All Articles Tagged: Leadership Coaching

How Leadership Coaching Helped One Business Owner Reclaim Time and Grow - Scott SteinScott Stein

The Power of Letting Go: A Leadership Hack That Changed Everything

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Nobody becomes a business owner thinking, “I can’t wait to do everything myself.” Yet, that’s exactly where I found David not long ago, spinning a dozen plates, exhausted, and wondering if growth was even possible without executive leadership coaching to guide him.

David runs a digital agency that builds high-performing websites and marketing automation strategies for service-based businesses. He’s sharp, driven, and genuinely cares about his clients. But like many leaders, his biggest challenge wasn’t strategy or capability… it was letting go.

Leadership Coaching in Action: The Wake-Up Call Moment

When David and I first sat down, he shared something that hit me. “I feel like I’m the bottleneck,” he said. “Clients love the work, but I’m stuck in the weeds, designing, coding, managing, firefighting. I know I need help, but I don’t know where to start.”

Sound familiar?

This is what I call the Leadership Capacity Crisis. You can’t scale what you don’t delegate, and yet, many leaders fear handing things off because of past disappointments or a belief that “no one can do it as well as I can.”

The Hack: Delegation Mapping

So, we introduced one of my favourite Leadership Hacks: Delegation Mapping.

Together, we walked through David’s daily and weekly tasks. What could only he do? What could be taught, outsourced, or streamlined?

Then came the breakthrough. I encouraged David to build a simple one-page delegation plan for a key hire. Someone who could manage client communications and project workflows.

Instead of dumping tasks, he co-created the plan with his new hire, outlining clear steps, timelines, and checkpoints. The result? He gained back 10 hours a week within the first month and his clients started raving about the faster response times.

The Real Win of Leadership Coaching? Headspace.

With less on his plate, David could focus on growing his client base and refining their offers. He even had time to build a new tool for SEO content creation, something that had been on his “someday” list for over a year, which now saves him hours every week.

Here’s what David said a few weeks later: “For the first time in ages, I feel like I’m working on the business, not just in it.”

For leaders like David, coaching isn’t about being told what to do. It’s about gaining clarity, building capacity, and making better decisions faster. Leadership Coaching is a shortcut to meaningful results.

Interested in getting similar results? Learn more about my mentoring program for executives.

Leadership Isn’t About Doing It All

Whether you’re leading a digital agency or a corporate team, the real leadership hack is this: Stop trying to be the hero who does everything. Be the guide who empowers others.

And if you’re feeling stuck in your own Leadership Capacity Crisis, I’d love to have a conversation… no pressure, just a chat about how you can find your own shortcut to results.

👉 Book a call with me here

Personal Leadership Hacks to Maximise Your Daily ImpactScott Stein

Personal Leadership Hacks to Maximise Your Daily Impact

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In a world where the to‑do list never shrinks and inboxes flood faster than you can clear them, leaders need shortcuts—not cheats—to stay ahead. That’s where leadership hacks come into play: simple shifts in thinking or approach that create more time, more impact, and more connection.

What Makes a Leadership Hack?

A leadership hack isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about working smarter.

It could be as straightforward as batching your emails or as strategic as delegating with clarity, but every hack is designed to free you up for what matters most.

Hack 1: Track Your Time – Know Your Patterns

Spend a week mapping out where your time goes—meetings, admin, reactive emails.

  • Identify the “time vacuums” that steal energy.

  • Use that awareness to reallocate time to strategic activities—like connecting with your team or planning ahead.

Hack 2: Limit the Digital Vortex

It’s all too easy to fall into infinite scroll or email rabbit holes.

  • Time‑block focused chunks for email or social media.

  • Turn off notifications and resist the dopamine hit.

  • Use tools like site blockers or timers—protect your mental headspace.

Hack 3: Delegate With Intention

If you’re holding tight to routine tasks, you’re missing the point.

  • Define clear outcomes, timelines, and check‑in points.

  • Empower your people to own the result—not just the tasks.

  • This frees your plate and builds your team’s capability.

Hack 4: Stack Activities for Maximum Efficiency

If you’re traveling or attending meetings in one area, bundle them.

  • Use travel time for calls or prep.

  • Attend back‑to‑back client or internal meetings to reduce downtime.

  • The result? You’re not just ticking boxes—you’re strategically advancing multiple fronts in one go.

Hack 5: Build in Time-outs

Burnout isn’t a badge of hard work—it’s a warning sign.

  • Schedule mini-breathers: a walk, a coffee break, or five minutes offline.

  • These aren’t indulgences—they’re productivity boosters.

  • They allow your brain to reset so you return sharper and more creative.

Final Thoughts

Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. Your habits matter more than your hours. By implementing even one of these personal leadership hacks, you’ll begin to reclaim time, clarity, and influence—transforming the way you lead every day.

Grab a copy of my book here for more ways to hack your way to becoming a top leader in your field.

Action Step

Pick one hack and use it consistently for a week. Reflect: What shifts are you noticing in your energy? Your focus? Your leadership impact?

If you’d like help tailoring these hacks for your team or exploring them in an interactive session, I’m just a message away.

Are you an Effective Leader? Or Just Busy? - Scott SteinScott Stein

Are you an Effective Leader? Or Just Busy?

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Last week I was sitting with a senior leader from a fast-growing business. She looked exhausted. When I asked how things were going, she let out a deep sigh and said, “Honestly, I feel like I’m constantly running but not actually getting anywhere.”

It’s a comment I hear far too often.

In today’s fast-paced world, leadership has become a juggling act. With hybrid teams, shifting priorities, and endless meetings, it’s easy to confuse being busy with being effective. But the truth is, the two are very different.

When I asked this leader a simple question, “Do you feel like you’re being an effective leader?”, she paused. After a few seconds, she quietly said, “I’m not sure.”

That’s when we had a real conversation.

So how do you actually become an effective leader?

Here are three things I see the most effective leaders do differently. And no, it’s not about working longer hours or micromanaging your team.

1. They Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Activity

One of the first things I get leaders to do is review how they’re spending their time. I call this the Leadership Activity Map. You jot down what you’re currently doing across the week, then map out what you should be doing if you want to be an effective leader.

Most of the time, there’s a massive gap.

Effective leaders know they’re not paid for busyness, they’re paid for outcomes. They focus on what truly moves the needle, not the admin that clogs up their calendar.

2. They Build Trust, Not Just To-Do Lists

I remember working with a brilliant CFO who admitted she hadn’t had a proper one-on-one with her team in over three months. “Too much going on,” she said. But the team felt disconnected. Resentful, even.

Leadership isn’t just about making decisions, it’s about building relationships. You can’t influence, inspire or grow your people if you’re not spending time with them. The best leaders I know have one-on-one catch-ups in the calendar every single week, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

3. They Reflect and Adjust – Often

Being an effective leader isn’t a destination – it’s a practice. It’s like learning to drive. At first, every decision is conscious. But over time, with the right reflection and feedback, it becomes second nature.

I always ask leaders: When was the last time you reflected on how you’re leading?

Great leaders pause. They look at what’s working, what’s not, and where they need to adjust. Whether it’s how they’re communicating, what they’re delegating, or how they’re showing up in meetings – the reflection time is the secret weapon.

The Bottom Line?

If you’re wondering how to be an effective leader, start by getting clear on the difference between motion and progress. Being busy is easy. Being effective takes intention.

Want help shifting from being overwhelmed to being impactful? If you’d like a fresh perspective and practical tools to boost your leadership effectiveness, I’d love to have a quick 20-minute chat. Just click here to book a time.

Until then, take a moment this week to pause, reflect and ask yourself: Are you just managing tasks, or are you leading people?

🇦🇺 +61 412 990 919

Scott Stein is a CSP Certified Speaker Professional for Australia and USA
Scott Stein is an Accredited Practitioner of Human Synergistics