I used to waste an incredible amount of energy on the wrong problems.
My shipping manager would panic over every return.
Customer service would treat every complaint like a five-alarm fire.
And I’d get pulled into decisions that didn’t actually need me.
Sound familiar?
What changed everything for me at Gotcha Covered was a simple distinction that saved my sanity – and reshaped how decisions got made:
Pattern vs. Exception.
When pillowcase returns came in, instead of spiraling into urgency, we asked one question:
Is this a pattern, or is this an exception?
If returns were happening consistently, that was a pattern.
Time to pay attention. Investigate. Ask better questions.
Was the factory doing something differently?
Had sizing or labeling changed?
But if it was an isolated, random return?
Exception. An unusual event.
Acknowledge it. Log it. Move on.
No crisis. No escalation. No unnecessary meetings.
This distinction saved us countless hours and reduced stress across the team.
But the real shift wasn’t operational – it was emotional.
By naming the difference, I was giving my team permission:
- Permission to not treat every issue like an emergency.
- Permission to trust their judgment.
As leaders, we don’t realize how often we model anxiety.
When everything gets the same level of attention, everything feels urgent.
Here’s what I know now:
Your attention is one of your most valuable leadership assets.
The question isn’t whether problems will arise.
It’s whether you’ll spend your energy on the ones that deserve it.
So before you jump into problem-solving mode today, pause and ask:
Is this a pattern that needs my focus –
or is it an exception I can acknowledge and release?
Your nervous system – and your team – will thank you.
Until next time,
Margalit