Don’t use ‘time poor’ as a barrier to leading

Q: What do you see as a key barrier that could hold someone back from being the best leader?

A: There are many barriers that can stifle your leadership and being what I call a limitless leader – where you grow yourself, team and the business to accelerate mindset, collaboration and performance.

The impact is huge as being ineffective and not leading stifles the team and business growth, potential and performance.

One of the key barriers I find many people leading a business or team face is that they don’t allocate time to leadership. They tend to look at leading others as an “or” instead of an “and”. When you have a team you have a responsibility, leadership is a choice and a decision not a title that automatically makes you capable and effective.

Allocating time

So, what gets in the way to allocating time to know and grow your people? So many of us are rushing around, busy doing management operational type tasks and this results in one becoming bogged down being a human doing instead of a human being.

Your mindset can then become stifled, health can be compromised, work life is unbalanced, and the impact is huge on the business you are in.

Not making time to lead hinders the quality of performance, deadlines can be missed, connection and development of individuals and teams are stifled and ultimately you are not creating a succession pipeline of future leaders.

There is a focus on the wrong things – many spend too much time in maintenance activities (operational) Vs progressive tasks that bring the team and business forward.

We are have a lot on and can become time poor, and the magic is in understanding it’s all about self-management, not time-management. Time is inelastic, only you can manage how you spend it and do the things that matter.

A few tips

• Reframe time management to self management.
• Leverage the cracks of time:
  • In the car/train/plane listen to podcasts and learn.
  • Read – even if for only 15 minutes per day – and share learnings with your team.
  • Download the app Blinkist.
• Build a repertoire of resources:
  • Ted talks to open meetings.
  • Insights from books/podcasts/industry events.
• Delegate to grow others, free up time and do what really matters.
  • Delegate what you like doing.
• Get a coach or Mentor
  • ICF studies show that 57 per cent of people being coached improved the way they use their time.
• Raise your awareness that self-management results in clearer and more productive energy and head space.
• Balance your leadership.
  • Regularly access where you spend your time and get balance in all 3 areas:
    • Leading people.
    • Managing activity.
    • Developing self.

Small incremental changes every day will contribute to bigger changes in the way you lead. As James Clear points out in his brilliant book ‘Atomic Habits’ if you can get one per cent better each day for one year, you’ll end up 37 per cent better by the time you are done. What can feel like a small win can accumulate into something much bigger.

Do you have a question for Renée?

Email yoursay@retailmedia.com.au or reach out to Renée on social media. Each month a question will be answered and advice given on communication, motivation and leadership.

About Renée Giarrusso

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker. She is the author of ‘Limitless Leadership’ and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

You can follow Renée and all her work on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog.
M: 0408 381 641
W: reneegiarrusso.com
RG Dynamics: creating limitless leaders, teams & organisations