How to Avoid the High Performer Trap
Have you ever felt like your calendar is your resume? That the more meetings you take, the more important you must be? This is common in what’s called “The High Performer Trap.”
Many new leaders are often taught, whether directly or indirectly, that being busy is proof of being important, and that constant motion gets mistaken for meaningful leadership.
However, the truth is that business isn’t a badge of honor. And being busy doesn’t make you a better leader.
Being busy is often a sign of reactive habits, unclear priorities, and a team that’s too dependent on you—signaling that you aren’t leading.
In this post, we’ll break down how the most effective leaders think and work differently, including how they make space for clarity, connection, and coaching, and how that very margin becomes the foundation for trust and long-term results.
The High Performer Trap
Forbes defines the High Performer Trap as “a workplace phenomenon where an individual’s competence leads to an unsustainable cycle of overwork, unbalanced expectations and burnout.”
What this means is that high performers often get promoted to leadership roles because they’re great at doing, but as they move into leadership roles, this reliance on “doing” leads them to overwhelm and burnout.
This can look like overscheduling, microdecisions, and being over-involved, which leads to decision fatigue, bottlenecks in processes and in decision making, and worst of all, disempowered teams.
What Effective Leadership Really Looks Like
I believe that effective leaders shouldn’t be in every meeting, and they shouldn’t be the sole decision maker.
However, effective leaders should be focused on fewer, higher-leverage actions, such as:
- Prioritizing the right things (but not everything!)
- Making time for people conversations & real connection, not just project check-ins
- Being more prepared and purposeful in the meetings they attend
- Modeling calm and clarity (not chaos and urgency)
3 Habits to Lead With More Intention
Small shifts in your weekly rhythm can lead to a noticeable difference in how you show up as a leader.
These are a few simple, yet practical habits that you can start this week:
1. Audit Your Calendar
Ask yourself: Where am I needed as a leader, not a doer? What meetings or tasks can I delegate or remove?
2. Add a People Touchpoint
Block time to connect with a direct report, no agenda needed. Maybe you could ask a question like: What’s one thing I could do to better support you?
3. Practice Pausing before Answering
When someone brings you a problem, try this: pause, then ask, “what do you think should happen next?” This response builds trust, trains your team to think independently, and shows that you value their opinion.
What Happens When You Create Space
When you create space, there is a definitive shift in how you lead your team. They become more accountable, more confident, and more collaborative.
As a leader, you will gain more focus, you’ll experience less burnout, and have the margin for better strategic thinking. Most importantly, you’ll have the capacity to develop people.
Keep Growing as a Leader
If you’re looking for small, steady ways to grow as a leader without burning out, check out our monthly Leadership Insights newsletter. It’s full of thoughtful, practical strategies that fit right into your work week. Remember, being busy doesn’t make you a better leader, but being intentional does.
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