I’m being told I need to “be more strategic” to get promoted, but most of my time is still spent unblocking tickets, clarifying requirements, and keeping sprint work moving. I can carve out time for roadmap thinking, but it usually means something else slips. How did you actually shift into strategy without dropping delivery?

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OP, to be honest. Being told that you are not "strategic" is a communications and perception problem. While talking to your boss, take your conversation a notch higher and zoom out to see the big picture and connect dots across teams , cross functional impact etc.

Don't evem mention team level stuff you do. .though that might be taking up your entire day but focusing on it only makes your leader think that you are not ready for the next level.

This is exactly why you pees who you think are less talented get ahead quicker. Its.becuse IME, they keep their conversations fairly high level and always lead with business and customer impact rather than the miutae of tickets and issues and sprints.

likesmart

If you’re really determined you can find a way. Block 2 hrs a week. Or Listen to podcasts while driving / walking or read books and make notes. Take some time on a Saturday morning once a month. It is high leverage time so worth doing. Will give you time back later.

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Look up Parkinson's Law.

Oof. I’m having flashbacks about being told this my entire career.

Turns out, it’s really, really difficult to think deeply and critically about the bigger picture when you’re constantly in execution mode.

You need to carve out time everyday to give your brain some room to think. Stop considering the “strategic” part of your day as not being important.

Why are you spending so much time clarifying requirements? Is the WHY unclear? Is it because there’s gaps in the plan? What if you spend a little bit more time in the planning phase? Would slowing down a little bit actually speed up execution?

These are the questions I ask myself when it becomes chaotic. And honestly, sometimes it just means some of the tactical things go to the bottom of the kanban because I know how important planning and thinking things through “big picture” is.

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