Balancing Leadership Responsibilities

LEAD with caution 🙏🏾 Early in my management journey, I learned a hard truth: leadership isn’t just about working hard or leading by example. 

I had to stop micromanaging, give clear instructions, and become a better communicator.

 It wasn’t easy, but clarity became the key to unlocking success.
 One moment sticks with me - when I thought pushing my team harder would get better results. I was wrong. 

They needed more than just direction; they needed balance, support, and recognition. 

That moment changed how I lead forever.
 I realised that without clear expectations, even the best team can feel lost. 

I had to define what success looked like for each person and make sure they knew their role and how it fit into the bigger picture. 

And I had to be open to letting them fail - creating a safe space where mistakes were learning opportunities. 

Publicly praising their wins but handling challenges privately became a cornerstone of how I build trust.
 It’s not enough to expect hard work. 

Leadership is about fostering growth, making space for open communication, and ensuring everyone feels heard and valued. 

When clarity became my foundation, I saw stress decrease, motivation rise, and results follow.
 Leadership isn’t about control. It’s about lifting others up, guiding them, and giving them the clarity to thrive. When you lead with that in mind, everything else falls into place. ♻️Tobi Oluwole

My daughter, Lia, was 9 months old when I started MarketingCube.co. I went solo to take on new projects I’d always dreamed of so I could manage my own time, but it became easy to overstretch. I learned these 3 ways to balance being a parent and having a solo venture: 1️⃣ Prioritise, Delegate or say NO I use my network and have a brilliant team of regulars I work with to help me out (you know who you are 😉). I also set goals of what I wanted to achieve both as a parent and in my work and for each opportunity that I was offered I ask myself: 👉🏻 Does it help me get closer to my goal? If the answer is no, then I reject the ask. If the answer is yes, I move to the next question. 👉🏻 Does it align with my strengths and expertise? If the answer is no, I partner with someone more suitable and recommend them. If the answer is yes, then I add it to my priorities and schedule it in my calendar. 2️⃣ Protect my energy 👉🏻 I keep a record of my daily activities (e.g. tasks, meetings etc.) in my calendar.. This shows me patterns of how I spend my time. 👉🏻I track what drains my energy - I started colour-coding my meetings or events based on how they make me feel. For example: Green = Energising, Yellow = Neutral, Red = Draining.  Doing this helps me stay aware of what is working and what is not and do more of what I love and less of what I don’t love. 3️⃣ Cut myself some slack At the start, I struggled with having much shorter work days and no time on the weekend to do any work (due to parenting commitments). It was frustrating, but I realised… Cutting myself some slack and accepting that I can't do it all perfectly all the time is crucial for mental & emotional well-being. I had to recognise my limits and be kinder to myself. It helped me reduce stress and find the balance between being a parent and a founder. All this said, it doesn’t mean I have it under control at all times and find being a parent and working a breeze. I still struggle (of course, that’s life) but these are the things that have helped along the way. How else do you balance parenthood and entrepreneurship? #entrepeneurship #solopreneurship #workingparent

Leading change isn't just about having a compelling vision or a well-crafted strategy. Through my years as a transformation leader, I've discovered that the most challenging aspect lies in understanding and addressing the human elements that often go unnoticed. The fundamental mistake many leaders make is assuming people resist change itself. People don't resist change - they resist loss. Research shows that the pain of losing something is twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining something new. This insight completely transforms how we should approach change management. When implementing change, we must recognize five core types of loss that drive resistance. * First, there's the loss of safety and security - our basic need for predictability and stability. * Second, we face the potential loss of freedom and autonomy - our ability to control our circumstances.  * Third, there's the fear of losing status and recognition - particularly relevant in organizational hierarchies.  * Fourth, we confront the possible loss of belonging and connection - our vital social bonds. * Finally, there's the concern about fairness and justice - our fundamental need for equitable treatment. What makes these losses particularly challenging is their connection to identity.  When change threatens these aspects of our work life, it doesn't just challenge our routines and who we think we are. This is why seemingly simple changes can trigger such profound resistance. As leaders, our role must evolve. We need to be both champions of change and anchors of stability.  Research shows that people are four times more likely to accept change when they clearly understand what will remain constant. This insight should fundamentally shift our approach to change communication. The path forward requires a more nuanced approach. We must acknowledge losses openly, create space for processing transition and highlight what remains stable. Most importantly, we need to help our teams maintain their sense of identity while embracing new possibilities. In my experience, the most successful transformations occur when leaders understand these hidden dynamics. We must also honour the present and past. This means creating an environment where both loss and possibility can coexist. The key is to approach resistance with curiosity rather than frustration. When we encounter pushback, it's often signaling important concerns that need addressing. By listening to this wisdom and addressing the underlying losses, we can build stronger foundations for change. These insights become even more crucial as we navigate an increasingly dynamic business environment. The future belongs to leaders who can balance the drive for transformation with the human need for stability and meaning. True transformation isn't just about changing what we do - it's about evolving who we are while honouring who we've been. #leadership #leadwithrajeev

You're on the Board of a nonprofit organization. And you’ve just hired a new Executive Director. They’re bringing fresh perspective, steady commitment, and a deep sense of purpose. I’ve seen two versions of what happens next. One ED gets a warm welcome, a few quick meetings, and a plate full of expectations. They’re ready to go, yet unsure what success looks like. Within a few months, the excitement gives way to uncertainty. The other ED walks into the same complexity, but with something different from you as the Board. Clear priorities. Shared context. And a Board that shows up consistently and helps shape the work ahead. Twelve months later, that leader is still learning but also leading. The first one? Already burnt out from the overload of figuring everything out solo. What made the difference? 1. 𝗔 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 It’s easy to assume your new ED will figure out what matters from a packet of onboarding materials. But narrowing the focus early is one of the most helpful things you can do as a Board. Give clarity into: • What do we need to stabilize or strengthen? • Where can we build momentum? • What would progress look like one year from now?    You’re not making the job smaller. You’re making it doable. 2. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 New EDs often spend the first year trying to figure out who holds influence, who needs support, and who they’ve accidentally overlooked. You can shorten that runway. So here, go beyond introductions to the new ED. Coach them with context. Share: • Where trust already exists and how it was built • Where expectations have gone unspoken • Where previous tensions may resurface without context • Why funders and supporters are longtime champions, get specific • Who they need to know before the first public meeting Context helps underpin confidence. 3. 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 The goal here is to reinforce clarity, confidence, and trust. And build a partnership effort, not to micromanage. Set a rhythm for support: • Regular check-ins that focus on learning, not evaluation • A clear point of contact on the board Shared expectations about decisions, communication, and pace While transitions are full of unknowns, you NS your full Board can smooth out a lot of those by using this 3-step approach.

Every task that comes to me is urgent and important. Sound familiar? This is a challenge many of us face daily. Early in my career, prioritization was relatively straightforward—my manager told me what to focus on. But as I grew, the game changed. Suddenly, I was managing a flood of requests, far more than I could handle, and the signals from others weren’t helpful. Everything was “important.” Everything was “urgent.” Often, it was both. To handle this effectively, I realized I needed to develop an internal prioritization compass. It wasn’t easy, but it was transformative. Here are 6 strategies to help you build your own: 1/ Be crystal clear on key goals Start by understanding your organization’s goals—at the company, department, and team levels. Attend organizational forums, departmental reviews, or leadership updates to stay informed. When in doubt, use your 1:1s with leaders to ask: What does success look like? 2/ Deeply understand KPIs Metrics guide decision-making, but not all metrics are equally valuable. Take the time to understand your team's or function's key performance indicators (KPIs). Know what they measure, what they mean, and how to assess their impact. 3/ Be assertive to protect priorities Not every task deserves your attention. Practice saying “no” or deferring requests that don’t align with key goals or metrics. Assertiveness is not about being inflexible—it’s about protecting your capacity to focus on what truly matters. 4/ Set and reset expectations Priorities change, and that’s okay. What’s not okay is working on misaligned tasks. Keep open communication with your manager and stakeholders about evolving priorities. When new demands arise, clarify and reset expectations. 5/ Use 1:1s to align with your manager Leverage your 1:1s as a strategic tool. Share your current priorities, validate them against your manager’s expectations, and discuss any conflicts or challenges. 6/ Clarify the escalation process When priorities conflict, don’t let disagreements linger. If you can’t agree quickly, escalate the issue to your manager. This avoids unnecessary churn, ensures trust remains intact, and keeps momentum focused on results. PS: You won’t always get it right—and that’s okay. Treat each misstep as an opportunity to refine your compass. What’s one tip you’ve used to prioritize when everything feels urgent? --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Great leaders don’t say yes to everything. They know when to say no. When I became a leader, I said yes to everything. I wanted to help, prove my worth, and keep everyone happy. Here’s the problem: saying yes to one thing means saying no to something better. People-pleasing leaves you anxious, overwhelmed, and burned out - and it doesn’t make you look like a leader. Here’s when to say “no” and when to say “yes”: 1/ New Project Requests ✅ Say yes if the project fits your strategy, resources are available, and there’s clear ROI. ❌ Say no if the scope is unclear, resources are tight, or it doesn’t align with priorities. Strategies to say no: ↳ Ask for a clear project brief or outline before committing. ↳ Suggest a pilot project to test feasibility. ↳ Say, “Let’s revisit this after we’ve finished current priorities.” 2/ Meeting Invitations ✅ Say yes if you’re a decision-maker, the agenda is clear, and it impacts your work. ❌ Say no if the topic can be handled by email, your input isn’t essential, or it conflicts with high-priority tasks. Strategies to say no: ↳ Ask for meeting notes or a summary instead of attending. ↳ Offer to email your input instead. ↳ Say, “Could this be combined with another meeting?” 3/ Opportunities or Partnerships ✅ Say yes if the opportunity aligns with your goals and offers mutual value. ❌ Say no if it distracts from your priorities or lacks clear benefits. Strategies to say no: ↳ Ask how the opportunity supports current objectives. ↳ Suggest revisiting the idea when resources are more available. ↳ Say, “This doesn’t fit our priorities now, but I’d be happy to revisit it later.” 4/ Additional Responsibilities ✅ Say yes if it fits your strengths, supports career growth, and your workload allows it. ❌ Say no if it over-extends your capacity, compromises existing commitments, or requires skills outside your expertise. Strategies to say no: ↳ Negotiate: “Which task can I deprioritise to take this on?” ↳ Clarify expectations: “What does success look like for this task?” ↳ Suggest delegating to someone better suited for the work. 5/ Urgent/Last-Minute Requests ✅ Say yes if it’s a genuine emergency, aligns with priorities, and you’re uniquely qualified to handle it. ❌ Say no if it’s caused by poor planning, is part of a recurring pattern, or risks current commitments. Strategies to say no: ↳ Say, “I’d love to help, but short notice may affect quality.” ↳ Propose alternative timelines or a backup solution. ↳ Set boundaries: “This risks my current commitments, so I’m unable to take it on.” Here’s the truth: Weak leaders fill their calendar. Strong leaders protect it. If saying no feels hard, remember: boundaries create space for what matters. ⤵️ Tell me in the comments: What’s one request you’ve said "no" to that helped protect your time and energy? ♻️ Share this with a leader who needs to reclaim their time. ➕ Follow me, Jen Blandos, for daily insights on leadership, productivity, and professional growth.

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

𝗔 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 😇 𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿? 🤯 I recently conducted a masterclass for a group of leaders and I couldn't help but notice a stark contrast between the leaders with presence and those without. The latter group always appeared to be "busy," filling every spare moment with a flurry of activities that could rival an Olympic athlete's training regimen: ... Fidgeting with their laptops to check emails 😳💻 ... Scrolling through social media aimlessly 📱👀 ... Replying to messages with high speed constantly 💬🏃♂️ ... Making multiple phone calls, as if they're running their own call centre. 📞👨💼 Unfortunately, they almost seemed awkward by themselves & struggled to be still. 😬 🤔 Do you recognise some of these in yourself? 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲? 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 – 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵. So instead of succumbing to this fear response, what if we can make a conscious effort to use our ‘free’ moments to cultivate stillness and self-awareness? Here are some things we can do during our next ‘free’ moment: 🟢 Give ourselves a well-deserved brain break 🟢 Reset our intention for the next activity 🟢 Spend a minute or two in reflection 🟢 Take in the beauty of the moment 🟢 Connect authentically with someone These pauses are more than self-care; they're the cornerstone of deeper relationships and authentic executive presence. With consistent practice, we have the power to evolve into emotionally intelligent leaders. 💪👩💼 Remember, presence is the heart of impact and the soul of leadership. So, let's consciously choose presence over perpetual busyness, embracing our 'free' moments to replenish our spirits and hone our leadership edge. P.S - What will your moment of stillness bring today? 🤔 #Speaker #EmotionalResilience #Leadership #ExecutivePresence #EmotionalIntelligence This is Cindy Tien, EQ Maven, CSP CSP - Inspiring your teams to Strengthen Connection, Conquer Challenges, and Claim their Messages

Many leaders believe they must choose between maintaining order OR driving change. This false dichotomy actually holds organizations back. The reality is that order is never static. You're constantly rebalancing and adjusting because everything around you is changing. To maintain order, you must embrace change. When we take the long view, transformational change happens only when we recognize there are bigger forces at work than what we can immediately see and feel. And as a leader, you need to hold space for that bigger change—while also providing stability. I saw this firsthand working with a company transitioning from products to data services. Their leaders initially saw this as a massive disruption to their orderly world. But by providing scaffolding—helping them understand this wasn't about entering a "completely different world" but rather evolving their relationship with the same customers—they could see how to bridge from current state to future state. A leader: 📈 Recognizes the bigger shifts happening around them. 🫙 Creates the container for transformation while maintaining stability through support. ⚖️ Embraces both change and order, and welcomes them as partners in transformation. If you liked this, ♻️ with your network—and consider subscribing to the Big Gulp Newsletter for more leadership insights:  https://lnkd.in/e5HcTdQd

Productivity isn’t pushing harder, it’s smarter. Too often, productivity means endless hours. Deadlines pile up, stress takes over. Busyness is mistaken for real progress. The result? Burnout, fatigue, disengagement. I’ve seen it too many times. Talented people drained of their spark. Teams running fast but going nowhere. Leaders measuring hours instead of impact. But here’s the truth: Sustainable > Frantic. Healthy teams create, innovate, and last. Clarity, trust, and energy fuel results. Productivity should elevate people, not exhaust them. Here are 7 ways to boost team productivity without burning people out: 1️⃣ Set clear priorities – Focus on what really matters. 2️⃣ Respect boundaries – Rest fuels energy, not laziness. 3️⃣ Simplify workflows – Cut clutter, reduce pointless approvals. 4️⃣ Encourage autonomy – Trust people, unleash better performance. 5️⃣ Celebrate small wins – Recognition builds confidence, sparks momentum. 6️⃣ Focus on strengths – Strength-driven work multiplies impact. 7️⃣ Model balance as leader – Your habits shape team culture. Success isn’t just constant output. It’s about results and resilience combined. Great teams work hard, but recover. They produce results and keep thriving. Because burned-out teams can’t sustain greatness. But balanced teams? They build legacies. Choose balance today.  Unlock tomorrow’s best. Protect people, and you’ll protect results. What’s your go-to productivity booster? ♻ Share this with your network if it resonates. ☝ And follow Stuart Andrews for more insights like this.