Read Time: 3 min

The Idea: The Paradox of Productivity

The more boxes we tick off our to-do list, the more accomplished we feel. Yet, our roles go beyond just checking boxes for those of us who lead teams. Maximizing our productivity is in direct conflict with our ability to lead.

Research Insight: The Price of Over-scheduling

A study from Stanford University found that multitaskers performed poorly because they had difficulty organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information. Multitasking impacts the brain's executive functions. The executive functions they found were particularly affected were the following.

• Managing time

• Paying attention

• Changing focus

• Planning and organizing

• Remembering details

Does any of those sound essential in leading others well? This is why we call it a paradox.

Anecdote: We interact with all types of leaders within Athletic Departments and hear versions of the following story everywhere we go:

They are drowning in tasks—planning drills, reviewing game tapes, meeting sponsors, and handling media obligations. They’re bogged down with meetings, putting out fires, and constantly choosing between their performance and leading their team of performers. They feel productive but also perpetually exhausted.

The Dilemma: Productivity vs. Presence

Productivity is essential, but without your human touch of leadership, it’s like a well-oiled machine without a pilot. Leading your team demands your presence, intuition, and the ability to connect with team members genuinely. This can’t be scheduled in 30-minute blocks or squeezed between meetings.

Leading Beyond the Task List

1. Daily Unstructured Time: Allocate 30 minutes to an hour daily with no specific agenda. Use this time to engage with your team, listen to their concerns, or be present.

2. Limit Multitasking: Focus on one task or discussion at a time. Your undivided attention (remember our letter on attention?) will yield better results and build stronger relationships.

3. Delegate: Consider the 80% rule. If a teammate can do what you do at 80% effectiveness, it’s worth passing off. Trusting teammates with responsibilities empowers them to grow and frees up your time for genuine leadership moments.

4. Daily Mantra: At the beginning of your day, remind yourself of the leader you want to be for your team. Saying it out loud has power.

Closing Thought: 

Leading in athletics is a delicate balance between strategy and human connection. Moving away from an obsession with maximizing every minute and leaning into moments of pause and connection, we lead more effectively and inspire our teams. Your leadership is not measured by tasks completed but by your impact on those around you.

Team Talks

One of the significant topics coaches ask us about is messaging.

Chances are, if we see a Head Coach’s name pop up on our phone, and they’re in-season, they want to share where their team is in their season and ask how to craft a message to maximize performance.

We know you’re tired of scrolling through YouTube, Instagram, and X (Twitter), looking for a motivational video that you hope and pray will resonate with your team.

We were asked so much that we created a more permanent solution.

And that’s Team Talks.

What are Team Talks?

Team Talks are short, 10-minute-or-less videos to use with your team, focused on mindset, leadership, and performance. They’re evidence-based ideas with stories to capture your team’s heart. Each video comes with an exercise to make the lesson stick. They are used by state, conference, and national champions. We have Team Talks on:

• Adversity

• Accountability

• Teamwork

• Discipline

• Mindset

• Elite Performance

There are currently 18 (the length of a typical season). We will build the library over the next few months to have thirty-six.

Team Talks set you up with the right message at the right time for your team.

And for a limited time, we’re offering them at a 25% discount. Get Team Talks today.