Playing to Win, Expanded with Bonus HBR Articles

Chapter Ten Leaders Shouldn’t Try to Do It All

Unlike a company, which can expand capacity to meet increasing demand, a leader is constrained by nature: As they say, there are only so many hours in a day. Many people think they can increase their productivity by working harder. But that, in due course, is a losing game. They tire, their overall output falls, and they risk burning themselves out and choosing to exit.

The two of us frequently find ourselves sitting across the table from overwhelmed leaders who are trying to improve or turn around a company or the piece of it they head. They all face a long—and typically lengthening—list of important items on their to-do lists. They all understand that the job of a leader involves intense ...