How To Be a Better Leader in Less Than 10 Minutes per Day!
Busy… busy… busy.
How often do you bump into a colleague or acquaintance and hear the same response?
“I’m busy.”
It has become the default answer to “How are things?” Not because it is clever, but because it is true. Knowledge work rarely has a neat finish line. There is always something else on the list, and leaders are often juggling multiple initiatives at once.
When time feels scarce, we tend to drop the behaviours that do not come naturally to us, even when they are critical to leadership success.
Why small actions matter for Quiet Leaders
At Quiet Leaders Academy, we hear this pattern often. Many of our clients, often closer to the introverted end of the spectrum, say they “should” connect more with colleagues, maintain their networks, or speak up in meetings.
The problem is not lack of awareness. They know connection is essential. But when time is tight, comfortable tasks get prioritised, while connecting with others falls to the side.
The cost is high. Teams can feel neglected, bosses may perceive a lack of visibility, and networks can grow cold. Over time, these small missed actions chip away at both performance and confidence.
A different way forward: Tiny Habits®
The good news is that big aspirations can be achieved through very small actions. The Tiny Habits® Method, developed by Dr BJ Fogg at Stanford University, shows us how to design micro behaviours into daily routines.
Often what seems like a time problem is actually a behaviour design problem. The human brain defaults to what feels safe and familiar. Tiny Habits lets us hack that design in our favour.
Sally’s story: From disconnected to connected
Take Sally, a leader who came to us feeling like a fraud. She thought she was failing because she was not charismatic, hated small talk, and avoided her network. The thought of suddenly changing her behaviour felt fake and overwhelming.
Together, we broke her aspiration, “connect better with people,” into small steps she could weave into her existing routines. Here is what we landed on:
Smile and say hello when passing team members
Send one quick email of praise, feedback, or check in
Stop by one desk after her morning meeting
Send one new LinkedIn connection request
Comment on or message one existing connection
Each was tied to an existing prompt such as coffee, meetings, or lunch. Each had a small celebration built in.
Small behaviours, big ripple effects
Within weeks Sally noticed changes. Her LinkedIn network grew. New collaborations opened up. A potential supplier was discovered. She revamped her profile and started posting regularly. She even received two job offers.
Her team noticed too. They described her as warmer, more approachable, and more present. They felt more motivated to give her feedback and to drive results together.
With just a few minutes a day, Sally became the kind of leader she had always admired, visible, approachable, and respected.
The bigger lesson
For Quiet Leaders, it is easy to believe that change requires huge amounts of time and energy. But the truth is that meaningful change often begins with the smallest actions.
A few mindful behaviours each day compound into powerful results for performance, for career growth, and for confidence.
The key is not more time. It is better design.
This article is an updated version of a blog post we wrote for our friends at the Tiny Habits Academy. Click on the link below to learn how one of our clients broke down a large aspiration into simple, small steps that made a huge impact on how she connects with and leads her team.