Leading When It’s 95 Degrees: Staying Productive in the Heat of Summer

James Smith, Executive Director

They say July is the “dog days of summer,” but for business owners and community leaders, it can feel more like the drag days. The heat is high, routines are off, and motivation sometimes takes its own vacation.

Whether you're a one-person operation working from your kitchen table, a leader managing a corporate team, or the face of a nonprofit trying to balance purpose with limited resources—staying productive during summer is tough.

But it’s also an opportunity.

After six months as Chamber Director, I’ve seen how summer reveals something powerful about leadership: the best leaders adapt. They adjust their pace, refocus their goals, and use this season to build momentum—not lose it.

So here are a few ways to lead well (and live well) when it’s 95 degrees out.

1. Embrace the Season—Don’t Fight It

Summer has its own rhythm. People travel. Kids are home. Customers and coworkers are harder to pin down. Instead of pushing against it, lean into it.

☀️ If you're working solo, let your schedule flex. Take a mid-morning break. Work outside.

☀️ If you lead a team, adjust your tone and cadence. Be more relational. Use the slower tempo to connect on a personal level.

☀️ Nonprofits—summer can mean fewer volunteers and stretched budgets, but it's also a time when people are looking for meaningful ways to spend time. Invite them in.

Use the warmth of the season to warm up relationships.

2. Recalibrate Expectations (for Yourself and Others)

You can’t expect April productivity with July energy. That’s a recipe for burnout and disappointment.

🔁 Switch to shorter goal cycles. Think two-week sprints or “theme weeks” where you tackle a specific focus.

🔢 Bring back the "Three Things Rule"—set three key things you want to accomplish each day. It’s achievable, motivating, and builds progress.

If you're part of a team, encourage flexibility while still keeping accountability. Summer is the perfect time for “progress, not perfection.”

3. Carve Out Time for Strategic Thinking

This is a big one—and the one most of us skip.

The mid-year point is perfect for a personal strategy retreat, even if it’s just half a day. Get out of your usual space, grab a notebook (or a stack of sticky notes—shout out to Cynthiana’s own 3M plant!), and reflect:

• What goals did you set in January?

• What’s working?

• What’s stalled?

• What needs to shift or reset?

As Abraham Lincoln said:

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”

Summer is your time to sharpen the ax.

4. Use the Heat to Build Heat (Momentum, That Is)

Your customers may be vacationing, but this is the time to quietly build.

📦 Clean up that messy filing system.

📊 Improve your social media strategy.

📬 Build your fall marketing plan.

If you’re in a nonprofit or public service role, now’s the time to strengthen community partnerships or prep for fall fundraising.

At the Chamber, we’re using this summer to prep big ideas for fall member engagement—and we’re seeing businesses do the same. Quiet progress leads to public wins.

5. Prioritize People Over Projects

Leadership in the summer isn’t always about doing more—it’s about being present.

🍦 Grab a coffee with a fellow business owner.

🎶 Attend a summer concert (you never know who you’ll meet).

🤝 Drop by a Chamber event just to say hi.

When you’re visible and engaged, people remember. In a season where many disconnect, connection becomes a superpower.

6. Refresh Yourself to Lead Others

This might be the most important point: take care of you.

Leading—whether you're leading a team, a cause, or just yourself—is hard. Make time to rest, laugh, and recharge.

🚲 Take that long walk.

📚 Read that book or learn something new.

🍉 Eat that watermelon.

You can’t pour from an empty pitcher. And no one follows a leader who’s running on fumes.

7. Celebrate the Small Wins

In seasons of slower pace, it’s easy to feel like nothing’s happening. That’s why celebrating progress matters more than ever.

👏 Closed a small sale? Celebrate.

📣 Got one new review? Share it.

📈 Improved your workflow? Take pride in it.

You’re laying a foundation. And the work you do in the heat will show up in the harvest.

Final Thoughts

Summer leadership isn’t about sprinting to the finish—it’s about steady steps, honest reflection, and being wise enough to pace yourself.

It’s hot out there. But it’s also a season of possibility.

So take that half-day to plan. Shake up your routine. Lean into people. And remember: no matter what size your business or organization is—leadership matters more in the heat.

Now grab a cold drink, take a deep breath, and lead on. ☀️

—James Smith

Cynthiana-Harrison County Chamber of Commerce