Summary
On-Purpose leaders make room for the work of leading.
A manager told me she cared deeply about her team. I believed her.
Then we looked at her calendar.
It showed that her time with her people was consistently being rescheduled for other priorities. Her 1:1s kept moving, which meant important conversations were pushed off and coaching happened only when someone asked for help.
None of this means that she doesn’t care. Her days are full, and each delay makes sense on its own. But her team experiences the time she gives them, the questions she asks, and the problems she is willing to address. They know when they are being de-prioritized.
That is the O in POINT: On-Purpose.
People learn what matters by watching you
Leaders model the culture in ordinary moments. When a manager makes time to listen, people learn that their concerns matter. When a manager follows through on an agreement, people learn that commitments matter too.
Silence sends a message as well. If poor behavior goes unaddressed, the team has to decide what the standards really are.
You teach people how work gets done, even when you don’t intend to teach them anything.
Make room for the work of leading
On-Purpose leaders seek out opportunities to lead. They put 1:1s on the calendar and treat that time as a commitment. They ask what is going well, where someone is stuck, and what support would help.
They make room for real conversation, including the kind that may change their own view. They coach people through decisions instead of stepping in with an answer every time.
And when a tough conversation is needed, they prepare. They choose a good time, get clear on what they’ve observed, and speak with both honesty and care.
Notice what keeps getting pushed aside
Being On-Purpose takes more than a strong start. A full inbox and a pressing deadline can push leadership to the edge of the day again.
Notice when that happens. Which 1:1 keeps getting moved? Who has stopped bringing you problems? What conversation are you hoping will resolve itself?
Those questions can help you return to the work before a small gap becomes a pattern. You will not handle every moment perfectly. You can keep showing people what matters through the moments you choose to act on.
The next choice is yours
Show me a leader’s calendar, and I’ll show you what their team experiences as important.
Your team is perceiving what matters to you by how you spend your attention. They see the conversations you make time for and the standards you uphold when doing so feels hard.
