When everything is “priority one”: 5 steps for leaders to regain clarity and focus
How executives can reset priorities when complexity, pressure, and emotion collide.
One of the most common complaints I hear from senior leaders and their teams is: “Everything is important.”
When every project, stakeholder, and request is “top priority,” nothing truly is. Confusion creeps in, resources scatter, and decisions become reactive rather than deliberate.
Priorities are not natural laws; they’re agreements. Sometimes they’re agreements among the leadership team, sometimes between a manager and their team. The good news is that agreements can be revisited. Even in high-stakes environments, leaders can reset focus. Here’s how.
1. Make priorities a visible agreement, not a silent assumption
When everything feels urgent, write it down. What are the top three outcomes the leadership team or your unit has committed to for this quarter? Who agreed to them and when? Many “priority crises” stem from nothing more than undocumented assumptions.
Make the conversation explicit. Ask: “If everything is top priority, what truly cannot slip?” This forces trade-offs into the open.
2. Separate facts from emotions before deciding
Under pressure, it’s natural to want to “clear the desk” by making quick calls. But hasty decisions often misfire because they’re driven by stress rather than data.
Before you decide, pause and ask:
- What do we know versus what we feel?
- Which assumptions are we making?
- What’s the potential impact of this decision on different stakeholders?
Even a five-minute fact/emotion scan can prevent a misstep.
3. Anchor decisions in evidence, not noise
Leaders are constantly bombarded with signals: metrics, customer feedback, political pressures, personal preferences. Not all signals are equal. Create a simple decision filter:
- Does this align with our stated strategic objectives?
- What’s the measurable benefit or risk?
- Do we have at least one piece of hard data, not just anecdote?
This keeps your decision-making anchored, even in turbulent waters.
4. Review the ripple effect
Every priority you set shifts resources, attention, and morale. Before finalising a decision, scan for second-order effects:
Who gains focus? Who loses it? Does this priority undermine another critical initiative?
A two-minute “ripple review” can save months of unintended consequences.
5. Revisit and adjust - it’s not a failure
Priorities aren’t etched in stone. Markets shift. New data emerges. What mattered most last month may not matter today. Normalise periodic recalibration: a quick “priority reset” meeting each month or quarter.
Frame it as stewardship, not indecision: “We’re updating our focus based on the latest facts.” Teams appreciate clarity, even if it changes.
Practical tips for leaders
- Use a visual list. Display current top 3–5 priorities on a shared board or dashboard.
- Communicate trade-offs. Say out loud what you’re not doing right now.
- Model calm decision-making. Your tone sets the culture; urgency is contagious, but so is composure.
- Ask for feedback. Invite your team to flag when priorities feel unrealistic or contradictory.
Clarity is a leadership skill
Leaders don’t control every variable, but they do control how priorities are set and communicated. In my work as a CTO and now as an Executive Clarity Coach, I’ve seen the same pattern: when priorities are visible, fact-based, and periodically revisited, performance rises and stress falls.
If everything is “priority one,” it’s time to pause, clarify, and choose. Your team and your results will thank you.
Raido Kivikangur is an Executive Clarity Coach and former CTO (€3B+ infrastructure programmes) who helps tech and infrastructure leaders cut through decision fatigue and lead with calm authority.
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https://coachraido.com/lead-without-hesitation/