Being a leader anywhere is no easy feat. Whether you have one or several people looking to you for guidance or advice, you are in a position to help to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as it should. This is why organization is such a key part of effective leadership. You can be the greatest leader in every way, but without it, you will most likely find that everything can come crashing down regardless.
This piece is going to take a look at why organizational skills and effective leadership go hand in hand, so you know what to expect taking on a role that requires them.
Let’s get into it!
1) Get Delegating
Delegating is a crucial aspect for any leader and finding the balance between taking something on yourself or giving it to your team is a fine art. Not only do you not want to overburden your team, but you also do not want to be giving yourself tasks that others can do competently, especially if you have other assignments that only you can do.
An effective leader will always make sure that their team’s workload is manageable before putting other work on them and will have a backup plan if it is not. Time management is a crucial aspect of this. Not only because you need any tasks to be completed on time, but also because there needs to be some leeway for when things might not go to plan or other tasks crop up. This is such a skill that you can undertake programs such as a BA in organizational leadership.
2) Build Up Trust
Not many people like a micro-manager. It can be frustrating, time-wasting, and also counterproductive. If a leader does not appear to trust their employees or work colleagues, they are already on to a losing battle. Everyone handles work and their approach to it differently, so trusting that they have their own strategies in place will not only free up a lot of their time, but it will also free up a lot of yours. Make sure any work set is realistic, and let them know you have time for them if they need help – anything else can be up to them as long as the needed tasks are complete.
3) Lead By Example
Leading by example is one of the finest points a leader can make. While “do as I say and not as I do” might have worked as a premise when people were children, employees will hopefully have the critical thinking skills to question whether something is fair or not. Do not put your employees in that position by working out of hours or checking in while you are on vacation. You might not expect them to model that behavior, but some may feel pressured to, which will cut in their own personal time. With good management and leadership skills, there should be enough hours in the working day for you to get everything done and to honor your time off the clock.