In our final Ask the Expert session of 2025, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jon Rosemberg—CEO of Anther and author of A Guide to Thriving—to explore a question that’s quietly pressing on many leaders: Is this pace sustainable?
Spoiler alert: it’s not.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re caught in a relentless loop, you’re not alone. Many leaders find themselves operating from a place of survival. Jon and I explored what it truly means to lead differently in today’s climate, and what it takes to move from surviving work to thriving in life.
Here are 3 powerful takeaways and next steps to guide your leadership in 2026.
- You Have More Options Than You Think
One of the most honest moments in our conversation came when Jon described achieving the “success checklist”—title, influence, compensation—and realizing he felt completely empty. He was disconnected from his family, running on fumes, and stuck in a pattern he didn’t even recognize until he hit pause. This is the paradox of high-performing survival mode: it looks like success from the outside. But underneath, it can be fueled by fear and scarcity. We start telling ourselves, “I don’t have a choice.” That’s not commitment, that’s low agency.
Thriving begins when we step out of fear and ask: What are my options? What have I accepted as “normal” that’s actually unsustainable?
Leadership isn’t about pushing through at all costs. It’s about making conscious, values-aligned choices. And that starts with reclaiming our sense of agency.
- To Regain Perspective, Breathe in Some AIR
Jon offered a simple yet powerful framework for slowing down and reclaiming clarity so that we can think through our choices with the AIR Model: Awareness, Inquiry, Reframing.
Awareness: Tune into what’s happening in your body and mind.
Inquiry: Get curious instead of reactive—what story am I telling myself?
Reframing: Challenge assumptions and shift the lens.
This process invites us to move from black-and-white thinking to explore a full spectrum of possibilities. It creates space to respond rather than react.
At The Roundtable, we talk often about leadership as a practice. The AIR model reminds us that our personal agency is a muscle. It gets stronger every time we pause, reflect, and choose a different response.
- You Weren’t Meant to Lead Alone.
Thriving is not a solo pursuit. Jon challenged us to think of self-care not as indulgence, but as fuel. For Jon, float tanks, Lego time with his kids, walks that reconnected him to himself weren’t escapes; they were essentials.
And perhaps most importantly, he challenged the myth of self-reliance. Creating a thriving culture isn’t about perks or policies—it’s about connection, clarity, and courage. And it starts by remembering: we are in this together.
We are grateful for Jon for taking the time to share both his journey and his learning with our community. Pick up a copy of A Guide to Thriving here.
3 Ways to Keep the Conversation Going
- Have your team watch the full replay of Ask the Expert: A Guide to Thriving in 2026 with Jon Rosemberg and lead a conversation on what thriving can look like for you in 2026.
- Join us January 15 for our next webinar with Dr. Liane Davey: How to Lead Your Team When the Pressure is On
- Download The Roundtable 2026 Report on High Potential Leaders to gain strategies to help your high potential talent thrive.
Let’s make 2026 the year we stop performing through pressure—and start leading with clarity, courage, and intention.
PS – Jon is an alumni of The Roundtable for Leaders group coaching program. We’re currently enrolling for our Spring Director/VP level cohort. Visit the program’s webpage to learn more and express your interest.
