No. 1: Become a small picture kind of boss
It’s critical that you help everyone understand the overall goals and objectives of the organization. But don’t forget that the best leaders also help translate those goals down to the smallest details of individual jobs and help their employees make the connection. Learn to help everyone — at every level — understand how his or her specific contribution can make the whole organization more successful.
No. 2: Develop your memory
Think back to the first time a highly respected leader remembered your name. It felt pretty good, right? Like you counted. The best leaders remember names, job roles, hobbies, partner’s names, and more. It’s amazing to watch them go through a series of meetings and see just how good their memories are. And it pays off — people work harder for leaders who care enough to remember personal things about them.
No. 3: Track how you spend your time
The best leaders and managers spend their time where the biggest payoff is likely to come. But despite their best intentions, many leaders spend too much time on fighting fires or dealing with problem people. To see how you’re doing, regularly take out your calendar and review how much of your time you spent with who and on what. If you see a pattern in your behavior — like investing too much time dealing with the whiny guy who always has troubles in his department instead of with the positive guy who always delivers on his commitments, you may want to make some changes to your time management.
No. 4: Don’t demi-task
Do you listen 100 percent of the time or are you usually mentally engaged in several things at once? Effective leaders know that NOBODY can multi-task effectively over the long haul. They’ve figured out how to focus with laser-like precision. Their team members learn that their boss is really on top of things and can’t be bluffed. This makes the team better at being clear and precise in their communications to you. And that saves time and energy for everyone.
No. 5: Nuke the Blackberry when you’re at home
Many executives feel the organization would fall apart without them. They think it s imperative to always be available to take a message and “fix” things. But, lots of very successful leaders relegate voicemails and emails after hours to a bare minimum. They can do that because they have a great team in place and they trust the people who work for them. And, the bottom line is that your time AWAY from work is critical for remaining mentally sharp, creative, and motivated.
These are just few of the ways IT leaders can build a more successful organization, and I’ll leave you with one more: Celebrate success. Even in downtimes, you can find something that’s going well and mention it during your meetings or in emails. When you celebrate the little wins, you encourage more of the same behavior from others. And soon, you’ll have bigger things to celebrate.































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