Many leaders think self-management is about time-blocking and productivity hacks. It’s not.
After 20 years of coaching C-suite executives, we at Praesta Executive Coaching found the real differentiator isn’t how they spend their time.
It’s how they manage their own psychology and self-management.
In our executive briefing Insight, ‘Wise and Responsive Leaders’, Praesta coaches Jane Upton and Louise Sheppard reveal 3 self-management principles that separate wise leaders from the rest:
Principle 1: Embrace Being Wrong
The best leaders actively invite disagreement.
They build groups of 3-4 trusted advisors, both internal and external, who are rewarded for challenging their assumptions, not affirming their decisions.
One leader said: “I used to feel responsible for having the answer. Now I realise neither I nor anyone else has it.”
Principle 2: Get Selfish with Your Calendar
Stop letting your diary run your life.
Ask one question: “What must be done that only I can do?”
Block thinking time like you’d block board meetings.
Say no to everything else.
Principle 3: Build Resilience Before You Need It
Don’t wait for burnout to prioritise well-being.
One leader returned to piano playing mid-career for complete present-moment focus.
It created mental space that improved strategic thinking.
Another leader colour codes emails by urgency.
During peak energy hours, they processed only high-priority items to protect deep work time.
Small practices compound into major advantages.
What connects these three principles?
These leaders manage their inner state as deliberately as their brand reputation.
“Successful leaders are comfortable with the unknown and with ambiguity, and it is their acceptance of that reality that makes them better able to acknowledge the limits of their own thinking.”
Which of these 3 areas do you find most challenging to implement consistently: psychological openness, calendar discipline, or proactive resilience?
This article was originally posted here
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