Feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities? Working after bedtime because your strategic work keeps getting pushed to the margins? You’re not alone.

In this episode of Lead the Room, hosts Briony and Lyndsey tackle one of the biggest challenges facing purpose-driven leaders: how to prioritise effectively when everything on your plate feels urgent.

If you’re leading a team turnaround while trying to maintain your human-centered approach in a KPI-focused environment, this episode is for you. Briony and Lyndsey share three practical, research-backed strategies you can implement in 15 minutes or less to shift from reactive firefighting to responsive, strategic leadership.

You’ll learn:

How to use the Impact vs Effort Matrix to identify your high-impact work and eliminate time drains

The crucial difference between being reactive and responsive — and why urgency is a feeling, not a fact

How to implement the Expectations Email: a weekly 10-minute practice that sets boundaries, manages stakeholder expectations, and protects your time for transformational work

Why responding immediately doesn’t demonstrate professionalism — it demonstrates a lack of boundaries

How to make your human-centered, strategic approach visible in environments that prioritise quick wins over sustainable change

This episode is perfect for managers, team leaders, and emerging leaders who are passionate about people-first leadership but struggling with overwhelm, burnout, or the constant pressure to do more with less.