August 17, 2026•4 min read
A lot of industries reward visible effort. Event work can be like that too. It is easy to confuse motion with progress when the room is full of people trying to make it all happen at once.
The longer I worked, the more I appreciated the difference between being busy and being useful.
My test for useful work
If a task makes the rest of the team more effective, that is useful. If it only makes me feel occupied, it probably belongs lower on the list.
- Does this reduce friction for someone else?
- Does this make the next decision easier?
- Will this still matter after the moment passes?
That lens has shaped how I approach both leadership and support roles. I would rather create clarity than create noise.