There’s no shortage of situations to overthink in today’s work world. Whether it’s fretting over the implications of a new market trend, agonizing about the tone of an email to a major client, or losing sleep over an employee’s reaction to feedback, the opportunities for leaders to get trapped in their own heads are endless.
As we have access to more information and higher demands than ever before, it’s no surprise that half to nearly three-quarters of adults confess to thinking too much. After coaching professionals at some of the world’s top companies for over a decade, I’ve observed a common pattern: Some people who appear outwardly successful tend to overcomplicate everything, layering unnecessary complexity into their decisions, and deliberating far longer than needed. This tendency is particularly pronounced among a group I refer to as Sensitive Strivers — those who are hardwired to process the world around them more deeply and are often their own toughest critics. Read this great HBR article to find out more