Priorities and concentration are the keys to focus. When team leaders have the right priorities but no concentration, they will know what to do but it will never get done. On the opposite side of the scale, if leaders have concentration but no priorities they will have excellence without progress. Only leaders that harness both have the potential to do great things. When it comes to focus, team leaders must remember not to major in the minor things.
Related: Leadership Outcome Based Team Building Activities
Guidelines on How Team Leaders Can Focus Their Time and Energy
Focus 70 Percent of Your Time on Your Strengths
Successful team leaders spend more time focusing on what they do well then on what they do not do well. Strength is always specific. For team leaders to reach their potential, they have to focus on developing their strengths. Most of their time, energy and resources should go in the area of their strengths.
Focus 25 Percent of Your Time on New Things
Growth requires change. For team leaders to grow they have to keep changing and improving themselves. They have to step out into new areas and dedicate time to new things related to their areas of strength.
Focus 5 Percent of Your Time on Your Areas of Weakness
Team leaders cannot entirely avoid working in their areas of weakness. The key is to minimize the time spend working in those areas by delegating as many of these tasks as possible.
How Team Leaders Can Improve Their Focus
Shift to Strengths
Make a list of three to four activities in your job that you do well. Work out more or less what percentage of time you spend on those activities and the percentage of resources dedicated to these areas of strength. Make the necessary changes so that you spend 70 percent of your time on your strong areas.
Related: Time Management Outcome Based Team Building Activities
Staff Your Weakness
Identify three to four activities of your job that you do not do well. Determine how you can delegate the activities to others. You may need to hire staff or partner with a co-worker to share the responsibilities.
Create an Edge
Determine what it would take to go to the next level in the main area of your strength. What are the new tools that you need? Rethink the way you do things and be willing to make sacrifices. Resources that you spend to take you to the next level is the best investment you can make.
Resource: The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
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