Just One Thing

| Educators can learn from leaders in other industries. The for-profit leader below explains how focusing on doing just one thing every day can make you a more effective leader.

What if I told you that you could become a better leader without the long hours, back-to-back meetings, working lunches, and missed weekends that may have gotten you where you are today?

I made the leap from middle manager to CEO by founding a startup that took off during the pandemic. The company grew fast, and my mix of Protestant work ethic and relentless drive pushed me straight into the “startup grind” so often glamorized in the business press. I wore 80-hour weeks like a badge of honor while closing our first round of funding, worked through holidays and most weekends, and spent too many evenings on my laptop instead of being present with my wife.

At the time, I thought that’s what effective leadership required—being ten steps ahead, anticipating every issue, having the solution ready, and always saying yes to more work. Four years later, I sold the company to a larger strategic buyer. It was a tough deal: we were nearly out of cash, and the brand needed the stability of a bigger company. Friends offered condolences, but I was relieved. I was burnt out to a level I hadn’t thought possible.

Like many first-time leaders, I had fallen into the trap of believing that doing more was the key to being more effective. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve faced similar pressures: an endless list of problems to solve, teammates needing help, and stakeholders with rising expectations.

Two years later, I became president of a fast-growing horticulture company. In the time between roles, I reflected deeply on what mattered most to me, the kind of leader I wanted to be, and how I could approach things differently.

My conclusion? Every day, my goal is to do just one important thing. That’s it—just one. I know it sounds counterintuitive. How can a leader with a mile-long to-do list and high expectations possibly focus on only one thing?

Think of it as intentional restraint. If you could only accomplish one thing each day, where would you put your focus? Would you cross off a task, clear your inbox, or jump to solve someone else’s problem?

By committing to just one thing a day, I realized I had to let go of the idea that my job was to “do the work.” So if not that—what should I actually spend my time on? The answer came when I began asking which activities created the greatest long-term impact. Once I framed it that way, the areas to focus on became clear.

• First, being a coach to my team. Instead of solving problems for them, I focus on asking questions, offering perspective, and helping them build the confidence to solve problems themselves. Coaching multiplies capability across the organization.

• Second, investing in culture. Culture isn’t a slide deck or a mission statement; it’s the daily experience of how people show up for each other. By protecting and shaping that environment, I help ensure the company can thrive long after any single decision I make.

• Third, building trust. Trust is the currency of leadership. Without it, everything slows down. With it, people are more willing to take risks, share openly, and give their best effort. I try to earn that trust not through words, but through consistent actions over time.

These were the areas that mattered most to me. If you choose to embrace doing less to be more effective, your list may look different. What matters is that the activities feel authentic to your leadership style and that they drive meaningful results.

So let’s reframe the idea. Think back over the past year: how many truly important things did you accomplish—the kind that will still matter to your company years from now? Be honest.

Now imagine this: what if you could reliably accomplish up to 200 of those high-impact things every single year? That’s the power of focusing on one important thing each day. Not everything, not most things—just the right thing.

And here’s the bonus: your life gets better too. Since starting this new chapter, I haven’t worked more than 40 hours in a week. I’m home for dinner with my wife every night. I exercise daily. I feel happier and more energized than at any other point in my career.

That’s the real secret: by doing less, you create space to do what matters most—at work and in life.