The Time Problem Isn’t Time—It’s Clarity

"Expectations are infinite. Time is finite. You are always choosing. Choose well." - Laura Vanderkam

Every October, many of the leaders I partner with choose to administer a climate survey—not just to gather feedback on their leadership, but to gain an honest pulse on the overall health of their organization. When districts already have their own survey tools, we often borrow key questions so the data is comparable over time. It’s a vulnerable process and never an easy one, but it models exactly what we expect from our teams: using real data, not assumptions, to understand how things are truly going. A consistent theme that emerges each year—and one I suspect shows up in your organization as well—is the belief that there is simply “not enough time” to do the job. If this sounds familiar, the good news is there is a path forward.

The first step is understanding what, exactly, is consuming everyone’s time. Are these high-leverage actions that directly improve results? Or are they tasks that feel more like compliance, box-checking, or isolated work that doesn’t strengthen collaboration? Are the tasks required by the organization, or traditions no one has questioned in years? Leaders can’t answer these questions in isolation. In schools, this is where bringing in the Guiding Coalition—or in other sectors, a leadership team or cross-functional group—becomes essential. When trust is present, your people will tell you the truth. With the right protocol, the group can map current tasks to the organization’s goals, mission, and vision, then examine the data to determine which actions genuinely produce the greatest impact for the time invested.

One highly effective approach for this work is a Start–Stop–Continue–Modify protocol. Small teams first generate their ideas, come to consensus, and then merge with the larger group to form a shared picture of what matters most. The goal is not just efficiency; it is building commitment. When everyone understands the “why” behind the work and has a voice in determining the direction, alignment strengthens and accountability becomes shared rather than enforced.

An equally transformative part of this process is identifying what to let go of. For many leaders, this is the most uncomfortable step—at least at first. Yet time and again, leaders will say it becomes one of the most liberating and powerful actions they take. Often, the practices or traditions that need to be retired are the ones most ingrained in campus or organizational culture. They’ve always been there, everyone has always questioned them quietly, but no one has stopped long enough to examine them. Naming and releasing those outdated practices deepens trust, increases psychological ownership, and strengthens collective commitment.

Leaders can—and should—apply the same reflective process to themselves. Begin with clarity: What are the true non-negotiables communicated by your supervisors or stakeholders? In education, this typically includes serving as the instructional leader and ensuring campus culture remains healthy. Then conduct your own Start–Stop–Continue–Modify analysis, grounded firmly in data. Notice that none of these steps hinge on what is easy versus hard or preferred versus required. This distinction is where many leaders succeed or struggle. The option to “opt out” can be a real barrier when resilience is low. This is where a disciplined self-check matters: the willingness to do what is necessary—even when it is uncomfortable—is often the defining factor in leadership growth.

At SLC, this is exactly why our 3–5 days of summer work with principals and teacher-leaders always begins with identifying the “got-to-dos.” We focus first on building trust and psychological safety, then dig into data to develop a shared understanding of the campus reality. From there, we identify the highest-leverage actions that will produce the greatest impact over the school year. In a profession where demands are abundant and often overwhelming, choosing the right work is essential. Engaging teams in this process not only strengthens commitment but ensures that focused, strategic action continues long after our time together.

And, importantly, this is not a one-time exercise. The highest-performing organizations revisit and refine this work continually. Priorities evolve, data shifts, and new challenges arise. Establishing a thoughtful, collaborative process now—not later—is one of the strongest leadership moves you can make. It gives you and your team a roadmap that is both sustainable and adaptive, and it reinforces that time is not just something we manage, but something we invest with intention.