Hiding Behind Busyness: AVOIDANCE is the Leadership Trap That Blinds Us.

Praise is a powerful people-builder. Catch individuals doing something right.”  - Brian Tracy

Why are so many leaders caught up in the task-centered land of busyness? It may not be for the reasons you think. Many of us stay busy to avoid doing the things we should be doing because we don’t WANT to have the time to do them. Read that again

We often say we’re too busy to handle personnel problems or internal conflict—but deep down, we may be using busyness to avoid the uncomfortable realities of leadership. Specifically, we dodge dealing with underperformance, interpersonal issues, team dysfunction, and needed confrontation. Why? Because it’s emotionally taxing, unpredictable, and requires courageous conversations.

For me personally, I’ve noticed a subtle dread around these moments. Confronting someone about poor performance, or navigating conflict between team members, often feels like opening a can of worms I don’t have the energy or time to deal with. So we fill our schedules. We justify. We delay.

But here’s the hard truth: You cannot afford to be too busy to lead well.

Avoiding Conflict Is Eroding Your Leadership

When we dodge these issues, we aren’t preserving peace—we’re enabling dysfunction. Conflict doesn’t disappear with time. It festers. Avoiding confrontation leads to a dangerous leadership culture that silently screams, “We don’t deal with our issues—we ignore them.”

And that culture is toxic.

• Your top performers (A-Players) will quietly disengage or leave altogether.
  
• Your unhealthy or underperforming people will stay — and spread negativity.
  
• The trust your team had in your leadership starts to fade, replaced with cynicism & eye rolling.
  

Leadership isn’t just about strategy, making money, innovation, or managing projects.  It’s about creating a culture where truth, clarity, and accountability thrive. Where people matter.

Why So Many Leaders Struggle

Many highly successful entrepreneurs and managers excel in the operational side of business—sales, products, numbers—but falter when it comes to truly leading people and ensuring a thriving culture. They haven’t cultivated the skills or stamina for hard conversations. But here’s the opportunity: You can grow in this area. And your organization will grow because of it.

A Better Way Forward

Decide today to stop hiding behind the comfort of busyness. Step into the conversations you’ve been putting off.

• Listen more than you speak.
  
• Ask thoughtful, clarifying questions.
  
• Be direct, but kind. Deal with issues.
  
• Act swiftly to honor the company values and with integrity.
  

And remember: don’t delegate the hard conversations that you, as the leader, need to own. While others on your team may support HR or staff development, you set the tone. You drive the culture. You shape the relational health of your organization.

You don’t need to enjoy confrontation to be effective at it; most of us hate conflict. You just need to care more about your people and your culture than your temporary discomfort.

Let’s ask a few questions to jumpstart your growth:

• What performance issue or unresolved conflict is keeping you awake at night, or are creating a sense of dread in the morning?
  
• What conversation have you been avoiding?
  

• What fear, excuse, or habit may try to hinder my success, and how will I overcome it?
  

Let’s stop using “busy” as a badge of honor when it’s really a mask for avoidance. Start facing the hard stuff with humility, courage, and clarity. The health of your culture—and the future of your team—depends on it.

You’ve got this. And you’re not alone. Shandel Group is here to help if it seems overwhelming.

Be The Best You Can Be, Today!

Your Coach,

P.S. Personal Sutherland Family update - YAHOOO!!!! Shandel Group celebrates 25 years next month. I can’t believe how much joy this incredible career has brought me. I get to use all my gifts, and I experience the joy of growing every single day I am coaching my incredible clients. I am a lifetime learner, and that is why I can’t wait for the next 25 years!!!  Let’s keep growing together in our personal growth, wisdom sharing, and service to the people we lead.  To all you wonderful clients of mine…a sincere Thank you for the decades of support. Of course, I would be so blessed to hear if Shandel Group has assisted in your development over the years. We are on mission and will continue to do so!!!

Scott and I get a week off. We are headed out on our annual camping trip, where we have no cell or internet access, just floating. We are super excited and are looking forward to rest and relaxation unplugged. We encourage you to take an unplugged vacation as well.

In other news…The bowling alley continues to improve with live music and bands on our side lot, LOT 31. If anyone wants to come down to this small town and play music, it would be so fun to have you!!!! We are loving it and the little church that we get to team teach in each week. What a fun chapter in our lives. So full of diversity and joy and HARD WORK!!!  

Good job ending Q2 with purpose and intention, and here is to Q3, where we get serious about our personal growth and team alignment.  In case you are sending Summer cards instead of Christmas cards, remember to change our address: PO Box 1084, Quincy, CA 95971