Your Plan Failed Before the Sprint Started (Profit With Proof | Episode 7) Ghost capacity drains profit before the sprint starts. Measure the hidden gap
For me personally as a strategic leader, naming the sources of ghost capacity: context switching, recovery overhead, knowledge concentration. I’ve often been troubled by the tension between my conditioned need for output and the rest required to bring my best self.
For teams I’ve led and initiatives I’ve prioritized: “The most dangerous part is not the extra work. It is what the organization learns from watching the team survive it.” I’ve often carried the weight of the gap between the heroic efforts my team pulls off in a season and what is sustainable long term. I strive to approach org development with that gap top of mind.
Most teams don’t have a capacity problem. They have a visibility problem.
If you’ve ever watched a plan look clean on Monday and feel impossible by Wednesday, I’m curious:
What is the most “invisible” work that keeps showing up in your team’s week?
Support? Interruptions? Reviews? Something else entirely?
Drop it below. I read every reply, and the patterns here shape what I build next.
Holy moly, this is powerfully thinking. Can’t wait to read Part 8. Something tells me it’s going to hit hard.
Thanks 🙏 What speaks to you the most exactly?
For me personally as a strategic leader, naming the sources of ghost capacity: context switching, recovery overhead, knowledge concentration. I’ve often been troubled by the tension between my conditioned need for output and the rest required to bring my best self.
For teams I’ve led and initiatives I’ve prioritized: “The most dangerous part is not the extra work. It is what the organization learns from watching the team survive it.” I’ve often carried the weight of the gap between the heroic efforts my team pulls off in a season and what is sustainable long term. I strive to approach org development with that gap top of mind.
Insightful response and I empathize with your challenges. Thanks for sharing.
Have you looked at my Capacity Reality Check (near bottom of this post). I designed it specifically for leaders like you. I believe it should help
I saved this post so I can come back to dive into the resources. ☺️
Btw, if you have any questions or requests, I'd be more than happy to dig into anything a leader like yourself finds interesting and important