The Manager-Maker Divide - Why Your Schedule Is Killing Innovation
"I was running my creative team like a manager, and wondering why we couldn't ship," shares a Product Director from our community. "My calendar was the murder weapon, and I was the killer."
Most leaders don't realize they're systematically destroying their team's ability to create meaningful work. The weapon? Their calendar. The crime? Treating maker time like manager time.
The Manager's Delusion
Think your packed calendar of back-to-back meetings is a sign of productivity? Here's what a typical manager's schedule looks like:
Each of these interruptions isn't just a time slot - it's a creative death sentence. Our community research shows each interruption kills 90 minutes of deep work momentum. That's not an estimate - it's a measured reality from tracking hundreds of creative teams.
The Maker's Need
Here's what your creative team actually needs to produce their best work:
