IA few days ago, I found myself in a familiar spot. As I crawled through the school pickup line (which, incidentally, is an unsanctioned Olympic sport), I rapidly muted and unmuted my phone during a leadership call, factually half-present in both places and fully grounded in neither. Barely avoiding a slow-motion accident due to my middle-distance stare, I saw my son walking toward the car. He’s chatty (shocking, I know), and wanted to talk about his day, but I waved him off pointing at the phone, gave him a thumbs up, and he replied with a world class eyeroll. I’d just spent the last 30 minutes reacting. Not leading, not connecting, just barely managing through the noise.

That moment, like so many, reminded me how hard it can be to stay intentional.

For many leaders, the end of the year feels like a sprint through molasses. You’re moving fast but not always forward, and yet your level of effort is exponentially greater. Priorities multiply, inboxes overflow, budget pressures become real, and everyone’s urgency and phrenetic energy becomes your focus. Amid the constant swirl of activity and reactivity, it’s far too easy to lose sight of what truly deserves your attention.

In a world that often rewards quantity over quality, slowing down can feel countercultural. But discernment, not speed, is what separates effective leaders from exhausted ones. Every meeting, request, and initiative carries a cost. The most grounded leaders I know treat their time as a scarce resource. They understand that saying yes to everything means saying no to focus, reflection, and strategy.

So ask yourself: What’s truly important right now? Is my presence an accelerant or a distraction? Did I just take someone’s growth opportunity away? When you frame your choices through that lens, chaos turns into clarity.

The leaders who thrive aren’t the ones who do it all. They’re the ones who focus on what matters most. And being intentional doesn’t mean being inflexible. It means being clear with yourself, your team, and your purpose. It means deciding what “done” really looks like before the clock runs out.

As they say, “Yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.” So tomorrow, at pickup line, the phone will be down, my eyes will be focused, my mind clear, and my full presence will center on this anthropological experiment called Middle School. Let’s make each moment count.

---

THE LATEST

---

As a reader of PM Corner, you recognize how breaking down silos can unlock the full power of collaboration.

Too often, transformation efforts stall not because of poor strategy, but because teams work in isolation – each chasing success on their own terms. In this month’s spotlight article, Sammye Walton reveals how true integration turns disconnected efforts into collective momentum, aligning people, processes, and goals to drive meaningful, lasting results.

---

OF INTEREST

---

boldly reimaging consulting.

Our goal isn’t indefinite engagement; it’s equipping you for self-sufficiency through our proven knowledge transfer methodology. We stand beside you, propelling you toward meaningful, lasting outcomes.