THIS Leader Podcast Â
85. Stop Being Busy. Start Being Strategic.Â
September 22, 2026
You just spent another week putting out fires, saying yes to everything, and going to bed exhausted — but if someone asked you right now how your success is actually measured at work, could you answer in one clear sentence?
Most high performers can't. Not because they're not doing good work, but because being busy and being strategically valuable are two very different things. And in a season where job security feels a little uncertain for many, that gap matters more than ever.
In this episode, I walk you through the Job Pie exercise — a simple, visual way to see where your time and energy should be going versus where they're actually going. I'll also show you how to turn that clarity into a Quarterly Action Plan and a development path that makes you more valuable, not just busier. This is about being intentional with the time you already have, not adding more to your plate.
Â
Listen Now
Listen Now
The thing you notice is the busyness. The late nights, the full calendar, the constant sense of motion. But busyness isn't actually the problem — it might be masking the real one: not knowing, in clear and specific terms, how your work is measured and where your value really shows up.
Here's a question: how are you measured at work? It's not always an easy question because there's often a gap between how we spend our time, and what really matters for our success.Â
This episode is about closing that gap. I walk through the Job Pie exercise, a tool that helps you divide your role into its real components and assign the time each one deserves for maximum impact, not just the time it currently gets. From there, I cover the TIE tracker for auditing where your time, impact, and energy are actually going, how to build a Quarterly Action Plan with real outcomes attached, and how to design a development path that grows the parts of your role that matter most.
None of this is about doing more. It's about being intentional with what you're already doing, and being able to describe your value clearly — to your manager, your team, and yourself.
"We're all so busy doing our work — and doing good work — that we rarely stop to ask if we're doing the right work." — Claire Laughlin
Subscribe for weekly inspiration
Get it delivered right to your inbox!
Enter your name and email below and you'll get the inside scoop when we release a new episode on the podcast plus weekly leadership inspiration. We know you're not one to miss out on a good thing!
ClaireLaughlin.com needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at anytime. See our privacy policy for terms and conditions and to learn how we protect your data.
About your Host
Claire Laughlin, MA, Organizational Development Consultant
Hi! I'm Claire Laughlin, and I love helping leaders like you create workplaces where people truly thrive.
For over two decades, I've been rolling up my sleeves alongside teams and organizations, using hands-on methods that actually work (because let's face it - theory only gets you so far!).Â
I specialize in teaching leaders how to engage their teams, helping managers become more effective facilitators, and showing people how to work better together.
I'm also a master facilitator for the Six Types of Working Genius® - a fantastic tool that helps you understand and leverage your natural talents.
When I'm not helping leaders like you build happy, high-energy workplaces, I'm enjoying a hike in the forest with my dog Fiona, spending time with my family or curled up with a great book.
Listen Now
Let's keep the party going!
We have tons of great episodes waiting for you! Check them out on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
84. How to Build a Leadership Program with Kris Reyes
My guest, Kris Reyes, sat down in 2017 and designed a ten-month leadership program where participants experience the day-to-day challenges of their peers, and sit down every December and open their own 360 feedback report for the first time. Forty people apply for fifteen spots, every single year, in a company of around 300.
Join me to learn how Kris built Leadership Boardwalk, how he got an entire company to say yes to it, and what he'd tell you if you're sitting there thinking, I'd love to build something like this where I work.
 83. Building a Destination Workplace with Jason Behrmann
You already know culture isn’t something you create with a mission statement on the wall. The real question is how to close the gap between what your organization says it values and what people actually experience.
This week, I talk with Elk Grove City Manager Jason Behrmann about creating a destination workplace— a place people want to be, with somewhere to go. We explore the practical leadership tools and systems he uses to turn that idea into everyday reality.
Episode #01
If you'd like to review the full transcript of this episode, you may do so by clicking the button below.
