Time well spent
What leaders need to prioritise
It’s December. Who’s feeling overwhelmed already? (I am!)
Time management isn’t usually my sort of topic, but at this frantic, festive time of year, I thought it was worth sharing a few of my hard-won insights.
A quick search on Amazon produces over 100,000 results under “time management books”. I have to confess to having read quite a few of them.
But not many were actually that useful beyond a timely reminder that lists are very helpful. (I am a big fan of multiple, colour-coded to-do lists.)
The problem with traditional time management is that it usually takes a task-focused approach, assuming that the aim is to get a certain amount of pre-determined things done in a certain amount of time.
That really isn’t how most of us work anymore - particularly in leadership roles.
It’s likely that the most important elements of your work are relationship-building, problem-solving, decision-making and supporting other people to do their best work.
These are difficult things to write on a list and tick off.
So here are three tips for leaders to really make the most of your time.
Think about “how” as much as you think about “what”.
I believe passionately that how we work is as important as what we do. It will have more impact on our long term success, on our relationships and on our wellbeing.
So when you are evaluating what you’ve done, make sure that you recognise and appreciate the impact of how you show up and how you treat those around you. As a leader, it will be this that defines your success.
This means you need to invest time not just in showing up the way you want to, but in the things that will mean you are capable of consistently showing up the way you want to.
Rest, recuperation and a healthy dose of fun are all part of making sure you get the job done.
Invest your time in making things easier in the future.
Another core belief of mine is that it is the relationships you have with the people you work with that determine how successful you are. You need to build positive, productive relationships that mean you can get the job done, and get it done well.
As leaders we need to focus on using our time to build the trust, understanding and respect that will mean we can navigate disagreements and issues when they inevitably arise.
That relationship you made time for this week might well be the key to unlocking a future problem or decision. Or it might mean you don’t need to spend time on a lengthy recruitment process in a few months.
Know the value of giving your time.
For most of us, our time feels like the most valuable resource we have at work. Why give that away?
Simply because it is so valuable.
Giving people your time shows that they are of value to you.
Could you check in with a colleague you know is struggling? Could you send over that info or insight you know another colleague is waiting for? Could you offer someone half an hour just to chat something through?
It might feel like an interruption today, but the value it brings to the working relationship, or to your team, or to their productivity and wellbeing, will probably be worth it.
If you have a conversation in the diary with someone, think carefully about the message it sends to them if you move it or even cancel. No one likes to feel that they aren’t important.
The key thing is quality rather than quantity. You don't need to check in with everyone everyday, but when you are having a one to one with a peer or a direct report, it's important that they feel that they have your full attention and you're not clock-watching.
I’ll see you in a couple of weeks for my final email of 2024. There may be tinsel involved…