Leaders are often firefighters – caught up in emergencies, last minute requests and handling day-to-day issues and problems.

“I’ll focus on the big picture later” – we say. But later never comes.

Enter: Balcony time.

What is “Balcony time”?

Balcony time is the intentional pause from the daily grind, where you step off the “dance floor” and gain a higher perspective from the “balcony view.”

Initially conceptualized by Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky in their work on adaptive leadership, balcony time allows leaders to pause and ask, “What’s really going on here?”

From the balcony, managers and leaders can see the patterns and the bigger picture that are obscured when they are caught up in the details on the dance floor.

Regularly moving to this higher perspective is essential for leading with clarity and foresight.

Ready to put this into practice?

Download the step-by-step “Balcony Time“ Worksheet here!

In this guide, I’ve structured prompts and simple steps to guide you through creating time for reflection and clarity, so you can start making the habit stick.

So, what are you waiting for? Block off some balcony time today and see where it takes you!