Since founding Arctos more than two years ago, I have had the privilege of talking to hundreds of leaders, like you, throughout the country. While everyone’s circumstances are unique, I have realized that there’s one thread that connects all of us: every leader has a story that involves hardship, and every leader needs support. It does not matter how many friends, family members and colleagues you have, being a leader is uniquely demanding and it can feel lonely at times. Leaders are expected to be superheroes, guiding the business forward with aplomb while compassionately supporting those around them. People count on you and you feel the weight of this responsibility.
Despite these pressures, you are expected to do show the world that you have your act together and that you are a perfectly balanced individual. But the reality is that we are all humans, filled with self-doubt, insecurities, and difficult feelings. Your weeks are full of FFTs (Flipping First Times), complex problems that need untangling, and difficult decisions that impact people’s lives. You have skill gaps that may need to be addressed and a basic human need for connection. These situations are stressful and may interfere with your energy levels, impact your emotional and mental wellbeing, and affect how you relate to those around you. You may even think that everything is going well, until you examine your coping mechanisms and realize that you are covering up your challenges with external distractions and unhealthy habits. This was certainly the case with me. Regardless of your situation, the bottom line is that you deserve support. You are worth it.
In founding Arctos, I set out to create something I wish that I had during my times of challenge. And after two amazing years of developing, refining, and delivering our advising and coaching capabilities, I can say, with confidence we now have what I wished I had years ago. We are changing lives, one leader at a time. For some, one-on-one support is what is needed, which is why we support leaders with a dual approach that helps them address their business, emotional and overall wellbeing needs. For other leaders, they find the support and perspective of a group to be of incredible value. Together, these capabilities, which have been refined over the past two years, have proven to be invaluable, supporting leaders as they grow and face the challenges of life.
You owe it to yourself and to those around you to receive the support you need.
As I close this letter, I would to thank so many of you for supporting me in this life-changing endeavor. It has been an honor to work with you and I look forward to what lies ahead. In the meantime, I would love to hear from you. Let’s connect for the first time or reconnect again. Let me know how can I be of service to you.
