“I Know You’re Busy…” – The Four Words That Should Sound The Alarm For Sales Leaders

You know those moments when someone starts a conversation with, "I know you're busy….” Well, that’s the leadership equivalent of your car's check engine light flashing. It’s a subtle, but important warning sign that you might be falling short in your role as a leader.

I vividly recall a week where I had not one, not two, but three conversations begin this way. After the third time, I did what any self-respecting leader should do—I grabbed my self-awareness hat (it’s quite fashionable, by the way) and asked myself: Why do people keep starting conversations with that phrase?

The answer was staring me in the face. I had been sending out an invisible smoke signal, loud and clear: "I'm busy!" And as it turns out, that signal had some implications.

Implication #1: I Was Transacting, Not Relating

I had unknowingly entered what Dr. Mark Goulston, in his book, Just Listen, calls “transacting” mode. I was having conversations, sure, but they not the kind that matter. They weren’t deep, nor transformational. They were surface-level exchanges at best—efficient but not effective.

And why would they be anything else? The unspoken message being sent was, “Make this quick. Better be worth my time.” It's no wonder these interactions weren’t leading to deeper conversations or richer coaching moments. I was in such a rush to clear my to-do list that I forgot the most important thing on my list: the development of people.

Implication #2: I Was Wearing the Busy Badge (And It Was Weighing Me Down)

I had fallen into the trap of wearing the “busy badge” with pride, as if being busy was some kind of status symbol. The problem with being perpetually busy is that it leads to a lot of movement but not a lot of progress—much like being on a treadmill.

This realization took me back to Gary Keller’s brilliant advice from his book, The One Thing: “What is the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

When I revisited this idea, I realized I had been saying "yes" to too many things that didn’t actually align with my goals. Being busy isn't the same as being productive. It's important to be committed to goals and equally important to avoid overcommitting to things that do not move you closer to the goal. In my case, developing great salespeople, sales teams.

Implication #3: I Was Preaching Presence But Practicing Partial Attention

Ah, the classic “do as I say, not as I do” scenario. One of the most important gifts you can give others—whether it’s clients, colleagues, or friends—is the gift of your full presence. As Mary Pipher, author and therapist, wisely said: “Paying attention is the purest form of love.”

Sure, I told my clients and team that I was dedicated to them. But my actions told a different story. When you’re constantly "busy," you develop the habit of giving people only part of your attention. You're nodding along in a conversation while your brain is already drafting an email or mentally ticking off tasks on your to-do list. It’s a recipe for shallow connections not deep connections. It’s a recipe for transacting and not relating.

The Wake-Up Call: Those Four Little Words

So, if you ever hear those four words—"I know you're busy….”—take a moment to reflect. Consider what signals you’re sending out to your team and colleagues. Ask yourself what implications come with projecting busyness and whether that’s who you truly want to be as a leader. Remember, nobody is handing out gold stars for looking busy. The effective sales leader is one who takes time to hold transformational conversations. He or she puts the busy badge on the top shelf and gives their full attention to each and every conversation.

If you find yourself flashing that “busy” signal again, put on your own self-awareness hat and check the engine.

Good Selling and Leading!

Colleen