98: Hey Ops Exec, Stuck Spinning Your Wheels? Here’s How to Break Free and Gain Traction

Find the full transcript at: yourfuturerealized.com/98.

Operations execs often tell me they’re running full tilt but are unable to make meaningful progress. Days packed with back-to-back meetings and emails leave little room for breakthroughs.

It’s so easy to get trapped on this hamster wheel of reactive busyness. And I know you already get that being busy doesn’t always mean making progress.

Breaking out of this pattern is tough, especially when you think you’re playing it safe by trying to do everything yourself. You’re not. You’re actually leaving the strategic reins wide open for someone else to take.

Letting that sink in is the first key to unlocking real change.

In this episode, I’ll help you explore what keeps you stuck and share a simple practice to help you start focusing on what really matters. Ready to get some traction? 

Transcript

Operations execs often tell me they’re running full tilt but are unable to make meaningful progress. Days packed with back-to-back meetings and emails leave little room for breakthroughs.

It’s so easy to get trapped on this hamster wheel of reactive busyness. And I know you already get that being busy doesn’t always mean making progress.

Breaking out of this pattern is tough, especially when you think you’re playing it safe by trying to do everything yourself. You’re not. You’re actually leaving the strategic reins wide open for someone else to take.

Letting that sink in is the first key to unlocking real change.

In this episode, I’ll help you explore what keeps you stuck and share a simple practice to help you start focusing on what really matters. Ready to get some traction? Find the full transcript at: yourfuturerealized.com/98.

Hey Ops Execs,

Why Ops Execs Get Stuck Spinning Their Wheels

You know the drill. Everything feels urgent. Budgets are tight. Priorities are shifting every day. And people are stressed. It can feel like everything depends on you, and you have to be everywhere, fixing everything, all the time. 

Let go of the myth that there’s a finish line where everything is finally done.

That kind of pressure stirs up familiar feelings and thoughts: fear of appearing weak, worry you’re failing because you can’t keep up, guilt when you take time for yourself, or some nagging story that “If I’m not busy, I’m not valuable.” 

You’re not the only one who feels this way, and simply noticing it is where things can start to shift. Let me share a bit from my own story that helped me make sense of all this.

I’ve worked in operations across very different organizational cultures. At one place, the culture was close-knit and boundaries barely existed. You had to be “all in” all the time. Anytime I considered saying no, it felt like I was letting people down and things would crumble. Everyone was in everyone else’s business. In the nonstop urgency, I was in constant fix-it mode, with no real space to choose where my energy went.

Not long after, I swung to the other extreme, feeling like a replaceable part in a machine. My time away barely mattered. I felt invisible and disconnected, burning mental energy on things I couldn’t control and second-guessing what was worth my attention.

Those two extremes taught me my “just right fit” couldn’t come from the environment. It had to start inside me, with a clarity and steadiness that chaos couldn’t rattle.

Introducing the Impact Compass: A Tool for Better Choices

So, how do you escape the busy-and-stuck cycle? One tool I find helpful is an impact compass, a way to pause, check in with yourself, and understand what’s really driving your choices. Here’s a simple way to start:

1. List your top 3-5 priorities for the quarter. Include your key operational goals, plus personal leadership priorities, like building culture, growing your brand, or developing skills. The secret isn’t just in writing them, it’s keeping them where you can’t ignore them: on a sticky note on your monitor, as a reminder on your phone, or in your daily planner, so you can check your calendar and inbox against them in real time.
2. When new tasks or requests arise, pause and ask: Does this truly move me towards my priorities? How do I feel about saying no or delegating it?
3. Notice your feelings without judgment, just be curious about what they reveal.
4. Make a conscious choice: If it doesn’t fit, say no, delegate, or delay to protect your focus.
5. Share your priorities openly with your team and stakeholders, to build trust and alignment.

Your Impact Compass isn’t for doing it perfectly. It’s a guide for experimenting, staying curious, and putting your energy where it matters most.

Reflect and Experiment: Moving from Busyness to Traction

Here’s a challenge: Identify one task you’re holding onto that doesn’t serve your biggest goals. Notice what feelings come up as you imagine releasing it. Take a few deep breaths. Consider what support could help you let that go.

Bonus: Create your Impact Compass and work with it for few days. Observe what you discover about your leadership style, limits, and where your energy truly flows.

I wonder what will open up as you start moving from busy to truly creating impact.

If today’s episode hit home, check out my free 5-day Ops Leadership Challenge. It’s built to help you cut through overwhelm, make clear decisions, and lead confidently, even in chaos. Join us at yourfuturerealized.com/challenge and start gaining traction today.

You can’t stop the chaos, but you can change the game.