If “Time is Money," then “Capacity is Mission”
When I first started working with leaders in the construction industry, my client impressed upon me the idea that, for them, "time is money." For every minute that a decision lingers, whether it’s due to a lack of courage, rapport, or competence, the delay costs the owner money.
I got the point right away. I’m not an efficiency expert, so I didn’t delve into their processes or systems. Instead, I dug into their leadership practices. I helped them align leaders’ behaviors with the organization’s values (of which Personal Courage is one), improve the functionality of its teams, and level up leaders’ skills.
Though it’s tough to measure the impact of our work in dollars, my client witnessed the impact in improved quality and speed. More importantly, they achieved their extraordinary mission. What was once a mammoth set of tasks became a long series of victories. To this day, the organization stands out among its peers as a high-performing team.
Why? They have this reputation because we built their leadership capacity, which in turn grew the capacity of the 1,300 employees working for them. And those employees still carry them from victory to victory, even 15 years later!
How to grow your capacity, not your headcount
For many leaders, more is more. More people = more impact. But what if that’s not true for you? Or what if you don’t have access to more resources or people? How do you increase your impact on the mission?
It depends on whether your obstacle is a lack of manpower or a lack of perspective.
Lack of Manpower
If you need more people to give more of their talent and effort at work, do these three things:
Offer as much autonomy as possible—allow people to choose how, when, and with whom they get the job done.
Get people on their own path to mastery—connect them to opportunities that grow their competence in an area they care about.
Align daily work to a deeper purpose—help them see how their efforts make a difference beyond the bottom line.
And then…hold them accountable!
Lack of Perspective
If you need more time to do strategic work, it’s time to elevate your leadership.
Do, Delegate, or Delete! From your typical week or workflow, delineate the tasks that only YOU can do from the tasks that should be delegated or deleted.
Generously estimate the time required for the “Do” tasks, and plan them into your week.
Develop your conviction in the delegation process. This may require an investment in both your relationships and your skills.
How We Elevate Leaders
In our flagship program, we approach this challenge from both angles: increasing your team’s capacity and leveling up your leadership viewpoint.
We do this by teaching you more impactful methods to connect with team members, leading to more rapport, focus, and ownership. We also give you the tools to evaluate your own practices, enabling you to prioritize your time and effort in a way that maximizes resources and frees you up to operate at a strategic level.
Our students RAVE about their time in the Leader of Areté program. They love learning immediately practical skills, tools, and ideas. They love that they can apply it at work and at home…and with themselves! They love the emphasis on hands-on practice and professional feedback. They love the experience of learning with the cohort and the bonds they form in their coaching triads. They love the consistent, long-term support that enables them to evolve at their own pace and keeps them accountable to the learning process.
What will YOU love about it?
Curious? Click here for more information.