Beware The Busy Manager

In a survey of nearly 1,200 managers and directors by the UK-based Chartered Management Institite, they found that more than 8 out of 10 managers struggle to prioritize their work, due to conflicting demands pulling them in all directions. The lack of clarity from their leader results in a great deal of inefficiency and frustration.

It’s really not too surprising to hear how many leaders fail to use their time effectively. Research by Heike Bruch and Sumantra Ghoshal, discussed in the Harvard Business Review article “Beware the Busy Manager”, found that “a mere 10% of managers spend their time in a committed, purposeful and reflective manner”. In their article the research found that focus and energy are critical elements required for purposeful action. They describe these two elements as follows:

“Think of focus as concentrated attention – the ability to zero in on a goal and see the task through to completion. Focused managers aren’t in reactive mode; they choose not to respond immediately to every issue that comes their way or get sidetracked from their goals by distractions like e-mail, meetings, setbacks, and unforeseen demands. Because they have a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish, they carefully weigh their options before selecting a course of action…..

Think of the second characteristic – energy – as the vigor that is fueled by intense personal commitment. Energy is what pushes managers to go the extra mile when tackling heavy workloads and meeting tight deadlines.”

Amazing leaders have high levels of focus and energy!

• How focused are you?
• Do you have a clear vision and goal?
• Are you making effective use of your time, or are you just busy?