Eric Haupt

Happy Sunday Friends!

Here’s one quote I’m musing on this week, two core ideas, three favorite things, and one question to carry with you into the week ahead.

One Quote I’m Musing

“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”

| Lao Tzu

Everything’s changing—fast.
Most people speed up.
The best leaders slow down.

If you're a team lead, founder, or manager in a season of change—this one's for you.

We’ve been talking about change a lot lately. But there’s a dimension we haven’t explored yet: what kind of influence actually works in uncertain times?

Here’s the counterintuitive thought:

In the middle of turbulence, stillness might be the strongest move a leader can make.

Not silence.
Not passivity.
But intentional stillness—the kind that listens before acting, observes instead of reacting, and refuses to be baited into urgency for urgency’s sake.

🔄 The Change-Influence Equation

We equate leadership with action.
Move fast. Steer the ship. Get ahead of the curve.

But here’s what I’ve seen—again and again—in rooms filled with stress, grief, or ambiguity:

People don’t need perfect answers.
They need presence.
They need someone steady enough to hold the room without needing to dominate it.

Stillness communicates control without noise.
It lets others feel seen without being rushed.
It gives your team a center of gravity to return to.

📌 When I Learned This the Hard Way

A while back, I walked into a sprint charged with stress—every team in conflict, goals shifting mid-flight, nerves frayed.

I had prepared to lead. I had notes, plans, solutions.

But what I saw—and what I prepared for—were very different.

So I sat still. Not at the front. Just quietly—back against a column in the middle of the room.

I listened. I asked questions. And I didn’t force a conclusion.
That’s tough for me.

At the end, someone came over and said:

“I didn’t realize how much we just needed someone to not panic.”

Stillness is leadership.
Not in spite of uncertainty—but because of it.

💡Two Ideas From Me

🧭 Stillness isn’t stepping back. It’s stepping into the moment without trying to outpace it.
Holding space when everyone else is trying to fill it.

🌊 You can be gravity instead of noise. In change, we don’t follow the loudest voice. We follow the calmest presence.

🛠 Stillness Starter Kit

Here’s a quick little sample kit to try out this week:

☕ Start the day with 2 minutes of silence before your first meeting. No screens. Just breathe.

🤐 In one conversation, let an extra beat of silence hang before you respond. See what emerges.

⏳ Delay one decision by 24 hours. Let clarity surface before you solve.

Three Favorite Things This Week

📚 Video: The Art of Stillness - A lyrical 10-minute TED Talk on why choosing to go nowhere can help you see everything. | Watch here

🎧 Podcast Episode: The Power of Stillness: Finding Presence in the Noise – A quiet masterclass in using presence as power — Pushing Back Chaos explores how stillness sharpens leadership in the moments that matter most. | Listen here

📖 Book: Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
Ryan proffers a practical and philosophical guide to staying grounded when the world spins faster than your thoughts.

✍️ One Question to Take Into Your Week

Where are you rushing to lead… when what’s needed is stillness?

This week, try calling yourself ‘the calmest person in the room.’ Write it down—on a sticky note, in your calendar, on your lock screen. Let it lead you before you lead others.
Watch what shifts when you let that identity set the tone.

Know someone stuck in constant motion right now?
Forward this to them.
Sometimes, stillness starts with someone else going first.