From 60 Hour Weeks to Real Strategic Leadership

I had a client come to me who was really struggling with having a cohesive leadership structure.

They expressed that their leaders felt overwhelmed in their positions.

They did not know exactly how to best coach their teams, how to hire the right people, and they had some real blockages that were preventing them from holding themselves and their teams accountable.

So we dove into the Three C’s framework. We also pulled in their strengths assessments and really dove deep into who the players were on their team.

• How were they best coached?

• What barriers were in place?

• What did they truly want to see as success?

The ABC Framework is powerful because it helps take teams who may be functioning at different levels, high performing in certain areas and lower in others, and gives a clear snapshot of where they are.

From there, we can quickly identify what needs to happen to overcome the challenges leaders are facing.

In just six months, we saw measurable performance improvements across departments in productivity, sales, and service.

We also saw leaders gain time back on their calendars.

One leader, Rabecca, shared that she felt overwhelmed.

She was working 55 to 60 hours a week, doing more than she needed to and operating outside the scope of her role.

Through a few key frameworks, especially a time audit, we helped her redefine her priorities and delegate more effectively.

She got down to 40 hours per week.

She looked at me and said, “Michael, I don’t know what to do with all this extra time!”

I laughed and said, “Now you get to coach more. Now you get to lead more. Now you get to be strategic.”

She moved from being urgent and reactionary to being focused and intentional. That shift played out differently for each leader, but the pattern was the same.

What I love most is identifying where a leader has gaps and wants to grow, personally and professionally, and then giving them the tools, framework, and roadmap to make it simple.

Whether it is coaching well, holding team members accountable, delegating effectively, or handling difficult conversations, leaders need structured support.

Too often, they feel siloed and believe they have to figure it out alone.

When you give them the right tools and meet them where they are, they do not just improve performance. They build skills they will use for the rest of their careers.

Lead Boldly,
~ MW