374: The Power of Pausing (Yes, Really) with Shawn Vanderhoven
374: The Power of Pausing (Yes, Really) with Shawn Vanderhoven  
Podcast: Workday Playdate
Published On: Wed Oct 21 2026
Description: What if slowing down is actually the fastest way to get better work done? In a work culture obsessed with speed, pausing can sound a little counterintuitive. But for leaders, a deliberate pause is about creating enough space to think clearly, focus on what matters, and make better decisions. In this episode of Workday Playdate, Erin talks with Shawn Vanderhoven, author of Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World, about why the best leaders shift from a bias toward action to a bias toward impact. They dig into focus, productivity, workflow, delegation, AI, discernment, and the small pauses that can help teams move faster in the right direction. Inside This Episode: Pause to Create Focus: Why deliberate pauses can help leaders reduce distraction, clear emotional noise, and create the conditions for better work. Trade Busyness for Brilliant Work: Why the best leaders prioritize impact over activity, and why clarity about what matters is more valuable than simply doing more. Fix the Workflow, Not Just the Motivation: How chaotic workflows can undermine even the most motivated teams, and why the way work gets structured can have a bigger impact than asking people to “try harder.” Build Human Discernment Alongside AI: Why faster answers don’t necessarily mean better answers, and how leaders can use human judgment to evaluate quality, relevance, and what great work actually looks like. Tune In Before You Jump In: Shawn’s simple approach to delegation: understand someone’s workload and priorities before adding another task to their plate. Because “quick ask” has entered the chat. What to Do Now: Run a Distraction Inventory: Ask your team: What’s stealing your attention right now? Identify the meetings, messages, priorities, or processes getting in the way of focused work. Choose Impact Over Action: Before adding another task to the list, ask: What does success actually look like? Clarity first. Busyness second. Tune In Before You Delegate: Before dropping a new priority on someone’s plate, ask what they’re currently working on, what might need to move, and what support they need to make the new priority successful. Your Freebie Not sure which learning experience your team needs most right now?  Answer 5 quick questions about your team, their current challenges, and what you want to strengthen. We’ll recommend the learning track that best fits your team’s needs. Take the Learning Track Quiz here. About the Guest Shawn Vanderhoven works with companies and leaders around the world to scale impact through talent, focus, and speed. He is the author of Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World, based on original research with leaders at more than 150 companies, including Amazon, Google, and LinkedIn. Shawn is also a collaborator on the second edition of the New York Times bestseller, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter and has co-designed leadership development strategies with executives at Capital One, Deloitte, Google, Intel, LinkedIn, and Salesforce. Connect with Shawn Vanderhoven Shawn’s LinkedIn Shawn’s book, Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it! For workshops and keynotes: improve it!’s website Leadership Playground online membership community Erin’s website Erin’s Instagram Erin’s TikTok Erin’s LinkedIn improve it!’s Instagram  Connect with Erin Diehl🌟 Learn more about Workday Playdate: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/podcast-page🎤 Book Erin to speak: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/keynote-speaker📚 Workshops & Team Experiences: https://www.learntoimproveit.com/experiential-training💌 Learn more about Erin: https://www.itserindiehl.com/meet-erin📱 For more information on improve it! visit www.learntoimproveit.com.Loved this episode?If this conversation made you think differently about work, leadership, or building joyful teams, please follow Workday Playdate on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use more play in their workday.