5-minute read, ideally to be completed before 'Un-busy leader' unpacked

First published in February 2021, The Un-busy Leader, at its core, is a manifesto written by Anders about the practices and behaviours of successful leaders at Aula.

The manifesto was born out of a desire to provide clarity around how to perform at your best and opens with an important point on language, so important, it's worth repeating here too:

I've chosen the word leader, not manager, deliberately: Everyone at Aula is a leader. Whilst some things (e.g. delegation or finance) might be more talked about for people in manager roles, you'll find that mastering these concepts will allow anyone to increase their personal impact and to speak truth to power when managers are not living up to expectations. - Anders Krohn

What is an Un-busy leader? In its simplest form, an Un-busy Leader is committed to:

1. Excellence in the things that only they can do
2. Being a consistent operator

If number 1 (excellence) is about being world-class, then number two (consistent operator) is about being effective as a leader. Excellence is what we look for when setting expectations across the company.

At an individual level, you lead on being a consistent operator with your manager's support; and your manager holds you to Number 1 when measuring your performance.

Where are we at with it? Today, the Un-busy Leader is a living document still being shaped and moulded by the team.

So far, Anders has shared the commitments of an un-busy leader with the whole team to give an early peek at answers to some of the common questions.

Over the coming weeks, we will build in the last commitment - empathy - and begin breaking the Un-busy Leader down into its core manifesto, a leaders framework and a handbook for becoming an Un-busy leader.

As you read through the Un-busy leader, bear this in mind: it provides some answers but it is not the finished article.

How we're currently using it As a guide. Think of the Un-busy Leader as a way to better understand what is expected of you in the future.

We have not 'officially' rolled it out yet, so no one is expected to live up to the commitments right away or without support.

Instead, the Expectations document agreed with your manager is what you will be expected to embody. As Un-busy Leader rolls out over time your manager will work with you to help you understand what it means for you, and how you can become, an un-busy leader in a way that feels authentic to you.