How “Player Coaches” Can Increase Productivity as a Leader

For those of us who are “player coaches,” management is a second job, and it becomes critical for us to find ways to enhance our efficiency in the workplace. In honor of #WorldProductivityDay we would like to share this #Forbes article “8 Proven Ways to Increase Your Productivity as a Leader” https://www.forbes.com/sites/deeppatel/2017/10/27/8-proven-ways-to-increase-your-productivity-as-a-leader/#56b936e37be4 incorporating a combination of soft and hard leadership skills. In summary, author Deep Patel shares these recommendations:

  1. Set clear goals and expectations for each period in order to encourage buy in from your team and avoid confusion and disappointment down the road.
  2. Invest in organizational tools to create a strong infrastructure that will keep you and your team organized and on track.
  3. Avoid long meetings that can waste time and instead schedule meetings that are 10-15 minutes in length.
  4. Get to know your team members so that you can be more efficient in your leadership and communication. Enjoy a midday lunch or activity that gives you a chance to learn more about each other.
  5. Host “feedback sessions” or weekly one-on-ones with your team members to ensure clear communication. Be sure to ask for feedback from your team about your management style so that you can continue to improve as their leader.
  6. Set clear “do not disturb” times during the week so that your team knows when you need to focus and be productive.
  7. Keep information transparent so that your team can answer their own questions with a little research rather than having to come to you too often.
  8. Write everything down so that you aren’t spending valuable time trying to remember the important things you need to accomplish.

At #AvionConsulting we strive to not only follow these guidelines in our own daily work, but we also train our clients to adopt these habits for their leadership development. There is a payoff we can all enjoy…being as productive as possible during work hours allows us to decompress and truly enjoy our downtime and refuel for the next big push. Do you practice additional methods to increase productivity as a leader that you would like to share?  We look forward to hearing from you and invite you to join the #AvionConsulting newsletter for further discussion at  http://bit.ly/AvionNews.