What separates reliable leaders from the rest?

In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners and host of Sit Down with Sugden, discusses the habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses and why the busiest CEOs are often the most effective.

Chris breaks leadership into practical daily habits: staying organized, keeping a to-do list, following through on commitments, and responding quickly. He also covers inbox discipline, the importance of unsubscribing, and how small habits like letting newsletters pile up or living in notifications steal focus.

If you've ever felt stretched between being present at work and being present at home, this conversation reframes "work-life balance" and argues for something simpler: being all-in on whatever you're doing at the moment.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to build trust by keeping commitments and staying organized
How inbox clutter and subscriptions quietly drain your time
Why "balance" matters less than being fully present

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction (01:02) Habits of great leaders in high-growth businesses(02:14) To-do lists and delivering on commitments(04:10) Inbox discipline and unsubscribing(06:10) Social media and distraction(09:20) Reframing balance as being present(12:41) The value of checking things off and cumulative to-do lists(13:21) Leading by example and why actions need words(14:36) Building a foundation of presence and follow-through(14:55) Closing thoughts on doing what you want your team to do