What if the biggest drag on organizational performance isn't effort or access, but the way leaders unintentionally slow things down? Canada has spent years trying to solve its productivity problem. I can't help but wonder whether we're diagnosing the wrong patient.
Governments debate productivity, economists analyze it, CEOs talk about it on earnings calls, and we hear about technology, innovation, regulation, investment, artificial intelligence, and labour shortages in the media and online. Those conversations matter because according to OECD's 2025 Economic Survey, Canada's productivity has been lagging its peers for many years.
But after spending almost two decades coaching leaders inside organizations, I've become convinced there's another part of the conversation that deserves more attention: Leadership. More specifically, how small leadership behaviours that seem completely harmless on their own can slow an organization to a crawl.
Imagine driving your car with the parking brake engaged on one click. You'd probably still get where you're going, but the engine would need to work a little harder, and you'd burn a bit more fuel. You might not even notice it at first.
Now imagine clicking that parking brake up another notch; then another; and another. Eventually, you'd be pressing the accelerator harder and harder, while wondering why the car feels sluggish.
That's what I see inside many organizations. One extra approval; one more meeting that "everyone should attend"; one leader stepping in to do because it's faster than explaining; one decision climbing another level because it feels safer to have the boss review it first." None of those things feels like a crisis, but collectively, it's like driving with the parking brake on.
Leaders who create the most friction are often the hardest-working people in the organization. They're dedicated, they care deeply, they're incredibly capable... and they're also exhausted. I've lost count of the number of leaders who've told me, "I'm involved in everything," with a touch of pride. When they offer this up as evidence of their commitment, I see it as a warning light on their leadership dashboard.
One senior executive I coached was frustrated that every important decision landed on her desk. She genuinely believed her leaders lacked confidence. I spent several weeks observing her leadership team meetings and one-on-one meetings. Whenever a difficult question surfaced, all eyes turned toward her. Experience had taught them that if they waited a few more seconds, the answers would arrive. From her perspective, she was simply being helpful. But before anyone else had a chance to wrestle with the issue (and learn from the experience), she'd offered a suggestion, answered the question, or made the decision herself.
As a leader, when you're capable, experienced, and genuinely committed to helping your people succeed, stepping in feels responsible, and the truth is that sometimes it is. But the challenge comes when that strong desire to help turns into over-functioning.
One of the practices I use to coach leaders is called 'Leave It Where It Lies'. It's super simple, and a great practice to experiment with. If someone else owns the work, the decision, or the problem, leave the ownership with them. Coach them, support them, challenge their thinking, and ask powerful questions designed to create greater awareness. Just don't slip the backpack onto your own shoulders because you think you can carry it more easily.
Unnecessary approvals send a message. Jumping in to rescue teaches a lesson, and decisions you reclaim make the next one more likely to find its way back to your desk. None of that shows up on your productivity dashboard, but it definitely slows the entire organization down, one click of the parking brake at a time.
What if, instead of focusing on becoming more personally productive, we focused on removing friction for everyone around us instead? Ask: "Where have I become a bottleneck? What am I holding that someone else is ready to carry? What would happen if I resisted the urge to help for just sixty more seconds?"
YOUR COACHING CHALLENGE
Over the next week, become a student of your own leadership friction. Don't try to change anything at first. Just notice the moments when you feel the urge to step in, approve something, answer a question, solve a problem, rescue someone who's struggling, or join a meeting because you're worried they might need you.
When you notice the impulse, pause and ask yourself:
Does this really belong to me? If not, who does it belong to?
What might happen if I leave ownership with the owner?
How might I build capability, instead of dependency?
Then make a conscious choice. You may still decide to step in, and sometimes that's exactly what good leadership requires. The goal isn't to become less helpful. It's to become more intentional about when your help creates momentum, and when it just adds another click to the parking brake.
Canada's productivity challenge is real, and solving it will require action from everyone: governments, educators, investors, innovators, and business leaders alike. And inside our own organizations, every one of us can start making a contribution tomorrow morning.
Remember that the parking brake doesn't come off all at once; it comes off one click at a time. What if that's how organizations can become more productive, too?
If you’d like to explore leadership productivity in your organization, reach out for a free exploratory executive coaching conversation at www.leslierohonczy.com.