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Busy Isn't the Goal. Effective Is.
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Hi Reader, I’m glad you’re here! Ask a manager how they're doing and you'll probably hear the same answer."Busy."Somewhere along the way, busy became a badge of honor. A full calendar must mean we're important. A packed inbox must mean we're productive. Back-to-back meetings must mean we're leading. Not necessarily. Being busy doesn't automatically make us effective. Sometimes it just means everyone else's priorities became ours. A Different Scorecard.One of the biggest misconceptions managers have is that success is measured by activity. It's understandable. Most of us got to where we are because we were great doers. We solved problems, answered questions, and checked things off the list. Then we become managers. The job changes. Our success is no longer measured by how much we accomplish. It's measured by what happens through our team. Yet many of us keep using the same scorecard. "I answered every email." "I solved five problems." "I didn't stop all day." Busy? Probably. Effective? Not necessarily. Leadership isn't about being the busiest person on the team. It's about doing the work that only a manager can do: coaching, creating clarity, removing roadblocks, and helping people grow. The good news? The moments that matter most in leadership rarely take the most time. Where Leadership Happens.When people picture the work of a manager, they usually think about the big moments. Performance reviews. Strategy planning. Budget discussions. Executive presentations Those things matter. But they aren't where most leadership happens. The big moments may define your role. The small moments define your leadership. Leadership happens in the five minutes before a meeting starts. The quick check-in after someone gives a presentation. The conversation that clarifies expectations before a project begins. The thirty seconds it takes to recognize someone for handling a difficult situation well. The ten minutes you spend teaching instead of taking the work back because, "It'll be quicker if I just do it." (You know you’ve said it, we all have.) Those conversations don't require a significant investment of time. They require intention. We postpone them because something bigger always seems to demand our attention. Then we spend the next three weeks answering questions, fixing mistakes, or untangling confusion that a five-minute conversation could have prevented. One Thing To Do This WeekBlock 15 minutes on your calendar every day this week. Call it Manager Time. Protect it like you would any other meeting. During those 15 minutes:
Pick just one. Don't wait until you "have more time." This is the work. At the end of the week, ask yourself this: Which had the bigger impact? The fifty emails you answered on Tuesday... Or the fifteen minutes you invested in helping someone succeed? The Bottom LineBeing a great manager isn't about squeezing more into your day. It's about making room for the work that only you can do. No one has ever walked out of work thinking, "I'm so glad my manager answered that email in four minutes." But they'll remember the conversation that gave them confidence. The feedback that helped them improve. The moment you trusted them instead of taking over. Those conversations don't require another hour in your day. They just require you to spend a few minutes differently. Because busy isn't the goal. Effective is. Keep Learning.If this article resonated with you, that's exactly what we work on in the New Manager Launch. Together, we practice coaching, feedback, delegation, accountability, and the everyday conversations that help managers become better leaders. The fall cohort is now open. If you'd like more information, simply reply to this email and I'll send you the details. Manager Minutes is a newsletter for leaders who want to get better at the human side of management, one issue at a time. |
KMD Advisory Manager Minutes
I’m a leadership trainer who shows first-time managers how to handle real challenges. Every other week, I send actionable advice you can put into practice immediately. Subscribe!
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