The Busy Myth

In hospitality, we’ve confused being busy with being effective. It’s become our industry’s default measure of success.

I see this pattern in every coaching session. Managers rush from crisis to crisis, taking pride in handling everything themselves. First to arrive, last to leave – they wear exhaustion like a badge of honor.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re constantly firefighting, you’re failing at being a leader.

I learned this lesson the hard way early in my career. I thought being everywhere at once made me indispensable. Instead, it made me a bottleneck. I was creating a culture of dependence, not capability.

Once the penny dropped, I focused on building a capable team underpinned by values, purpose and clear systems. I also stopped telling people how busy I was because, the truth is, I wasn’t – my team were in control. The confused looks I’d get were priceless. “You must be busy,” they’d say. “Not really,” I’d reply.

Here’s what being “busy” really signals:
– Poor delegation skills
– Unclear priorities
– Weak systems and processes
– Ineffective team development
– Fear of losing control

The real cost isn’t just your burnout. It’s the missed opportunities to develop your team, improve your systems, and actually lead your business.

Breaking the busy trap requires three key shifts:

1. Stop Solving Every Problem
Your job isn’t to solve everything – it’s to build a team that can solve problems. When staff come to you with issues, resist the urge to jump in. Ask questions that help them find solutions. Yes, this takes longer initially. But it creates capability, not dependency.

2. Create Time to Think
Block out time each week for planning and review. Protect this time fiercely. If you’re too busy to think strategically about your business, you’re too busy to run it effectively.

3. Build Strong Systems
Document your processes. Train your team thoroughly. Create clear frameworks for decision-making. Good systems let your business run smoothly without your constant intervention.

The most effective leaders I work with aren’t the busiest. They’re the ones who’ve built robust teams, clear systems, and take time to work on their business, not just in it.

Being less busy doesn’t mean being less committed. It means being more strategic about where you spend your energy.

Want to break free from the busy trap? Let’s chat about how coaching can help you shift from constant firefighting to genuine leadership.