I clicked this photo of a bonfire during a recent weekend family getaway.

Nothing fancy. Just a circle of three sitting around the fire after dinner. The kind of evening where conversations stretch a little longer and no one’s really in a hurry to call it a night.

There’s something about a fire. You don’t stare at it because you have to. You just do. It draws you in.

I found myself noticing how it needed attention. Add a log too late and it starts fading. Throw in too much at once and it flares up wildly. You can’t ignore it. And you can’t overwhelm it either.

It felt very similar to energy… in teams, in families, in leadership.

Momentum doesn’t sustain itself. Enthusiasm doesn’t either. It needs care. It needs balance. It needs someone actually paying attention.

Too little input and things slowly die down. Too much pressure and people burn out.

That night, the fire burned steady. Not dramatic. Not roaring. Just enough to keep everyone warm and talking.

That’s the kind of leadership that lasts.

Not the loudest flame in the room.
Just the one that keeps the fire going… and the circle together.

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📌 If this article resonates, you may find value in my book, The Inner Game of Leadership. Here are the links to get a copy:

India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0GJ6W91GM/
Overseas: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJ6W91GM