Avoiding a Culture of Emergencies

Well-managed teams experience far fewer emergencies than poorly managed ones. Four key practices separate good managers from bad: staying deeply informed about what their teams actually do, maintaining strong conviction about what work truly matters so they can push back on unnecessary requests, building a mental model of the team and business to anticipate future needs, and genuinely caring about team well-being. Emergencies are often a choice — the result of managers prioritizing short-term convenience over their team's long-term productivity. Reducing emergencies leads to happier teams, better retention, and the focused environment that great work requires.