Three Critical Tasks You Never Write Down To Do: But Should
If you are like me you like lists. You cannot start your day without writing down some sort of plan, some list of items that you aim to accomplish that day. Now, if you are even more like me that list is probably filled with items that are either not the most important tasks you should be focused on that day. Working with school leaders across the country I have learned there is one major difference between the good and the great. The great are relentless when it comes to how they can best utilize their time and develop their team.
Watch the video or read below to learn three three items that should be on your “to do” list every single day as a leader that you are probably overlooking!
Develop your top people: Leadership author Liz Wiseman stated, “Leaders who are multipliers increase intelligence in people and in organizations. The people on the team actually get smarter and more capable thanks to the people around them.” As a leader you need to spend the majority of your day (50%-60%) pouring into your top people. These are the people that you see as the individuals in the organization that have the character, competence, capacity and commitment to not only grow themselves, but to grow the next tier of leaders behind them.
Set and Communicate Expectations With Clarity: Believe or not, most members of a team are not 100% sure what they are responsible for on the job. Be sure that every member of your team knows why they are at the table, what key results they are seeking to obtain and what evidences they will bring, and how often, to verify their plan is working.
Live and Hold the Values Sacred for All: Everyone in the organization should know the answer to the question, how will we behave. The values of an organization should be identified, clearly defined, written down, agreed upon, modeled, taught, communicated regularly and measured for overall success. If they are not, the unaccountable actions of the many will overwhelm the few. As a result, the culture will suffer and the organization will grow to be unhealthy and stuck. The leader must not only live these values daily, but they must address anyone in a timely manner who steps outside of these agreed upon invisible boundaries. Your inability or avoidance of addressing accountability and execution by your weakest members will eventually result in the loss of respect and the ear of your best members.
It is not the number of things you do but the efficiency of which separate action that counts. Every act is, in itself, success or failure. Every action is either effective or inefficiency. Effective leadership is a choice, being great is a choice. My challenge to you is to fight the urge to do the “little things” on your to do list and focus on doing the right things.
Struggling with developing your people? Sign up for our upcoming webinar and begin transforming the team and organization you lead. Click here.
This blog was written by Dr. Tom Miller, owner and founder of Leaders Building Leaders. The fastest growing leadership development company in North Carolina. If this blog added value to you, share it. If you have a question about how you can best grow yourself and your team, reach out. We have leadership development programs for all ages and levels of leaders! Learn more at www.LBLeaders.com.
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