Your calendar tells the real story of what matters. Not your strategy doc. Not your team charter. Your calendar.
If culture is “what we do around here,” then your calendar is a living, breathing blueprint and record of your priorities, values, and leadership habits. And sometimes….it needs an audit.
Here are a few reflection prompts I use with leaders:
🔍 What’s missing? Where are the white spaces for thinking, strategy, or recovery? Are the most important things getting squeezed out by the most urgent?
📆 Where are your people? If leadership is about relationships, how visible is that in your week? Do you have regular check-ins, development conversations, or time to “walk the floor”?
📈 Where’s the impact? Are you spending time in Q2 work—important but not urgent? That’s where innovation, growth, and long-term value live.
What are you protecting? Your energy, your focus, your wellbeing… What’s non-negotiable in your week, and how well is it actually being protected? If it’s not in the calendar, is it truly a priority?
What needs to go? What meetings are happening out of habit, not purpose? What could be an email? What can you delegate or say no to?
Does this reflect the leader you want to be? If someone looked at your calendar, would they see your values in action? Would they see space for wellbeing, reflection, and real leadership? Your calendar is more than a time management tool. It’s a culture-shaping force. Audit it like it matters—because it does. Then design it with intentionality. Own your own space and focus on the things that will move the needle.
I’m curious……what’s one small shift you’ve made (or want to make) in how you design your week?