Delegating to Tomorrow with Sophia Mikelionis - 119
Tue Feb 03 2026
What if burnout isn’t a personal failure, but a leadership signal asking for something different?
In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Sophia Mikelionis, self-leadership expert and founder of Gearing Together. Sophia shares her journey from thriving in corporate leadership to realizing that success without alignment was costing her relationships, health, and joy.
If you lead a team, run a business, or feel the quiet exhaustion of always being the reliable one, this conversation will give you language, permission, and tools to lead differently.
What You Will Learn:
Why burnout is often a systems and leadership issue, not a personal weakness.
How self-leadership differs from traditional leadership models.
Why empathy is a strategic leadership skill, not a soft one.
How constant availability and smartphone culture contribute to chronic burnout.
What it means to “delegate to tomorrow” and why it is a form of self-trust.
How middle managers become trapped between senior leadership pressure and team burnout.
Why high performers struggle to slow down even when success is costing them personally.
How emotional flatness can be an early warning sign of burnout.
What physical cues like tension, fatigue, and irritability reveal about overextension.
How to identify energy leaks in your calendar and daily routines.
Why sunk cost fallacy keeps leaders stuck in misaligned roles, systems, or strategies.
How small, intentional habits can prevent burnout before it escalates.
Why leaders must create space for strategic thinking instead of living in execution mode.
How teams can address burnout together instead of in isolation.
What sustainable leadership looks like in a fast-moving, high-demand world.
Resource:
Sophia Mikelionis
Gearing Together
Leading Visionaries Podcast
Join the Leading Visionaries Community
Make a Donation to Support the Show
Creative Age Consulting Group
More
What if burnout isn’t a personal failure, but a leadership signal asking for something different? In this episode of the Leading Visionaries, host Anjel B. Hartwell sits down with Sophia Mikelionis, self-leadership expert and founder of Gearing Together. Sophia shares her journey from thriving in corporate leadership to realizing that success without alignment was costing her relationships, health, and joy. If you lead a team, run a business, or feel the quiet exhaustion of always being the reliable one, this conversation will give you language, permission, and tools to lead differently. What You Will Learn: Why burnout is often a systems and leadership issue, not a personal weakness. How self-leadership differs from traditional leadership models. Why empathy is a strategic leadership skill, not a soft one. How constant availability and smartphone culture contribute to chronic burnout. What it means to “delegate to tomorrow” and why it is a form of self-trust. How middle managers become trapped between senior leadership pressure and team burnout. Why high performers struggle to slow down even when success is costing them personally. How emotional flatness can be an early warning sign of burnout. What physical cues like tension, fatigue, and irritability reveal about overextension. How to identify energy leaks in your calendar and daily routines. Why sunk cost fallacy keeps leaders stuck in misaligned roles, systems, or strategies. How small, intentional habits can prevent burnout before it escalates. Why leaders must create space for strategic thinking instead of living in execution mode. How teams can address burnout together instead of in isolation. What sustainable leadership looks like in a fast-moving, high-demand world. Resource: Sophia Mikelionis Gearing Together Leading Visionaries Podcast Join the Leading Visionaries Community Make a Donation to Support the Show Creative Age Consulting Group