Why the Smartest Leaders Disappear Every Summer

Lead In 30 Podcast

Ready for a science-backed permission slip to disconnect this summer? Discover how Harvard's longest running happiness study proves that getting completely off the grid isn't just good for your wellbeing—it's critical for your leadership effectiveness.
Drawing from his personal experiences volunteering at camps and preparing for family houseboating trips, Lone Rock Leadership co-founder Russ Hill breaks down exactly why intentional disconnection creates more impactful leaders. The evidence is compelling: people who regularly disconnect to spend quality time connecting with others show higher happiness levels, faster stress recovery, and greater perspective on challenges. Most importantly for professionals, they return more emotionally available to their teams, more creative in their thinking, and less reactive under pressure.
The key isn't just taking time off—it's how you spend that time. Connecting deeply with others, whether through volunteering, family vacations, or community service, activates neurochemical responses that enhance wellbeing and cognitive function in ways mere rest cannot. Through river rafting adventures, hiking expeditions, and campfire conversations, Russ illustrates how these experiences create the perfect environment for personal recalibration and clarity.
This episode provides a practical three-step process: genuinely disconnect (no emails or Slack!), prioritize meaningful connection with others, and use the mental space to reassess your priorities and values. By creating a twice-yearly rhythm of disconnection and renewal, you establish natural 90-day implementation cycles that transform both personal effectiveness and team culture. Whether you have three days or two weeks, this practice might be the most valuable leadership habit you'll ever develop.
Ready to transform how you lead through intentional disconnection? Listen now for the research-backed strategies that will make you a better leader in the second half of this year—and help your team thrive too.

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About the podcast:
The Lead In 30 Podcast with Russ Hill is for leaders of teams who want to grow and accelerate their results. In each episode, Russ Hill shares what he's learned consulting executives. Subscribe to get two new episodes every week. To connect with Russ message him on LinkedIn!

Chapters

1. Why You Need to Get Off the Grid (00:00:00)

2. Summer Camp Volunteering Experience (00:05:27)

3. Getting Ready for Family Vacation (00:10:18)

4. Harvard's 80-Year Study on Happiness (00:13:47)

5. Three Tips for Effective Time Away (00:18:23)

6. Creating a Calibration Routine (00:22:03)