How To Slow Down and Lead Better With Jordan Peace

As a new year begins, many leaders feel pressure to move faster, set bigger goals, and accomplish more. Calendars fill quickly. Expectations rise. The pace rarely slows.

But what if becoming a better leader starts with doing the opposite?

In the latest episode of The Leadership Habit, host Jenn DeWall is joined by entrepreneur and CEO Jordan Peace to explore how stillness can improve leadership clarity, decision-making, and connection. Their conversation challenges the belief that constant motion leads to better results and offers leaders a practical habit that supports long-term effectiveness.

Meet Jordan Peace, CEO and Founder of Fringe

Jordan Peace is the CEO and co-founder of Fringe, a husband, and a father of five. He describes himself as an ADHD entrepreneur navigating the realities of leadership, family life, and business growth at the same time.

Jordan is also the author of an upcoming book titled Stop, which challenges modern addiction to speed, distraction, and hustle. His work focuses on helping leaders rediscover stillness, presence, and meaning in both their professional and personal lives.

Rather than positioning himself as an expert who has everything figured out, Jordan openly shares that his interest in stillness stems from necessity. Like many leaders, he has experienced what happens when life moves too fast for reflection.

Why Leaders Struggle to Slow Down

Most leaders understand the value of slowing down. Yet few actually do it.

Jordan explains that over-scheduling, constant communication, and endless task lists have become the norm. Leaders move quickly from one decision to the next without pausing to reflect, process, or connect.

One reason stillness feels uncomfortable is that it forces leaders to feel. Without distractions, emotions surface. Stress, frustration, fear, or uncertainty become harder to ignore. For many high performers, staying busy becomes a way to avoid those feelings altogether.

The cost of avoiding stillness shows up in leadership behavior. Leaders react instead of respond. They assume intent. They miss nuance. Over time, this creates unnecessary conflict, weakens trust, and strains relationships at work and at home.

Stillness, Jordan argues, creates space to think more clearly and see situations with greater perspective.

How Stillness Improves Leadership Clarity

When leaders move too fast, decisions often become reactive. There is little room to consider context, explore alternatives, or seek understanding. Stillness slows the moment just enough to allow clarity to emerge.

Jordan shares that slowing down helps leaders recognize the gray areas that are often missed in high-pressure environments. It supports better listening, stronger empathy, and more thoughtful problem-solving.

This habit is especially important in leadership roles where decisions affect people, culture, and long-term outcomes. Taking time to pause reduces unnecessary tension and helps leaders respond with intention rather than impulse.

A Simple Stillness Practice Leaders Can Start Today

Stillness does not require hours of meditation or a complicated routine. Jordan emphasizes that the practice can be simple and accessible.

He recommends starting with three steps:

1. Choose a new physical space that is not associated with work or tasks
2. Leave your phone behind to remove interruptions
3. Bring only a pen and paper

The goal is not productivity. There is no agenda or checklist.

A helpful starting prompt is simple:

What am I feeling right now?

Not busy. Not overwhelmed. Actual emotions such as frustration, fear, hope, or gratitude.

This question helps leaders move thoughts out of their heads and into awareness. Over time, it builds self-awareness and emotional intelligence, both essential leadership skills.

How To Slow Down and Lead Better at Work

Practicing stillness strengthens leadership in practical ways.

Leaders who slow down are more likely to:

• Listen with intention
• Navigate conflict with clarity
• Build trust through presence
• Make better decisions under pressure
• Lead with empathy and consistency

Stillness is not about doing less permanently. It is about creating the space needed to lead well.

As Jordan explains, leaders are often forced to step back due to burnout, illness, or crisis. Choosing stillness earlier helps prevent those outcomes and supports sustainable leadership over time.

Learn More From Jordan Peace

To continue exploring Jordan’s work on stillness, leadership, and intentional living, you can follow and connect with him online.

Jordan regularly shares insights on leadership, entrepreneurship, and navigating a fast-paced world with greater clarity and presence.

• Connect with Jordan Peace on LinkedIn
• Check out the How People Work podcast
• Be on the lookout for his upcoming book, Stop

Start the Year With a Stronger Leadership Habit

Stillness is a leadership habit that supports focus, connection, and long-term performance. It helps leaders show up with clarity and intention in an environment that rarely slows down on its own.

To hear the full conversation with Jordan Peace, listen to this episode of The Leadership Habit and explore how stillness can strengthen the way you lead.

If you want hands-on support in building leadership habits that improve communication, accountability, and decision-making, Crestcom can help.

Request a complimentary two-hour leadership workshop at:
👉 https://crestcom.com/freeworkshop

Sometimes, the most powerful step a leader can take is to pause, reflect, and choose their next move with intention.

 

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