There’s a ton of great information out there for business leaders. (There’s also some not so great information if we’re honest about it.) But with so much guidance on leadership strategy to sift through and absorb, it’s easy to hit ‘information overload’ in a short space of time. On top of all that, you’re as insanely busy managing your team and running a business.
What’s a leader to do?
If you’ve fallen back into old, comfortable habits just to deal with the overwhelming information, I wouldn’t be surprised. I’ve seen many others do the same.
And that’s a shame. You’re not developing your leadership skills when you do have the capacity to tame the beast. You can conquer the information overload and declutter your leadership strategy.
It’s takes a little organization and willpower, but it’s not that difficult once you know where to direct your attention.
How to declutter your leadership strategy: 8 simple steps
Think ‘spring clean’. Think ‘The KonMari Method’. In other words, you need to have a sort-out at work and let go of the things you can do without and keep the things you need to focus on to be an effective leader.
The things you can do without are unnecessary information, untidiness, a full inbox, a long to-do list, and pointless meetings. The things you need to hang on to as a leader are clear expectations, employee feedback, and regular check-ins.
Now let’s look at the steps I suggest you take to achieve this decluttered leadership style.
ONE: Feel free to ignore (select) information
I’m not talking about memos from your boss, emails from your client, letters from the bank, or key industry data. But there is an argument for filtering out irrelevant information so you can focus on what’s really important. If you’re going to act like a sponge and soak up everything that comes across your desk or arrives in your inbox, you’re going to have little cognitive capacity to focus on your priorities. So, work out what information you really need to read and retain to perform your job effectively. Dismiss the rest. Be ruthless!
TWO: Clean your desk and tidy up your office
Too much visual stimulus is a distraction. In her article ‘The Case for Finally Cleaning Your Desk,’ Libby Sanders points out that “constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources and reduce our ability to focus.” If you want to focus, it’s simple. Get rid of the physical clutter.
THREE: Clear out your inbox (and keep it clean)
Think that’s impossible when you get a hundred emails or so a day? Kristi Hines thought so too until she developed this great method for keeping an empty inbox. At the heart of it is choosing between one of four responses for every email that you get:
- Make a fast decision (and learn to say ‘no’)
- Decline to act or do something immediately (if it takes less than five minutes – do it yourself; if it takes more than five minutes – delegate)
- Filter newsletters to read later (or unsubscribe from the mailing list)
- Delete if not interesting / worth your time (see point 1)
Develop these and other great habits recommended by Hines and you’ll soon be able to focus on your to-do list. Speaking of which…
FOUR: Turn your to-do list into ‘vital things to do today’ list
To-do lists can quickly get out of hand, so I was happy to stumble across this tip by Robert C. Pozen, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of ‘Extreme Productivity: Boost Your Results, Reduce Your Hours’. He recommends that you should put only two things on your daily to-do list: “Something important that you need to do–versus that which doesn’t really need to be done or which can be delegated to someone else–and something that needs to be done on that day.” If you cram your list with other tasks, you could end up overlooking more important tasks and working longer hours unnecessarily. And that’s not a good example for any leader to set.
FIVE: Reduce your number of meetings
Why is it that the higher up the career ladder you climb, the more meetings you attend? Managers can get terribly addicted to meetings and feel guilty if they turn down any meeting request. Spending a lot of time in meetings is not an effective use of your time. Be strict with yourself and attend only those where your presence will make a difference. Send representatives whenever possible. You are giving them an opportunity for growth as well. Make sure your own meetings are short and essential, have a clear agenda, and be disciplined about ending on time.
SIX: Set clear, consistent expectations for your team
A leader’s primary role boils down to this: Creating conditions in which individuals and teams achieve the desired results. Of course, that’s easier said than done. So, how do the most effective leaders do it? According to Gallup research, they set clear expectations for their employees on a consistent basis. And that strategy is effective, in part, because this is something employees want from their bosses. They want the details. They don’t want to be left guessing.
If you catch yourself saying, “I need that report as soon as possible”, rephrase it and say this instead “I need that report with first quarter analysis by 4:00 pm today.” Don’t leave your instructions open to interpretation. Your employee will be confused, the job won’t get done in time, and you’ll end up disappointed.
SEVEN: Get immediate feedback from your team
Believe it not, employees want to know if you (their boss) care about them as people. And you need to tell them that you do—by getting their feedback. There are two positive outcomes to this approach: increased output and an engaged team.
Asking your employees to confirm their understanding of assignments is the fastest way to ensure your instructions are understood. It may seem like overkill, but you’ll reduce mistakes and improve productivity. At the same time, welcome feedback and questions. By tapping into your team’s knowledge, the chances of getting some constructive ideas are high. As long as you show sincere interest in their opinions, your employees will feel their input is valued. What’s more, their motivation to support your business goals will increase significantly.
EIGHT: Schedule regular check-ins with your team
It’s easy to think ‘job done’ once you’ve communicated your expectations, clarified the team’s understanding, and gathered feedback. However, your people face competing priorities every day, and it’s easy to become derailed. Schedule periodic check-ins to discuss progress to reinforce your expectations and ensure your priorities remain their priorities. As an added bonus, most employees (particularly early-career team members) will appreciate the feedback that you give them.
That’s it. Just eight steps to decluttering your leadership strategy. Here’s my challenge for you. Focus on these priorities for one month only and let me know how it goes. I value your input: nmaki@opengateresources.com.