SHAPE Shift: Busyness → Purpose

It’s Q1. Calendars are packed. Meetings are constant. And if you ask most leaders how things are going, the word you’ll still hear is busy.

But here’s what we’re noticing behind the scenes: Busy is becoming a default again and clarity is quietly slipping.

Busyness creates the illusion of movement. But without purpose, it’s just motion. Purpose is what helps teams prioritise, leaders choose, and decisions stick. Without it, we end up reacting to noise instead of anchoring in what matters most.

This month, we’re focusing on one of the hardest and most liberating shifts leaders can make.

From Busy by Habit → Purpose by Design

Start by naming it. When your calendar is full but progress feels shallow, you don’t need more time. You need stronger filters.

Try this in your next team conversation: “What are we doing that no longer makes sense?” It’s one of the most underused leadership questions we know.

From Reactive Work → Real Work

Responding to emails and attending meetings feels productive. But it’s often performative.

Try this: audit your diary. Block one hour a week for real thinking. Not prep. Not admin. Strategy. Reflection. You’ll feel the difference after the second week.

From Fast → Focused

Speed without direction burns energy. Purpose adds weight to action.

Next time you delegate, pause and frame the ‘why’. Not the task, the purpose. “We’re doing this now because…” is a high-trust signal that sharpens judgement and decision-making down the line.

What We’re Seeing

In Leadershift, this is often where things get real.

It’s where leaders realise they’ve been moving fast, but not forward.

Purpose doesn’t slow you down, it sharpens the point. And once it’s in place, everything else speeds up. Focus. Delegation. Decisions. Team energy. All of it.

WHAT'S WORTH YOUR TIME

📘 Essentialism by Greg McKeown – practical, smart, and extremely relevant for overloaded leaders

📄 Purpose And Productivity Aren’t The Same: Embracing A New Metric During A Pandemic. This piece explores why chasing productivity alone can leave us unfulfilled, and how purpose brings depth to our daily efforts.

🎧 Slow Productivity: Cal Newport On How To Escape Burnout, Do Your Best Work & Achieve More By Doing Less

LISTEN AND LEAD

LEADERSHIFT

Leadershift is our six-month leadership experience that equips teams to lead with relevance. It helps leaders let go of what no longer serves and build the shifts that matter.

The Purpose module lands differently for every team. Some find it confronting. Others find it clarifying. All leave it with more space, sharper focus, and stronger signals. Because purpose isn't just a message. It's a multiplier.

What are you busy with right now that doesn’t actually matter?

Learn More: www.thepeoplegame.com/leadershift

MEREDITH'S MASTERCLASS SERIES

If embedding strategic rest resonates with you, join me for the Recharge Masterclass on 28 November. We’ll explore practical habits and strategic shifts to help you plan meaningful rest—not only for your summer break but as a sustained leadership practice throughout the year.`

Regards,

The People Game