First Person: The Time Traps That Business Leaders Fall Into

Job descriptions for most leaders include something about exceeding performance, growth, problem solving, and time management. Of course this list isn't all encompassing, but there are some commonalities in the DNA of all leaders. This is why leaders can transition from one line of business or industry to another; basic leadership principles don't change. Organizations and employees on the other hand, do change. As a leader, these changes present challenges because more time is needed to get your job done. When I was in leadership, I found that newer employees or any organizational change could increase the amount of time that I would spend at work. I had to learn how to better manage my time and still meet the expectations of my employer. I found that I was spending too much time on some things and not enough on others. In order to make the most of your time as a leader, there are certain pitfalls that you should avoid which will ultimately save time and enhance your performance.

Doing everything yourself
As a leader, delegating benefits both you and your direct reports. With all of the responsibilities that you have, there is someone on your team that can help you with something. I would ask team members to help me prepare for the next team meeting, take care of a client's issue, or enter data into a spreadsheet. Employees enjoy learning and feel connected to the organization when they can participate in a project outside of what they typically do. As a result, I had more time to do other assignments and morale improved in the process.

Failing to prioritize
On any given day, there are competing priorities, but as a leader, I had to decide what could wait. If you aren't sure, try to partner with your leader to identify which items are the most important. If not, you will spend time doing work that isn't a priority and neglecting tasks that are. This is counterproductive and can possibly frustrate you during your workday.

Procrastination
In order to stop avoiding a task, you have to motivate yourself and sometimes modify your environment. You can also try to identify what is really stopping you from performing the task at hand. I realized as a student that if the course material didn't interest me, that I would wait until the last minute to complete assignments. Once I realized that my love for the course wasn't going to change, I would begin my assignments every Monday to make sure that I turned in quality work without missing deadlines.

Stress
In order to avoid stress, you have to identify what causes stress in your life. I am calm most of the time, so I don't see myself as someone who stresses. The reality is everyone stresses! Because I juggle so many balls on any given day, my stress was mental. In leadership, I was mentally drained and my lack of energy and sleep were the results of stress. To identify your source of stress, look closely at your habits, your attitude, and your excuses.

Low performing employees
I spent the majority of my time as a leader coaching under-performing employees, while those who did their jobs rarely heard from me. I've spent countless hours documenting behavior, contacting HR, informing my leader of the process, and coaching those who ultimately didn't want to perform. I made a decision to coach everyone, but to change my style of coaching. I spent more time with those who were at least meeting the expectation so that I could assist them with their development. For those low-performers who wanted to succeed and simply needed more from me as their leader, I coached them, too. My low performers who didn't accept the coaching provided to enhance their performance ultimately left the organization, voluntarily or involuntarily, which saved time for me as a leader.

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