You Don’t Need More. You Need Space.

Debbie Fennell on May 27, 2026

There is a quiet assumption many leaders carry, both at home and at work: if something matters, we should add more to it. More effort, more time, more attention. Over time, that approach begins to work against us, not because we are doing the wrong things, but because we are doing too many of them. The impact does not stay contained to work. It becomes personal. Energy starts to drop, presence becomes harder to sustain, and even meaningful moments are not fully experienced.

This is where a shift becomes necessary. Research from Leidy Klotz, author of Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less, shows that people consistently default to adding rather than subtracting, even when removing elements would lead to better outcomes. This is not just a preference. It is a predictable blind spot. In leadership, it shows up in familiar ways. We add meetings instead of removing them, add priorities instead of narrowing focus, and add processes instead of simplifying how work gets done.

This pattern extends well beyond leadership. It shows up in how we live. Evenings and weekends begin to fill, commitments expand, and space for rest and renewal gradually disappears. Simplifying is not about doing less for the sake of it. It is about creating space for what matters most.

A different question begins to open up. Instead of asking what else needs to be added, we can start by asking:

  1. What no longer needs to be carried?
  2. What could be reduced, removed, or released?
  3. What would create more space for presence, not just productivity?

A Quiet Reflection

  • Where in your work or life have you added out of habit rather than intention?
  • What might change if you removed just one thing this week?

Even small changes in this direction can have a meaningful impact. When leaders begin to subtract with intention, focus sharpens, energy stabilizes, and what remains begins to matter more. Over time, this is what sustains both performance and well-being.

Reference:

Klotz, L. (2021). Subtract: The untapped science of less. Flatiron Books.

Shared from MAY 2026 Issue of Thunderbird Leadership Consulting ELEVATE – Tbird’s Hub for Practical Leadership Insights.

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