“You have to see this. Look how much I accomplished this past week!”

A leader recently shared with me his long to-do list with many tasks crossed off. I had to admit, it was an impressive list. As he walked me through it, I took note of the numerous items that were on the list, and could tell from his story that he was racing from task to task, checking boxes and feeling productive.

It’s an easy trap to fall into. In a culture where productivity is king, we can convince ourselves that a full calendar and a shrinking to‑do list equal effective leadership. But while we’re sprinting from one accomplishment to the next, what might we be missing? And where should our focus actually be?

The answer depends on what we believe our role is as leaders.

As this leader and I talked, he realized that he had come to define his value by the pace he set and the volume of work he completed. Productivity had quietly become his identity. But the more we unpacked, the clearer it became: while productivity matters, it is rarely the most important contribution a leader makes.

In his case, the frantic pace was creating unintended consequences. His team wasn’t following his stated priorities, they were following his behavior. They were trying to interpret what mattered based on where he rushed, what he touched, and what he reacted to.

His speed was creating confusion, not clarity.

I recognize this pattern in myself. Do my actions align with the priorities I say are important? Am I spending more time fighting fires than stewarding my time and advancing what is strategic? What do I truly believe is the value I bring to a situation, is it how much I can get done, or how much I can help us to get done together?

Every few weeks, you may want to take a couple minutes to evaluate your own to-do list and ask if it aligns with your priorities.

The shift may seem subtle, but the destinations are miles apart.