Spicy opinion incoming: Most of what agency leaders do has very little to do with actual leadership.

We’re constantly busy with meetings, emails and firefighting. It’s sometimes difficult to find a time for a toilet break in our stuffed diaries. Work spills into the evenings and bleeds into weekends. We’re undeniably busy, but much of that activity has only the most tenuous link to the job of leading.

If we really boil it down to its essence leadership is just three things:

Vision : Setting a clear direction and a practical plan to get there
Steering  : Aligning and guiding the team towards that vision
Betterment : Equipping ourselves with the knowledge and perspective to do the first two better

Everything else we do is a distraction. Everything.

I’m not suggesting that the other work we do isn’t important. The smaller the business the more hats we wear as leaders (and the more those hats compete for “head time”). As the business matures, and processes and people take over, that pressure eases. But it never goes away entirely.

So no, I’m not dismissing the importance of your “Finance Director” hat or your “Client Services Manager” hat. But we have to be clear: that’s not leadership work. And I think that distinction matters, because leadership work is rarely the most urgent. That makes it the easiest to neglect, even though it’s the most critical to long-term success.

How guilty are you? The 24 hour snapshot

Let’s spend a few minutes, right now, on some of that high-value “Betterment”. Grab a pen (or your preferred modern alternative). Split the page into 5 columns and give them the following headings:

  • Task
  • Vision?
  • Steering?
  • Betterment?
  • Why???

It should look something like this:

Now list the main things that have taken your time over the last 24 hours in the first column under task then simply mark which of those things honestly aligned with one of those three core leadership tasks. For anything that didn’t write one line as to why you did it anyway.  Don’t overthink the exercise, just spend 2 or 3 minutes on it now.

The point is simply to acknowledge the reality of the problem.

Understanding Why We Drift

Drifting from leadership priorities often happens quietly and incrementally. It’s easier to jump in and fix a problem than to delegate and trust others. There’s also comfort in being needed, even though it compromises progress (Blanket forts are welcoming places!).

However, each distraction or operational task reduces your clarity, dilutes strategic direction, and fosters team dependency rather than team empowerment. Avoiding short-term discomfort by drifting from leadership priorities can often lead to greater long-term difficulties.

Refocusing on the Real Job

Understanding issues like this is not the battle of course. Change is much harder, but it starts with increased awareness and understanding. Don’t rush to overhaul everything immediately.

  • Complete the snapshot daily for a week. Identify patterns.
  • Choose one distraction daily to delegate, defer, or remove entirely. Small, consistent changes compound significantly.
  • Set aside dedicated time, even if minimal, each week specifically for leadership activities.
  • Block out dedicated time each week for leadership. Not vague ‘working on the business’ time. Make it focused: Vision, Steering, or Betterment.

The Uncomfortable Reality

Leadership isn’t about your title, it’s about daily practice and choosing clarity over chaos, proactive direction over reactive firefighting, and meaningful growth (not just financial) over staying comfortable.

If you’re genuinely committed to leading rather than merely managing, regularly reflect with this question:

What did I actually lead yesterday?

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