It’s Monday morning.
Six meetings already scheduled. Emails piling up. A message blinking: “Do you have a minute?”
Many teams jump straight into action – responding, reacting, fixing. The intention is good: be available, be helpful, get things done. But without a moment of altitude, the week becomes execution without direction.
What’s missing isn’t effort. It’s focus.
That’s why high-performing teams and leaders build in a simple weekly routine: a short check-in to step back, refocus, and define what really matters.
The Five Questions That Change the Week
This “altitude check-in” doesn’t take long. But it reframes the week ahead with five strategic questions:
- What’s the biggest bottleneck right now – personally, in the team, or across the company?
– Not everything is equally stuck. Start where leverage is highest. - What’s the one outcome that would make this week feel like real progress?
– And just as important: what’s the smallest step to unblock it? - Who is one person worth calling this week – someone outside the immediate team who could bring clarity, feedback, or energy?
– A five-minute conversation can change the trajectory of a project. - What’s truly important this week?
– Not urgent, not noisy – important. The things that build momentum long-term. - What’s urgent?
– Identify it early. Plan to resolve it efficiently, not reactively.
Why This Works
When people take ten to fifteen minutes for this kind of check-in – before the day takes over – something shifts:
- Tasks get re-prioritized based on real outcomes, not pressure.
- Meetings gain purpose, or get cancelled.
- Communication becomes more intentional.
- And individual effort aligns more clearly with team goals.
This isn’t about creating another planning ritual. It’s about building the habit of perspective – especially in environments where pressure is constant and reactivity is rewarded.
Many teams work hard, but not always on the right things. Clarity doesn’t come from doing more – it comes from asking better questions at the right altitude. Whether in individual routines or team planning, those who take time to define focus early in the week move faster, with more impact. Especially in sales, where every hour counts, a short pause often creates more progress than another meeting.
