Forget about the latest office software update. Or migrating your entire technology systems into a very neat, modern cloud format to make everyone’s life easier.
Want to know what really makes the difference when it comes to productivity?
Being a Leader is way harder that it seems: every day I meet people struggling in their role and every day I guide them towards their best solution. Take a sneak preview how CLICK HERE.
Here are my best methods for Leaders to dramatically increase productivity:
1. Clear Goals
I’ve blogged on it before and said it uncountable times so why not repeat it again: setting clear goals is fundamental to achieving success.
And when clear goals come from Leadership it makes a huge difference to their teams and organisations! An efficient and capable Leader must have a very precise idea of the direction they are guiding the ship and must communicate that loud and clear.
2. Avoid Unnecessary Meetings
How many times have you been to a meeting that could have been summed up in a 100-words email? We’ve all been there, trying to escape and go back to that massive amount of work sitting on our desk.
If you want to create growth and boost productivity, ask yourself and your Leadership Team colleagues this basic question:
“Can I convey the message I’d like to share in this meeting in a short email?”.
If the answer is yes, don’t waste anybody’s time. And if the answer is no, keep the meeting short and sweet!
3. Know Your People
Strength-based management has been proven to be the key to success (Majumdar, 2020), and yet many Leaders struggle to get to know their employees.
If you want to lead, you need to know your workforces and especially their strengths! Read more about Strengths in this recent post [CLICK HERE]
4. Team Building
Once you get to know your people, it’s important you’ll encourage team building.
Unsurprisingly evidence shows that working in a close-knit and supportive team enhances everyone’s productivity (Ulabor et al., 2020). So support events inside and outside the office, such as afterwork drinks, off-sites and retreats. [CLICK HERE]
5. Work-Life Balance
Leading any organisation requires a lot of time and dedication, and very often Leaders are stretched beyond recognition.
Empirically, the issue of poor work-life balance is double among Leaders. Yet the science also shows that working more than 50 hours a week is simply unproductive (Pencavel, 2014)So it's key to lead by example and cut down your overworking so your employees can do the same.
For more guidance on how to maintain a healthy work-life balance, read my article [here] to start leading by example and inspiring your teams.
6. Create Safety
Mental health should be a basic right for every worker, and yet many don’t feel safe to talk about mind, brain or mental matters however we may refer to them. In most large organisations, truth be told, employees are afraid to lose their job if they do so.
In the 21st century, this is no longer unacceptable.
And that message must come loud and clear from any respectable Leadership Team. If you want to get up to speed, read my article on Mental Health in the Workplace here and make sure your employees feel safe and secure.
So by being a better Leader – whatever your status in the organisation - will create more productivity and performance, and a happier workforce!
Have a fabulous, productive day,
Andrew
