For years, a client noticed certain meetings left him energized while others drained his motivation. Certain projects sparked creativity while others felt like drudgery. But like most busy leaders, he ignored these signals and powered through everything equally.

Then we introduced him to a concept that changed how he managed both his time and his team: the difference between triggers and glimmers.

Business Triggers and Glimmers

Everyone knows to identify their triggers—the situations, people, or tasks that create immediate negative reactions. But most leaders don’t pay attention to their glimmers: the moments of alignment, energy, and flow that signal when they’re operating in their strengths.

Just as we avoid foods that cause allergic reactions, leaders should lean into activities that create positive reactions. Your glimmers tell you when you’re aligned with your purpose and operating from your strengths.

The Pinnacle Framework: Signal Intelligence

At Pinnacle Advisory Services, we help leaders develop what we call “signal intelligence”—the ability to read both the warning signs and the green lights in their professional environment.

Trigger signals might include:

• Meetings that consistently drain energy
• Tasks that create anxiety or resistance
• People interactions that feel forced or conflict-heavy
• Projects that stall despite adequate resources

Glimmer signals might include:

• Conversations that generate new ideas
• Problems that feel energizing to solve
• Team dynamics that create momentum
• Work that feels effortless despite being challenging

Strategic Application

Once leaders can identify these signals, they can make strategic decisions about how to spend their time and structure their roles. This doesn’t mean avoiding all difficult tasks—it means being intentional about when and how to engage with them.

Leaders who pay attention to their glimmers often discover:

• Hidden strengths they weren’t leveraging
• Team members whose talents were being underutilized
• Business opportunities they’d been overlooking
• Cultural elements that could be amplified for better performance

The Bottom Line

Your internal responses to different aspects of your work aren’t just personal preferences—they’re business intelligence. Leaders who learn to read these signals create more effective strategies, build stronger teams, and make decisions that align with both their strengths and their organization’s needs.

What are your glimmers telling you about where to focus your leadership energy?