How Great Leaders Strategically Allocate Their Time Among Team Members

In my time as a leadership coach, one challenge appears consistently across organizations: leaders struggling with how to distribute their limited time among team members. Many well-intentioned leaders operate from the belief that “fairness” means giving everyone equal attention. But this approach often leads to frustration, particularly when one has underperforming team members.

“The most effective leaders don’t divide their attention equally—they distribute it strategically. This isn’t about favoritism; it’s about maximizing both individual and team performance.”

The Equality Trap

Last month, I worked with a technology director—let’s call him Michael—who expressed frustration about “wasting time” with a struggling team member. “I’m spending twice as much time with Alex as with my other direct reports,” he told me. “It feels unfair to everyone else, and frankly, I’m resentful about it.”

Michael’s reaction is common, but it stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of effective leadership. When we confuse equality (sameness of treatment) with equity (giving what’s needed for success), we create unintended consequences.

The 80/20 Reality of Team Development

The Pareto Principle (the 80/20 Rule) appears consistently in leadership contexts:

• Roughly 20% of development conversations create 80% of growth
• About 20% of your team members likely drive 80% of innovation
• Approximately 20% of performance issues consume 80% of your problem-solving energy

This principle doesn’t suggest ignoring any team members. Rather, it provides a framework for making strategic decisions about time investment.

A Real-World Example

Consider another client, Sarah, who leads a marketing team. She initially scheduled identical one-hour meetings with each team member weekly. After three months, she noticed:

• Her high performers seemed bored and underutilized
• Struggling team members weren’t improving despite the same time investment
• She felt perpetually behind on strategic work

We redesigned her approach. Now, Sarah varies her time allocation based on specific needs and potential impact. Her struggling team member receives focused 30-minute sessions twice weekly aimed at specific skill gaps. Her high-performing team member gets a longer monthly strategy session plus quick, as-needed check-ins. Her mid-level performers participate in peer development groups with targeted individual coaching.

The results…? She witnessed overall team performance improved within six months; her struggling team member showed measurable improvement, and Sarah reduced her total time spent on individual management by almost eight hours weekly. Sarah also sensed greater overall engagement among all team members.

From Resentment to Strategic Investment

When leaders feel resentful about “extra” time with underperformers, I encourage a perspective shift:

1. Reframe the investment: That additional time isn’t a punishment for you—it’s a strategic investment that either improves performance or provides clear documentation if more serious action becomes necessary.
2. Consider the alternative cost: Allowing continued underperformance typically consumes more time through error correction, team conflicts, and eventual replacement costs.
3. Set boundaries: Strategic attention doesn’t mean unlimited attention. Establish clear performance milestones and timelines.

Implementing Strategic Attention Allocation

For leaders ready to move beyond the equal attention mindset:

1. Assess impact potential: Where would additional time create the greatest return—developing a key skill in a solid performer or addressing a critical gap in a struggling one?
2. Design differentiated approaches: Create development plans tailored to individual needs rather than standardized interactions.
3. Communicate your philosophy: Help your team understand that your attention allocation isn’t about favoritism but about providing what each person needs to succeed.
4. Establish measurement: Define what success looks like for each team member to ensure your time investment is producing results.

Breaking Through the Guilt

Many leaders feel guilty when giving different levels of attention. Remember that your responsibility is to optimize team performance and individual growth—not to ensure identical treatment.

As I reminded Michael: “If you had two children—one excelling in school and another struggling to read—would you spend identical time helping each with homework? Or would you allocate more time to the child with greater needs while finding different ways to challenge the one who’s thriving?” The most successful leaders understand that strategic attention allocation isn’t just better for the team—it’s ultimately more fulfilling for the leader as well.

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Dennis Uhnavy is a PCC leadership coach specializing in whole-person leadership development. Through individual and group coaching programs, he helps leaders navigate the complex intersection of professional excellence and personal fulfillment. To learn more about authentic leadership development, connect with Dennis on LinkedIn or visit reflectivadvisors.com.