar and I tried desperately to close my office door and eat by myself a few times a week. I was infamous for walking lunches but this practice did give me a mental boost when I leveraged it. I love your reflection here. So honest and real.
Chad. Mic drop! Your weekly messages are always right on time and on point.
Where do you need to push, pause, or let time do its work right now?
I need to push myself to make time for reflection and the beat between the music. I know the I need the pauses as much as the pushes for my health and longevity.
I need to pause my emotions, zoom out, and not take it personal. I read the 4 agreements to myself every morning to challenge myself to live them.
This has been a rare year for me. As much as I have tried to control, I need to let time handle much of it.
Thank you for sharing your journey and leadership lessons along the way. With each message, I know I am growing.
Appreciate you, my friend. That “beat between the music” line is the whole lesson. The pushes matter, but the pauses are what keep us healthy enough to stay in it. And I love that you’re starting your mornings with the 4 Agreements. That’s real practice, not just talk.
Holding you in that “rare year.” Sometimes the strongest move is letting time do its work.