Leading in the Attention Economy 

Lovely leaders, in a world where every notification pings like an urgent knock at the door, attention has become one of the most valuable, and scarce, resources. Can you relate? How many times do you hear a ding and automatically reach for your phone or device to see what you may miss?


We live in what economists call the attention economy, where countless platforms, voices, and opportunities are competing for our focus. As leaders, this reality presents both a challenge and a responsibility.

The Leadership Challenge

Your attention is your leadership currency. Every time you say "yes" to something, you’re saying "no" to something else—whether that’s time for strategic thinking, mentoring your team, or recharging yourself. Leaders often underestimate how much their focus (or lack of it) shapes team priorities, morale, and results.

The Cost of Fragmented Focus

  • Decision fatigue: Constantly shifting attention reduces your capacity for sound judgment.

  • Reactive leadership: When pulled in multiple directions, you spend more time putting out fires than building the future.

  • Diluted influence: If your attention is scattered, your presence becomes less meaningful to those who rely on you.

Shaping an Attention-Conscious Culture

As a leader, your example sets the tone. You can help your team navigate the attention economy by:

  1. Clarifying priorities – Communicate what truly matters so the team can filter out noise.

  2. Designing focus-friendly environments – Limit unnecessary meetings, encourage deep work, and protect time for strategic thinking.

  3. Modeling boundaries – Show that it’s okay to step away from constant connectivity to protect mental clarity.

Questions to ask yourself:

  • Where is my attention going each day, and does it align with my values and goals?

  • Am I leading by example in how I protect my focus?

  • What distractions can I remove for myself and my team this week?

When we treat attention as a precious asset, we don’t just become more productive—we become more intentional leaders. In the noise of the attention economy, remember that presence is the most powerful thing you can offer.

 

Sheeba Varghese

Exciting Life Update From Sheeba: Book Release Coming Soon!

As many of you know, my faith is a critical and foundational part of my life. And over the last year, I am have been working on this project that is dear to my heart: Deposits from the Deep, a collection of modern-day psalms. This book is an invitation to listen for God's voice as He stirs your spirit and strengthens your faith. Discover the sacred deposits meant for you, in your seasons of life.

Available soon. Sign up for launch notifications at SheebaVarghese.com

You can also follow along for updates on my Facebook page by clicking here!

 

 

Leadership Spotlight: Ilili Server 

At just 13 years old, Ilili Server is running her own sourdough business, Batch, inspired and mentored by her mom, Bridgette, who is courageously facing stage 4 kidney cancer.

In the time they have together, Bridgette is passing down a lifetime of baking skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and lessons in resilience. From milling their own flour to crafting gut-friendly breads, Ilili is building more than a business, she’s carrying forward a family legacy rooted in hard work, creativity, and love.

Check out their website and learn more about this dynamic duo by clicking here!

 

August is National Wellness Month! 

August is National Wellness Month — a timely reminder that leading well starts with living well.  As leaders, we often pour into others, but sustainable leadership requires us to prioritize our own wellness too—physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

This month, I’m reflecting on how rest, boundaries, and intentional habits impact not just our health, but our effectiveness as leaders.  How are you prioritizing your wellness this month?  

 

 

Sheeba Varghese is a strategic partner for your talent development solutions and the author of Confidence, Clarity & Ease: A Guide For Emerging Leaders To Thrive. Her passion is to inspire and equip men and women to lead with excellence and authenticity within the spheres of influence that they are called to impact in life. The spheres may be in a home, on a team, in a classroom, among partners in a firm, or within management, to name a few.

Sheeba works with: 

Senior Leaders and professionals who want to develop stronger leadership skills, have impact, and move forward in their careers

Teams who want to work cohesively within their organizations

Coaches who want to renew or apply for certification with ICF

If you want to improve your leadership skills, transition from managing to leading, ensure your team is amazingly successful, increase your self-awareness, and progress your career, or aspire to be a masterful coach for your clients, then Sheeba would love to support you. She works with clients globally, both face-to-face, by phone, or by Zoom.

In her time apart from clients, Sheeba enjoys time with her husband, Santosh, and their 2 sons, Sam and Steven. She loves great movies, a good book, decorating, and dining at the wonderful restaurants in the Bay Area.