Ask Andi: How do leaders inspire success? I”m told I work employees too hard and expect too much. Every day feels like a rush. How can I be a better influence that makes a difference?
Thoughts of the Day: Good leaders inspire success and action in others. Such qualities develop over time. As owners, we often forget all of what’s on employees’ plates. Build a method for keeping track of projects. Find out what motivates each on your team. Appreciate their feedback and suggestions for improvement.
How leaders inspire success
Owners tend to focus on the things that need to get done. They are often the ones marshaling resources to deal with the challenges that crop up. That means owners are acutely aware of the need to move quickly from one project to the next. At the same time, they may overlook, or be unaware of the additional demands on employees.
Yet, business success come through a mindful leadership approach. Leaders often inspire successwhen they are most inspired. Allow schedules to “breathe”. Build time into the schedule to bring people together. Ask each member of the team to report on what they’re working on and what’s coming up. Collectively discuss and agree on priorities and work allocation.
Avoid the temptation to overrule someone on the team if there are conflicting views regarding upcoming work assignments. Instead, ask the group to discuss and agree to the order of tasks to complete. Advocate for the way you see things playing out and listen carefully as others advocate for alternative views. It may take longer, but it will allow everyone an opportunity to process conflicts and get on board with the final agreements around what gets worked on in which order.
Inspiration, passion, action
Set up rules for setting priorities, that will help everyone on the team reach a common conclusion. For example, attend to client needs first. Then, work on employee development plans in small doses over a period of time. Prioritize internal projects based on the short and long term payoff.
Build a company-wide project report and review it at least weekly. Assign employees to projects and indicated when projects are due. Practice estimating the number of hours likely to be committed to each project, so that each member of the team builds skills in being realistic with time commitments.
At the weekly meeting, look for projects that are stalled. Ask the group to decide if more people are needed, if the project is taking more time than originally estimated, and/or if the project would be on track if only it hadn’t gotten bumped by some other priority. Teach the group to work together to adjust and get control of the work plan.
Energize company culture
Employees are more likely to put in extra time and produce good work if they are passionate about what they’re doing. Leaders inpsire success by linking employees’ work to what motivates them. Find out what employees are passionate about. Why they work for you? What inspires them at work?
Owners are usually optimists. This usually results in underestimating the time and resources needed to accomplish tasks. It’s essential to allocate time to address roadblocks, fix problems, and learn from mistakes.
Rule of thumb to estimate time needed to complete projects. Estimate the time needed to complete. Then triple the estimate. If the project is similar to others done before, double the time estimate. If the task is old hat, add twenty-five percent to allow for unforeseen interruptions.
Build a schedule that has room in it. Avoid the temptation to overbook. Build in twenty percent free time so employees can deal with interruptions, fixing problems, and getting ahead on the next project.
Looking for a good book? Try… Essential Manager’s Manual, by Robert Heller and Tim Hindle.
