About this episode

Alex Davids discusses how working harder can lead to decreased effectiveness and the importance of cognitive recovery for leaders.

Why Working Harder Is Making You Less Effective | Alex Davids Most leaders believe the path to better results is simple: work harder, stay busy, and push through. But what if that mindset is actually making you less effective? In this episode of the Deep Leadership podcast, I sit down with performance expert Alex Davids to explore the neuroscience behind sustainable high performance. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience working with Fortune 500 companies and fast-growing startups, Alex explains why our brains weren't designed for constant busyness and how recovery, focus, and intentional space are essential for better leadership. We discuss why so many leaders mistake activity for productivity, how constant distraction quietly drains cognitive performance, and why your best ideas often appear only after you stop trying so hard. We also explore what AI means for the future of leadership and why our uniquely human ability to think deeply may become our greatest competitive advantage. If you've ever ended a day mentally exhausted despite never leaving your desk, this conversation will change how you think about work. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why working harder often…

People in this episode

Host: Jon S. Rennie

Guest: Alex Davids

Topics covered

• leadership
• performance
• neuroscience
• productivity
• AI

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