Extraordinary Business

Recently I met with a client and we discussed the challenges of leadership. As we continued our discussion, the subject of time came up. He shared a comment that I believe is prevalent in many other businesses and leaders alike. He knew follow up was important as well as communication and accountability. But He did not have the time to follow through on these commitments because of the day to day business, being short-staffed, and other duties required by his employer.

As a leader I can relate to this because I experienced it several times throughout my career. I also learned that the consequences of not taking action far outweigh the work needed to do the right thing.

We like our comfort zones. To some degree they bring us satisfaction. They keep us safe within a world of predictability. And even if the outcome isn't what we would like or expect, we may refuse to deviate from these actions.

Let's look at our example. By failing to hold people accountable, you create more work for yourself to make sure the job is done right. In addition, not using effective communication will lead to more questions, more confusion, and more mistakes. This leads to more notes, more follow up, more interruptions, slower turn times, and decreased productivity. Because there is decreased productivity, there is increased work. When there is increased work, you give more projects to the people you know you can count on. This creates resentment from the others who aren't carrying their load which leads to favoritism and passiveness. The top performers get burnt out because the bulk of the work is placed on them to complete. They in turn become resentful because they are doing the work for the same pay as the ones who are not. Because there is no accountability, the ones not doing the work do not receive the feedback or the support to be more effective. In addition, they are not counseled because there is no documentation or follow up.

Over the long term, you develop an organization that becomes overburdened with inefficiencies, lagging sales and service. This may lead to downsizing to "trim the fat" of the organization and aid the bottom line. Now the top performers are burdened even more. And the cycle continues..

So before you say you don't have enough time to lead your people, consider the consequences of your actions. The time you spend now may save you and your organization in the long run.