Yesterday, we talked about entrepreneurs and their valuable time, “A casual coffee is much like taking an hour-long leave of absence without pay.” Entrepreneurs struggle with the misconception of others that they are available unlike people in a typical job. Truth is they are simply flexible, not available.
So how does a leader within an organization manage their time effectively when it comes to people and who do they take the time to see and be with? Leaders are pulled in all sorts of directions from employees, customers, shareholders, public inquiry, colleagues and more.
Here are a few guidelines you may wish to use in defining your time spent.
Your employees need you.
The foundation of a strong team is the building of strong team relationships. Get to know them, what drives them, clarify your expectations and ask to know theirs.
Your customers want to know you.
Supporting your customer service team in doing a fantastic job keeps customers coming back time and again. You don’t have to be the one responding, but you do need a team that will.
Your colleagues can respect your time.
Boundaries can only be set by you. You define the number of distractions and detours you will respond to and attend. Burnout happens because we allow it, colleagues respect us more when we are clear about our boundaries up front.
A balance of all of these relationships and the time and energy you put to them will be different for every leader, the secret is in understanding your direction and building the plan to meet your goals.
Patti is a strategic advisor in Leadership Development, Customer Service and Culture through Mergers and Acquisition. You can book her to speak at her Speakers Page.
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