Time Management

Leaders who “attempt too much” try to help everybody. Consequently, not all tasks receive complete or adequate attention. These leaders may have difficulty with prioritization and planning, have unrealistic expectations, or over-respond to demands, among other things.

The following questions from the self-assessment helped you evaluate whether you engage in this practice:

• Do you accurately estimate how much you can accomplish in a given time period?
• Before you initiate a project, do you make sure that the results will be worth the effort required, and that the necessary resources are available?

Leaders who take a “crisis management” mindset spend too much time focusing on day-to-day issues. Everything, no matter how small, requires their immediate action. These leaders have trouble refocusing their attention on broader, more long-term organization goals, such as the larger mission. Consequently, they aren’t likely to get around to important tasks. Most often, crisis management is caused by a lack of prioritization.

The following questions from the self-assessment helped you evaluate whether you engage in this practice:

• Do you anticipate things that can go wrong and take action to prevent them or limit their consequences?
• When given a new assignment, do you assess its importance and prioritize it within the context of other assignments?
• Do you regularly confirm your priorities with your superior to make sure they’re aligned with organizational strategy and goals?

Leaders who have difficulty delegating to subordinates may want to do everything themselves. This practice can endanger the organization and the mission. Leaders who aren’t able to delegate and manage their subordinates may find themselves swamped in day-to-day duties like paperwork. At the worst, these leaders aren’t able to respond to changing circumstances, plan, or develop their unit.

The following questions from the self-assessment helped you evaluate whether you engage in this practice:

• Do you delegate assignments that others could or should do instead of yourself?
• Do you spend more time planning/supervising than you do working on details?
• Do you invest in the development of subordinates over the long term so that you’re able to distribute work among all available personnel?

Leaders who have poor planning skills may fail to see the value of planning, are impatient, or have difficulty thinking beyond the present. If a leader acts before planning, he risks wasting productive time and, at worst, endangering the entire mission.

The following questions from the self-assessment helped you evaluate whether you engage in this practice:

• Do you dedicate time to strategy, planning, and scheduling?
• Do you allow for leeway in your schedule to attend to pressing or unexpected issues?

Leaders who procrastinate delay tasks that may not be seen as enjoyable or important beyond what is acceptable. Procrastination is a slippery slope. The longer an individual pushes off a task, the harder it is to come back to it.

The following questions from the self-assessment helped you evaluate whether you engage in this practice:

• When tempted to put off tasks, do you set deadlines for yourself?
• Do you get your work done during “normal working hours” without having to stay late or take work home?