Managing Things to be Manageable

“The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say “no” to almost everything” – Buffett
— Joel Gascoigne (@joelgascoigne) March 11, 2014

One of the things I wish I could improve more about myself as a manager is my ability to manage things so that they are manageable for my team. I’m much better than I used to be, but I still often bite at more things than we can chew. Or I don’t nip project creep in the bud when others spawn their own projects that are distracting to our primary objectives.

Saying No is a virtue. While it’s important to have many lines in the water and do a lot of stuff, it’s also important to keep things manageable and strike a good balance for the team.

Yet, when enticing opportunities arise, I hate to let them pass by.

How do you prevent yourself from chasing opportunities? How do you manage things so that they are manageable?