ο»ΏFULL TRANSCRIPT:
Can I tell you something slightly embarrassing? I used to add tasks to my to do list after I'd already completed them, just so I could tick them off. I'm not joking. I would do the thing, then I'd write it down, and then I'd tick it. And I'd feel great about it. Because in my mind, a full list that was getting ticked off meant I was being a productive, effective, on top of it leader.
If that landed a little close to home for you, stay with me. Because what I didn't realise was that my love of the tick was quietly costing me something I couldn't see yet.
Here's the truth that took me longer than I'd like to admit to learn. Being busy is not the same as leading. I was exceptional at time blocking. I had beautiful colour coded calendars that prioritised my task lists. I was efficient and I was focused on getting through my list. I was so efficient and focused that I wasn't always as present as my team needed me to be.
I've been in a conversation and while someone was still talking, I was already mentally drafting the follow up plan, already thinking about what needed to happen next, already moving to the solution. I thought that was a strength. I thought that was decisive leadership. What it actually was, was task mode dressed up as leadership.
And here's what I've learned from working with leaders across all different kinds of organisations. This is one of the most common traps that high performers fall into. The busier you are, the more it feels like you're leading. But busy is an activity. Leadership is a standard. They are not the same thing.
This is the part that most leadership content doesn't talk about. Busyness is often a disguise. When we fill our days with tasks, when we stay in that doing mode, we don't have time to sit in the harder, slower, more uncomfortable work of actually leading. Having the conversation that we've been putting off. Listening deeply instead of jumping to solutions. Asking the questions we're not sure we want the answer to. Holding someone to a standard when it would be easier to just do it ourselves.
That work doesn't feel productive. It doesn't give you a tick. It doesn't clear your inbox. But it's the work that moves your team forward.
I learnt this through feedback that stopped me in my tracks. One of my peers, someone that I really respected, pulled me aside after a meeting and told me, respectfully but directly, that I'd moved to creating a follow up action plan before I'd heard from all the key people in the room. I thought I was being really efficient. But what my team experienced was that their input didn't matter. That feedback was one of the most valuable things anyone has ever given me. And it was the moment I stopped confusing busyness with leadership.
So what does it actually look like to lead effectively instead of just staying busy? Three things that I work on with my clients, and I still work on myself.
The first one is presence over productivity. Before you walk into a meeting or a conversation, make a conscious decision to be there fully. Not planning your next move. Not drafting the follow up. Actually there, just being present.
Second, questions over solutions. The instinct of a high performer is to solve. Resist it. Ask one more question before you offer an answer. You'll be surprised what you were about to miss.
Third, standards over tasks. Ask yourself at the end of each week, not what did I get done, but what did I hold the standard on. That's the leadership question. That's what your team is actually measuring you by, whether they say it out loud or not.
I still fall into this trap and I want to be honest about that. There are weeks where I catch myself being very busy and not very present. And when I notice it, I know what to do. I slow down, I ask better questions, and I get back to what actually matters.
The reason I do this work is because I know what it costs when leaders stay stuck in doing mode. I've lived it. And I've seen it play out in teams across every kind of organisation.
If this resonated with you, and I suspect it did because you're still listening, I want you to do one thing this week. At the end of each day ask yourself, was I busy today or did I lead today? And notice the difference. Because once you can name it, you can change it.
And if you want to go deeper on where your leadership authority actually stands right now, I've got something this month that's going to help you do exactly that. Stay close and subscribe so you don't miss it. And if this landed, share it with a leader you know who needs to hear it. I'll see you in the next one.
PUBLISH DATE: Monday 2 June 2026 at 6:00am AEST EPISODE LENGTH: 5 minutes 40 seconds THUMBNAIL: Busy or Leading, Leadership Edge Podcast cover β optimised version
