Effective Leaders are More Efficient Leaders – How the Leader's Time Management Affects His Influence

Let me let you in on a secret… Leadership is busy, very busy, and times overwhelmingly busy. As leaders we must set the direction, cast our vision (over and over and over again), and complete every task. This can often become overwhelming and very stressful. So, how do the most exceptional leaders do it? And, in many cases, why do they never look as stressed out as I think I do?

Every day I have people come talk to me, some are just trying build relationships, and others are needing something. Whatever the case, I feel like I am always dismissing these conversations on account of “I’m too busy.” Don’t get me wrong, in the body, I am standing there, but there is no listening. And in some cases, okay, maybe one specifically, I literally begin retreating while that person is talking to me (in my mind I’m laughing right now because this particular person evidently does not catch on to ANY social cues).

You see, my problem was that I am constantly obsessing over the completion of my next task. My biggest problem is not my intentions; it is my time management. I was routinely allowing the urgent (the next task) to always take over the important (building relationships and leading intentionally). You see as leaders, we must be able to build relationships; and when we are too busy to connect, then our time management drastically reduces our influence.

“I was routinely allowing the urgent (the next task) to always take over the important (building relationships and leading intentionally).”

What I have learned is that wise time management is not doing more; no, wise time management is doing more of what is important to you. As leaders, we have to set the “P” word, priorities. To accomplish the most important task, build relationships, cast vision, and manage, we have to clearly understand what is most important to us.

“What I have learned is that wise time management is not doing more; no, wise time management is doing more of what is important to you.”

But what about the task we deem non-essential? Do they just not get completed?

Of course not, we must be effective delegators. After all, the job of the leader is not to build more followers but to grow more leaders. If we unite this principle with effective time management, then we, create a more efficient leader that produces more influence.

So as leaders, sit down and reflect. What is most important to you? Once you decide, write it down and do it first. Because to be effective, we must say no to many small things to efficiently accomplish a few big things which will drastically grow our influence.

“Because to be effective, we must say no to many small things to efficiently accomplish a few big things…”