Maria’s Story: When Being Busy Gets in the Way of Leading
- Why staying busy often means you’re reacting, not leading
- How doing too much yourself slows your team down
- What changes help you delegate with trust and lead with focus
Being a strong leader isn’t about handling chaos—it’s about building space for better decisions.
If You’re Always Swamped, You’re Not Leading—You’re Just Putting Out Fires
The Monday Morning Mess
Maria rushed through the doors of Axentra Advisory, juggling her phone and a dripping coffee cup.
She was already behind.
As head of tax consulting, her day was packed: a client deck due by noon, a team meeting she’d delayed twice, and a stack of tax returns needing her personal review.
“Maria, thank goodness you’re here,” her assistant Tammy called. “Henderson’s been trying to reach you about their projections.”
Maria didn’t look up. “Can you handle it? I’m buried in Morrison’s file.”
Tammy paused. “I tried. But you said you wanted to review all Henderson comms yourself, remember?”
Maria blinked. She had said that—months ago, during a rough audit season. Now it felt like she’d built her own trap.
The Pattern
By 10 a.m., Maria had already missed another meeting. Tammy stopped trying to catch her face-to-face and resorted to rushed emails and hallway fly-bys.
The team had learned to work around her, guessing what she’d say, hoping she wouldn’t undo it later.
“Can we talk about the Williams audit?” asked James, a senior consultant, at her door.
“I’m slammed. Can it wait?” Maria muttered without looking up.
“It’s already waited two weeks. The client’s frustrated.”
Maria froze. Two weeks? She hadn’t realized how long she’d been behind. Things were falling through the cracks, fast.
The Breaking Point
At a weekly team meeting, Maria showed up twenty minutes late. The team sat silent.
She’d forgotten to send the agenda. Half of them didn’t even know why they were there.
“Sorry, everyone. Let’s just dive in,” she said, glancing at her phone.
Tammy cleared her throat. “We need clear Q2 goals. The team’s stuck on maybe-dead projects.”
“Everything’s a priority right now,” Maria said, still scrolling. “Let’s push through this season.”
“Busy season’s been eight months,” James said, quiet but firm.
Maria looked up. Everyone looked worn out. This wasn’t a team meeting—it was a plea for leadership.
The Hard Truth
That night, Maria sat alone in her office. Her daughter had a soccer game. She’d missed it. Again.
Her husband didn’t even ask when she’d be home anymore.
Worse, she couldn’t name one big thing her team had finished that week.
She remembered her old boss, Patricia. Same workload, same pressure. But Patricia always had time to talk. She knew her team. She made clear calls fast.
Patricia led.
Maria was just surviving.
The Shift
The next day, Maria tried something new.
She skipped going straight to her emails. Instead, she walked the floor and asked simple questions.
“What are you working on?”
“What’s in your way?”
At the next team meeting—this time, she was early—Maria stood up.
“I’m done being the hold-up. James, you’ve got five years of audit work. You don’t need my OK for routine stuff.”
She looked at Tammy. “If you know the answer, tell the client. I trust you.”
It didn’t change everything overnight. But people sat taller. Took more ownership. Solved more without her.
And slowly, things got better.
What Real Leadership Looks Like
Three months later, Maria’s calendar looked different.
Fewer meetings. More time to think and plan.
Her team made smart choices on their own. Only real problems landed on her desk.
She had space to lead—not just manage.
She spent time setting direction, coaching her people, and shaping systems that would last.
She realized:
Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about helping others rise.
If you’re always fighting fires, you never stop to build fire exits.
Building Instead of Burning Out
Maria didn’t just change how she used her time. She changed how she thought about leadership.
Leaders build.
They don’t just fix problems—they prevent them.
If you’re too busy for real talks, you miss what’s really going on.
If you’re too swamped to delegate, your team won’t grow.
When you’re always reacting, you never get ahead.
Leading means stepping back from chaos and focusing on what matters most.
It means trusting others to run with the work so you can shape what’s next.
Maria’s team didn’t just get faster.
They got sharper. More creative. More engaged.
And Maria?
She finally had time to lead—and take her team forward.
Sure, fires still pop up. But now her team knows how to handle them.
Because real leadership isn’t about doing it all.
It’s about giving your team what they need so they can do it well.
The Best Leaders Aren’t the Busiest—They’re the Ones Who Make Others Better
Quick Lesson: The Hidden Cost of “Always Being Busy”
- Being busy ≠ being a leader.
If you can’t delegate, you’re not leading. You’re stuck managing. - You become the problem.
If everything runs through you, nothing moves fast. - Urgency traps you.
When you’re always in crisis mode, you can’t build or improve anything.
Checklist: Are You Managing or Leading?
You might be stuck in reactive mode if:
- You cancel team check-ins for “urgent” tasks
- People wait on you for simple approvals
- You don’t block time to plan or reflect
- Your team needs constant direction
- You feel drained but don’t know what you got done
- Your calendar’s packed with status updates—not real decisions or coaching
If three or more ring true, it’s time to shift gears.
How to Stop Being the Bottleneck
Here’s how to lead instead of react:
- Block Strategy Time
Set aside 2–4 hours a week. No meetings. No calls. Just clear thinking. - Teach Delegation Tiers
Help your team know when to:
-
- Act on their own
- Loop you in later
- Ask before doing
- Escalate for your decision
- Do Weekly Priorities, Not Daily Check-ins
Let teams handle day-to-day. Meet weekly to set goals and align. - Trust First
Assume your team can handle it—until proven otherwise. - Reflect Every Friday
Spend 15 minutes reviewing:
What worked?
What felt like real leadership?
FAQ: Leading When It Feels Chaotic
Q: I don’t have time to delegate.
That’s the point. Start small. Hand off one repeat task this week. Free up future time.
Q: How do I stay informed without bottlenecking?
Set clear rules for what needs your input. Use dashboards or short updates—not micromanagement.
Q: Will stepping back make me seem checked out?
No. Asking smart questions and giving people space shows strong leadership.
Q: My team’s too green—how can I trust them?
Start with low-risk stuff. Let them try and learn. Growth comes from doing.
Bottom Line:
If you’re always buried in work, you’re not leading.
You’re reacting.
But when you trust, coach, and step back, your team steps up.
And that’s when real leadership begins.