Hello everyone,

I want to share something that came up in a coaching session recently, because I suspect it might resonate with a few of you.

A leader said to me, “I just feel absolutely swamped. In the past I could always manage it, but something has changed, and it’s really starting to stress me out.”

So we did something simple. I asked them to list everything they were working on, every demand on their time and attention. By the end, we counted eleven priorities. Eleven. Coming from every direction: top-down strategy, customers, cross-functional initiatives, the team… and then, almost as an afterthought: “Oh, and we’ve been told we need to learn AI as well.”

That last one was the one that really scared them, not just the learning curve, but the sheer impossibility of finding time for it amongst everything else.

So I asked: of all of these, which are the important three?

They genuinely struggled to answer. And that’s when it became clear: it was a capacity problem. When I asked whether they had enough people, enough time, and enough budget to do everything well, the honest answer was: not really.

This is what I see consistently. Organisations train managers to set goals and get moving, but often skip the crucial step in between: getting clear on what each goal actually demands, checking whether the capacity is there, and aligning the support needed before the work begins (not three months in, when it’s already gone wrong 😬 ).

The method I use for this is called GPS: Goal, Plan, System. I talk through it in this video here. It helps you see your goals in the round, assess capacity properly, and go into stakeholder conversations with real clarity (instead of a vague sense of overwhelm).

And on the AI piece: I actually think AI can be useful here, as a thinking partner for clarity and for saving time. I’m planning a series of videos on using AI practically within a leadership workflow, so watch this space. And if there are specific areas you’d like me to cover, do reply and let me know. I read everything.

Have a great week, Helen

P.S. Thank you to everyone who replied to my email last week with video ideas. There were some great ones, and I’m really looking forward to developing that content through the summer.