In my experience, Coaching a senior executive with a demanding schedule we can handle conflicting priorities effectively by identify goals, prioritising communication, utilise tools, and negotiating targets and expectations for competing demands. Ensure this alignment with the organisation vision, strategic objectives, goals.

Coming from a racing family, we live by the saying, 'Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?' That same principle applies to managing conflicting priorities for a senior executive. Imagine each priority as a car in a Formula 1 race, all vying for the checkered flag. The trick isn’t to have every car cross the finish line first…some just need to place strategically. Instead of being reactive to every priority that demands speed, focus on the ones that are going to get you to pole position: the most impactful outcomes. In racing, it's not just about going fast; it's about knowing when to push and when to pace yourself. Similarly, it’s not about managing time—it's about managing focus.

When coaching senior executives, balancing priorities means helping them identify which tasks are mission-critical. It’s about aligning daily actions with their bigger vision. I always recommend simplifying their decision-making process by focusing on outcomes, not just tasks. This clarity helps them stay productive without feeling overwhelmed by competing demands.

When coaching a senior executive with a demanding schedule, start by helping them identify and prioritize their most critical goals. Use time management techniques, like the Eisenhower Matrix, to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. Encourage them to delegate less critical responsibilities to free up time for strategic thinking. Regular check-ins can help ensure they stay on track and adjust priorities as needed.

When supporting a senior executive with a demanding schedule, it is critical to establish clear coaching goals, there is a reason why this person is seeking coaching, so finding clarity in the goal(s) is step one. Support the client to understand how these goals are important to them. Discovering distractions and opportunities to support the client's change process is step two. If the goal is important enough to the client, and additionally discover the above things, the client will find time for a coaching sessions. An additional option, when the client is already familiar with the coaching process, can be speedy coaching sessions, lasting 15-30 minutes - here it is important that the client has a high awareness of the coaching process.