I’m fairly confident that the leadership role you now occupy is more demanding, more complex, and more time-consuming than it was 3 years ago.
Why?
First, scope has exploded. Globalization means you’re now juggling issues across multiple time zones, cultures, and regulatory environments. What used to be a regional decision now has global implications.
Second, the spotlight is brighter. Every decision gets scrutinized faster and harder. Social media and 24/7 news cycles mean a misstep in Mumbai can trend in Minneapolis within hours.
Third, everything connects to everything. A supply chain hiccup affects customer satisfaction, which impacts employee morale, which influences investor confidence. You’re not just managing your domain—you’re managing ripple effects across an interconnected web.
So if you feel that your normal time management and productivity tactics are simply re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic…well, you’re not alone.
That’s because you need to deal with the primary problem first—insufficient time. The strategic lever to pull is reclaiming time for what counts, not simply managing it. Your challenge is that you have a diminishing resource (time), and you need to replenish it.
Reclaiming time is a strategic enabler—an action that elevates you from tactical efficiency to strategic priorities. It’s the foundation that makes your time management efforts actually work. Done well, it leads to increased focus, alignment and speed…and sometimes even to a sense of ease and mastery.
Who wouldn’t want those outcomes? All it requires is being thoughtful and judicious in your approach. Here are some principles to guide you.
GET CLEAR ON WHAT COUNTS.
Be sure that the time you’re reclaiming gets used for the priorities that will have the most impact and value.
Ask yourself:
- Which activities are most aligned with our strategic business goals?
- Which activities are the highest priority to my boss, the CEO, or the board?
- Which activities can only I do versus others on my team?
DON’T BE TERRITORIAL.
The most effective leaders I know are masters at moving work off their plates. They delegate to their teams. They outsource to peers or external firms. They collaborate instead of controlling.
Think of yourself as the quarterback of a football team. Your job isn’t to run every play—it’s to make the plays that only you can make. When you hand off routine work, you free yourself for mission-critical activities while giving your team valuable growth opportunities. Everyone wins.
KEEP YOUR STAKEHOLDERS INFORMED AND SUPPORTED.
Don’t force key stakeholders—your boss, team, or colleagues—to figure out on their own that you’re reclaiming time.
Explain not only what you’re doing but why. You should be able to articulate the value of the activities you’re focusing on. You should also explain the value in deferring, delegating, or outsourcing other work. Reassure stakeholders that clear processes will be in place to meet their needs.
This isn’t about abandoning responsibilities—it’s about being strategic with your attention.
DON’T DRIFT.
New priorities will inevitably arise and demand your time. This is where discipline matters most.
Be rigorous in assessing your response. Once again, get clear on what counts most and reclaim the time you need to focus there. The moment you stop being intentional about your time allocation, you’ll find yourself back in reactive mode.
Mastering the art of time reclamation takes practice, but it’s a worthy investment. The immediate benefits—increased focus, alignment, and speed—are just the beginning. Over time, this process trains you to be instinctively strategic. You’ll develop the ability to immediately spot the direction, initiatives, or activities that deliver maximum value…and then deliver on those strategic insights.
Once you’ve reclaimed time, you can then explore what time management and productivity approaches are a good fit for who you are and the circumstances you find yourself in. This is an area where one size doesn’t fit all, and it’s a topic too broad to address in a single post. But I’ll continue to share suggestions that are particularly effective for senior leaders in fast-paced environments from time to time.
First Step
This week, ask yourself: “How do I reclaim time for what counts?” Identify your highest value activity and make more time for it in your calendar. Identify a lower value activity and stop doing it.