The biggest threat to your team's focus isn't distraction from outside the business. It could be you. Shawn Vanderhoven, partner at the Wiseman Group, says driven leaders often unintentionally create the very chaos their teams are trying to escape. 

Shawn helped grow his family software company 30-fold before moving into leadership development, later collaborating with Liz Wiseman on the second edition of her best-selling book, Multipliers. 

Drawing on research into hundreds of leaders and employees, Shawn explains why personal productivity habits collapse under team pressure, and what leaders can do instead. He unpacks digital distraction archetypes, why "turning out your pockets" reveals hidden workload, and how tapping the brakes creates space for teams to do their best, most focused work. 

Takeaways  
Driven leaders often create the very distractions their teams struggle with. 
Productivity is a social problem, not just a personal discipline issue. 
Turning out your pockets reveals hidden workload before setting new priorities. 
Jump-in delegation disrupts focus; tuning in respects existing priorities first. 
Digital distractors like novelists and arsonists quietly sabotage team focus. 
Naming your digital wake helps leaders build healthier communication habits. 
Facing the pain of saying no protects space for real priorities. 
Labelling ideas as soft or hard opinions prevents unintended instructions. 

Follow Shawn Vanderhoven 
https://www.pausebook.co/ 

Shawn’s book 
PAUSE: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World with Shawn Vanderhoven https://link.amazon/B0eMnTLXx 

Books recommended 
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships by Marshall B. B. Rosenberg https://link.amazon/B0cdlcC0g 

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners 

Newsletter – each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter  https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/ 

Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/  
Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)  

Follow me: 
on https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles  
on https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth 

Enjoying the show? Leave a review 

The biggest threat to your team's focus isn't distraction from outside the business. It could be you. Shawn Vanderhoven, partner at the Wiseman Group, says driven leaders often unintentionally create the very chaos their teams are trying to escape.&nbsp;
Shawn helped grow his family software company 30-fold before moving into leadership development, later collaborating with Liz Wiseman on the second edition of her best-selling book, Multipliers.&nbsp;
Drawing on research into hundreds of leaders and employees, Shawn explains why personal productivity habits collapse under team pressure, and what leaders can do instead. He unpacks digital distraction archetypes, why "turning out your pockets" reveals hidden workload, and how tapping the brakes creates space for teams to do their best, most focused work.&nbsp;
Takeaways &nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Driven leaders often create the very distractions their teams struggle with.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Productivity is a social problem, not just a personal discipline issue.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Turning out your pockets reveals hidden workload before setting new priorities.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Jump-in delegation disrupts focus; tuning in respects existing priorities first.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Digital distractors like novelists and arsonists quietly sabotage team focus.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Naming your digital wake helps leaders build healthier communication habits.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Facing the pain of saying no protects space for real priorities.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Labelling ideas as soft or hard opinions prevents unintended instructions.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Follow Shawn Vanderhoven <a href="https://www.pausebook.co/">https://www.pausebook.co/</a>&nbsp;
Shawn&rsquo;s book PAUSE: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World with Shawn Vanderhoven <a href="https://link.amazon/B0eMnTLXx">https://link.amazon/B0eMnTLXx</a>&nbsp;
Books recommended&nbsp; Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships by Marshall B. B. Rosenberg <a href="https://link.amazon/B0cdlcC0g">https://link.amazon/B0cdlcC0g</a>&nbsp;
Watch the episode on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners">https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners</a>&nbsp;
Newsletter &ndash; each week I share interesting insights, articles and ideas you can use. Join other leaders and subscribe to The Evolution Partners newsletter&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/subscribe/</a>&nbsp;
Books &ndash; Learn more about our books&nbsp;<a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/">https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/made-to-thrive/"> Made to Thrive:</a> The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded/">Onboarded:&nbsp;</a>How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/onboarded-for-managers-book/">Onboarded for Managers:</a> Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster&nbsp; <a href="https://evolutionpartners.com.au/bigger-isnt-better/">Bigger isn&rsquo;t Better, Better is Better:</a> Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life)&nbsp;&nbsp;
Follow me:&nbsp; on <a href="https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles">https://au.linkedin.com/in/bradleygiles</a>&nbsp; on <a href="https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth">https://twitter.com/Evolution_Perth</a>&nbsp;
Enjoying the show? Leave a review&nbsp;

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.

The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

A place for the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers.
The Evolution Partners is a weekly podcast hosted by Brad Giles. Join Brad as he engages in conversations with some of the world’s sharpest minds, learning a bit more about them and delving into what makes them tick.

The Evolution Partners

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.

We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.

Each week Brad Giles talks with the world’s leading thinkers, planners and doers who are helping to build great companies in their own way.
We learn how the work they’re doing is creating an impact and get to know a little bit more about them, and what makes them tick.