Not every time, not always.

But quite often.

Very often.

This last week alone, three different clients were grappling with the lack of strategic time and its consequences.

A few observations:

• The faster and more intense your treadmill, the more likely you are to get pulled into the weeds. Which is natural.  If it only lasts for a short burst and you can lift yourself up and out, all is well.  But, if your racing treadmill, like those of my clients, is constant, then finding strategic thinking time is imperative.  (See below for how.)
• That frenetic pace that keeps you in the weeds is also what can blind you to discerning and delivering on your highest value. It can seem like your value lies in running from fire to fire.  It’s not.
• Having the right team in place around you is a necessity for delivering on your strategic priorities, as is being able to delegate effectively and with confidence.

A few suggestions:

• Carve out 45 minutes to step away, clear your thinking, and talk with a trusted sounding board about where you deliver the highest value that is unique to you and your role. Over and over again, I see clients who know what their strategic priorities are, they just need the space to hear themselves and make a plan of execution.
• Block sacred time in your calendar at a minimum of every two weeks to step away to think, evaluate, and adjust. Find a trusted partner (your COS, COO, right hand, or someone like me) to be your thought and accountability partner.  I can’t tell you how clear-sighted clients become with just a modicum of time to think.
• Once you’ve gotten clarity on your top 3-ish priorities, use some of the strategic time to figure out what and to whom you can delegate. Start with low-hanging fruit like meetings that you no longer need to attend and can send a representative to, as one example.  Get really good at this and you’ll find that not only will you work better, but your team will, too.  Morale and on-time delivery both accelerate with effective delegation.  (Drop me a note if you’d like a complimentary copy of my template for Controlled Delegation℠: sarah@sarah-levitt.com)

For more on working together, go here for consulting and executive coaching opportunities.  I work with CEOs, senior executives, and leadership teams to change performance and outcomes. My next executive coaching openings begin March 1^st.  If you don’t see what you’re looking for, drop me a note: sarah@sarah-levitt.com   To read what clients are saying go here.
This annual program is still one of the most popular.  Clients describe it as delivering high ROI while being light on their calendars.

Planning your annual conference or event?  From elite executive retreats, to senior leadership team off sites, to association conferences and corporate events, I’ve been honored to speak to thousands.
From Blue Cross and Blue Shield to Harvard, from Caterpillar to the Association of Financial Professionals, from Women in Cable Telecommunications to the American Bankers Association, audiences describe me as engaging, interactive, inspirational, and giving them the practical tools and strategies they need for real-time business implementation.

For a full list of topics and descriptions go here.

Meeting planner resources are here.

Customized packages can include: pre-interviews with select attendees, leading a panel discussion, and social media promotion of your event.
For booking information, contact me now.  2 spots remain for 2026.

I also want to bring to your attention two additional offerings not yet on my website:

Building a Self-Correcting Team®

If your team is filled with high performers but isn’t as accountable and anticipatory as you’d like, or you’re constantly the hub of communication, or there’s territorialism or silos that create bottlenecks and obstacles, or you’re having to continually follow up or check in on progress, or there are delays in delivery, or you or they aren’t able to delegate with confidence … you’re like many of my clients who are ready to raise the bar and change performance by Building a Self-Correcting Team®.

More than ever, today’s business climate requires that teams are doing more than working hard.  They have to:

• Anticipate what’s coming before it creates material impact
• Employ high, consistent accountability for themselves and their own teams
• Respond accurately to changing circumstances
• Work quickly, cohesively, and deliver ahead of time whenever possible
• Think strategically, pivot rapidly, and have the collective experience to do both
• Be very high trust, not just of one another but you of them
• Establish guardrails and guidelines to prevent derailment rather than fix it
• Harness effective delegation and not get mired in quicksand
• Communicate clearly and effectively and kindly
• Remove obstacles, both internal and external, to accelerate execution
• Make good decisions among themselves and come to you for input
• Know when to raise their hands when they need your guidance
• Develop internal best practices as a leadership team to continually improve

Improving even one of these factors has outsized results. 
Imagine what happens when you change three.

Or more.

Clients say that Building a Self-Correcting Team® is a game-changer. 

Engagements are highly customized to your team’s performance and the results you need to deliver.

To learn more, contact me here. My next openings are in late March.

Magnificent Leadership® Peer Learning Cohorts Inside Your Organization

One of the most cost-effective, high-return coaching programs for leveling up an entire group of leaders.

• You select who participates
• Highly customized content and materials for your cohort that we plan together
• Once-monthly virtual meetings to save on time and travel costs
• Leverages my executive coaching with peer accountability and learning
• Some of the most common curriculum topics: delegation and getting out of the weeds, increasing speed of execution, removing obstacles, enterprise leadership and influence across the organization, improving anticipation and accountability, effectively coaching team members for greater performance, Building a Self-Correcting Team®…
• Practical tools and strategies for immediate use 
• For your superstars and seasoned leaders, alike
• Minimum 5 participants, Maximum 14
• Custom add-ons available that can include private coaching from me and individual development planning

Popular, Extremely Cost Effective, and Fully Customized.  To learn more, contact me here.  My next openings for new cohorts are in April.