The BCG Matrix for Leaders

Where to Invest Your Energy Next

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The Busy Leader’s Trap

Some months ago, I found myself managing three major initiatives at once: a hospital expansion project, a digital health pilot, and a leadership development rollout.

Each had value, each felt urgent, and each demanded my full attention.

I was working longer hours, saying yes to every meeting, and feeling productive, until I realised I wasn’t making real progress on any.

That was the moment I remembered a tool from my MBA: the BCG Growth-Share Matrix, one of the simplest yet most profound frameworks for resource allocation.

Originally designed for businesses, it asks a brutally honest question:

“Where should you invest your limited resources, and where should you cut your losses?”

And I realised: leadership is the same.

Our most precious resources are not money or workforce.

They are time, energy, and attention.

The Framework: The BCG Growth-Share Matrix

Developed by the Boston Consulting Group in the 1970s, the BCG Matrix was used to help corporations decide where to invest or divest across different business units.

It plots every initiative along two dimensions:

  • Market Growth Rate (how fast the opportunity is expanding), and

  • Market Share (how strong your current position is).

It then classifies them into four categories:

Category

Symbol

Description

Stars

🌟

High growth, high market share.

These are your best opportunities.

Cash Cows

🐄

Low growth, high share.

These are the steady performers that fund others.

Question Marks

High growth, low share.

These are the potential winners or costly experiments.

Dogs

🐕

Low growth, low share.

These are legacy projects draining your energy.

Applying It to Leadership

When I revisited this model as a leader, I recognised its influence beyond markets.

Every leader manages portfolios, projects, people, habits, and priorities.

But not all of them warrant the same level of attention.

Here’s how I reframe the BCG Matrix for leadership growth.

Leadership Category

What It Means

What To Do

🌟 Stars

High-impact activities aligned with your mission and showing precise results.

Double down. Scale them.

🐄 Cash Cows

Reliable routines or systems that keep your team stable.

Maintain and protect.

Question Marks

New ideas, roles, or initiatives with uncertain payoff.

Experiment but measure early.

🐕 Dogs

Legacy habits or projects that no longer move the needle.

Let them go. Gracefully.

Leadership excellence isn’t about doing more.

It’s about investing where it matters most.

8 Reasons You Should Have A Positive Online Presence As A Doctor.

Dr. Adaobi Rose Okoh

Have you ever considered the impact of your online presence as a medical doctor?

It could be why you aren’t getting the jobs you interviewed for.

Or why your career growth is slow.

Know that it’s not just about being visible.

It’s about making a significant difference.

1️⃣ Connection -

The digital world is vast, but a positive online presence bridges the gap.

It connects you with like-minded peers who share your passion and drive.

2️⃣ Visibility & Growth -

The more visible you are, the greater the opportunities that come your way.

It’s not just growth.

It’s exponential growth.

3️⃣ Career Advancement -

Opportunities don’t just knock; they also scroll through your profile.

A solid online presence opens doors to career leaps you wouldn’t have imagined.

4️⃣ Trust & Credibility -

In healthcare, trust is crucial.

An authentic online presence builds trust effortlessly.

It establishes you as a credible source of information and care.

5️⃣ Showcasing Expertise -

Your skills should be visible.

An online platform offers the stage to highlight your expertise and make an impact in your field.

6️⃣ Collaboration -

The digital age thrives on collaboration.

A positive online presence makes you a magnet for collaborative opportunities.

It, therefore, drives innovation and improvement.

7️⃣ Personal Branding -

You are more than your title.

Online, you get to sculpt your brand and tell your story your way.

8️⃣ Personal Growth -

Building an online presence is a journey of learning, adapting, and growing.

It’s a reflection of your professional journey.

It pushes you to evolve constantly.

📌 Remember, no one lights and hides a candle under the bed.

Your expertise, passion, and vision deserve the spotlight.

Start today.

Share your journey,

Connect with your community and

Let your online presence amplify the incredible work you do.

What steps are you taking to build your online presence?

Like, Comment and Repost.

Click here, Adaobi Rose Okoh, to follow me for more.

Have a beautiful week!

The Leadership Energy Audit

This week, conduct a quick Energy Allocation Audit using the BCG Matrix.

Take a blank sheet of paper and write down everything that demands your attention at the moment: meetings, projects, side initiatives, mentorships, and personal habits.

Then classify each one:

  1. Star: It inspires you, drives results, and aligns with your mission.

  2. Cash Cow: It’s stable, necessary, but not exciting.

  3. Question Mark: It could develop into something great or fade quickly.

  4. Dog: It used to matter. Now it drains energy.

You’ll notice something important: Most burnout doesn’t stem from doing too much.

It results from feeding too many Dogs and Question Marks while neglecting your Stars.

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Ikechukwu’s Journal

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own leadership portfolio.

After being nominated for the TIBA Awards recently, I felt deeply grateful, not because of the recognition itself, but because it reminded me of what matters most: impact that compounds.

As I reviewed my own “BCG of priorities,” I saw it clearly:

  1. Star: Developing future leaders through the Leadership Pulse community.

  2. Cash Cow: Operational systems at Boulevard Group that run smoothly without micromanagement.

  3. Question Mark: Experimenting with AI-driven healthcare advisory models.

  4. Dog: Over-attending meetings that don’t require my presence.

The truth is, leaders evolve when they stop spreading themselves thin and start investing deeply where their most significant value lies.

Share the Pulse

If this edition challenged your thinking, share it with a colleague or mentee who’s balancing too much at once.

And if you haven’t yet, join over 5,000 leaders reading Leadership Pulse every Monday at 7 AM.

That’s it for this week.

I offer the following services:

  1. Executive Coaching for Healthcare Leaders: Tailored strategies for effective leadership in uncertain times.

  2. Healthcare Consulting Services: Insights to enhance operational efficiency, compliance, and patient care.

  3. Advisory for Healthcare Startups: Support with scaling, investor pitching, and regulatory navigation.

Subscribe to the Leadership Pulse newsletter. It is amazing.- Tolu Ekwe.

Please stay connected with me:

Ikechukwu Okoh

Founder of Leadership Pulse

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