“I keep chasing what’s been said—but that was never really the priority.”
You’re told something’s urgent—so you drop everything.
You get aligned, you deliver, you move fast…
And then nothing happens.
No feedback. No action. No follow-through.
Then, out of nowhere, priorities shift—again. And what you worked on?
Wasn’t even important.
You start to realise: the words don’t match the moves.
What’s said in the room isn’t what matters. And what matters never really gets said.
What This Does to You
- You lose trust—not just in others, but in your own judgement
- You waste time, energy, and credibility chasing the wrong things
- You stop investing fully—because you’re not sure anything is real
And maybe worst of all: you start playing small.
Because trying to lead when nothing’s clear makes you feel foolish.
Three Ways to Cut Through the Mismatch
You can’t always control the games—but you can learn to read the signals better.
1. Watch what gets followed through, not just what’s said
Talk is cheap.
Start tracking where time, money, and senior attention actually go.
This gives you a clearer sense of the real agenda—beyond the meeting slides.
2. Ask “what will this unlock?”
Before diving into the next big ask, try:
“If this goes well, what happens next?”
“What would success look like for this?”
If they can’t answer—or the answer is vague—you’ve just saved yourself a heap of wasted energy.
3. Offer context, not just execution
If you’re getting used like a task rabbit, flip the script.
Start positioning your work in terms of strategic outcomes.
“Here’s what I think this achieves—and how it links to [X priority].”
This frames you as someone thinking two steps ahead—not just following orders.
When You Learn to Read Between the Lines
You stop being a pawn and start becoming a player.
You don’t waste energy chasing shadows.
You spot agendas sooner. You pivot faster. You stay one move ahead.
And most importantly—you stop burning out trying to please people who don’t even mean what they say.
Clarity isn’t always given. But it can be created.