Ditch The Badge of ‘Busyness’

Sarah was the CEO of a growing tech startup. Her calendar was a warzone of back-to-back meetings, constant emails, and urgent tasks. She prided herself on being a hands-on leader, solving problems for her team, and ensuring every detail was perfect. But every time she glanced at her overflowing to-do list, a wave of exhaustion hit her.

"I just don’t have time," she would say, almost as a badge of honour.

But was she really leading, or just being busy?

One day, during a coaching session, Sarah vented her frustrations. "I’m doing everything I can, but there’s just not enough time in the day!"

I observed her anxious body language and asked, "Sarah, why do you think being busy equates to being effective?"

Sarah paused, taken aback. "If I’m not busy, am I even contributing?"

I smiled. "Let’s dig into that."

The Trap of Busyness

Many leaders equate seniority with busyness, believing that a packed schedule signifies importance. But busyness doesn’t equal productivity. Instead, it often signals inefficiency. Leaders stuck in the trenches, constantly firefighting, miss the bigger picture.

"Sarah," I said, "if you’re always saying you don’t have time, something is fundamentally wrong with how you’re functioning. Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about enabling others to excel."

Sarah reflected on her days. She was often solving minor disputes between team members, reviewing every marketing draft, and even stepping in to troubleshoot customer complaints. Her intentions were noble—she wanted to help. But in doing so, she was depriving her team of ownership and growth opportunities.

Delegation as a Leadership Superpower

Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks. It’s about trust, empowerment, and team management.

Sarah’s response to that was "But what if things go wrong?"

"Things might go wrong," I admitted. "But that’s part of the process. When you solve every problem, you’re not just overloading yourself; you’re also signaling to your team that they can’t handle it. That’s a disservice to them and to you."

I picked an example of skip-level involvement. Leaders often intervene in minor disputes, hoping to show kindness and approachability. While well-intentioned, this behavior can undermine managers and create dependency.

"Sarah, when you step into these situations, your team may appreciate your help, but you’re inadvertently teaching them to bypass their immediate managers. This erodes trust within the hierarchy and creates bottlenecks."

A Shift in Perspective

Sarah decided to test this new approach. She started delegating tasks with clear guidelines and timelines. She empowered her managers to handle team issues and resisted the urge to micromanage. It wasn’t easy—there were missteps along the way—but over time, her team grew more confident and efficient.

With her newfound time, Sarah focused on strategy and vision, steering the company toward long-term goals. She even started mentoring her managers, teaching them the art of delegation and leadership.

"I’m still busy," she told me a few months later, "but it’s a different kind of busy. It’s purposeful."

The Takeaway

Leadership isn’t about being the busiest person in the room. It’s about enabling your team to thrive, trusting them to take ownership, and focusing on what truly matters. If you find yourself constantly saying, "I don’t have time," it’s time to pause and reflect. Delegation isn’t just about workload; it’s about building a culture of trust, accountability, and growth.

Be like Sarah—ditch the badge of busyness and embrace the power of purposeful leadership.