The question for leaders: What is your core work? What is it you are actually getting paid to do? Let the question simmer for a minute before answering. Whatever your answer is may take on a new significance. Why? Because our effectiveness as leaders is a function of where we invest our time, energy, and attention. Invest it in activities that are outside of our real work, and we become less effective. Invest it in our core work, and we become more effective. But, we have to really understand what that core work is. Hence the question. So, how clear are you about your core work?