URGENT vs IMPORTANT
This category of work is usually the first to slip when calendars fill up.
Important but not urgent work
This law explains why work expands to fill the time available.
Parkinson’s Law
Bike‑shedding refers to spending time on work that is ____ to comment on but not very important.
Easy
Name one leadership habit that can unintentionally create urgency.
Immediate responses, vague asks, unclear ownership, or late escalation
True or False: If someone else is waiting on me, the work is automatically urgent.
False
According to Sarah, which is often better: a brilliant solution delivered late or a robust solution delivered on time?
A robust solution delivered on time
In the bike‑shedding model, what type of work tends to get avoided?
Complex or hard work
What communication behavior often makes something feel urgent even if it isn’t?
A “quick question” with no context
According to the Eisenhower Matrix, where does future‑state planning usually live?
Important but not urgent
What is usually missing when teams over‑process work?
A clearly stated quality bar
Why do leadership teams often bike‑shed without realizing it?
Because the topics feel accessible and safe to comment on
When ownership is unclear, work usually flows where?
Upward
When urgent work crowds out important work, what usually disappears first?
Thinking, synthesis, and long‑range planning
The phrase used to determine how much rigor is needed at a given stage of work.
Fit‑for‑purpose
What’s the risk of bike‑shedding at the SLT level?
Important decisions get delayed
What assumption often equates responsiveness with effectiveness in leadership roles?
That being highly responsive equals being effective
If work has no deadline, no meeting, and no external escalation, what typically happens to it?
t gets moved or deprioritized
Gold‑plating most often occurs when this is unclear.
What “good enough” looks like
Bike‑shedding usually redirects attention away from work that is both ____ and ____.
Important and hard
What happens when response‑time expectations (e.g., 5 minutes vs 24–48 hours) are not clearly stated?
Everything feels urgent