Effective leadership is often considered a key factor in business success. It is widely believed to contribute to higher profits, better employee retention, improved productivity, and greater customer satisfaction.
When discussing leadership, much of the focus tends to be on top-level executives such as the chairman, managing director, or CEO. Management theories frequently highlight six core characteristics of effective leadership: the ability to influence others, transparency, encouraging innovation, integrity and accountability, acting decisively, and demonstrating resilience.
However, leadership is not solely the responsibility of those at the top. Managers at various levels within a business also play a crucial role in guiding their teams and driving departmental goals that align with the company’s overall objectives.
One way to define effective leadership in managers is the ability to inspire, guide, and influence their teams to achieve departmental goals that contribute to the business’s prime objectives. Despite its importance, it seems that effective leadership among managers is not as common as it should be.
Many factors are often cited as barriers to effective leadership at the managerial level. One of the most common reasons given is a lack of time. Managers frequently claim that their schedules are too packed with various tasks, leaving little room to focus on leadership responsibilities.
Is lack of time the real issue?
While it is true that time is limited – everyone has the same 24 hours a day – how that time is allocated makes a significant difference. The concept of "management time" refers to how much of a manager’s available time is actually spent on managing and leading their teams. It is often suggested that more effective use of this time could lead to better leadership outcomes.
Managers today are frequently pulled in multiple directions, juggling administrative tasks, meetings, and day-to-day operations. As a result, leadership responsibilities can sometimes take a backseat.
While there may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, addressing the time management challenge could be a crucial first step towards fostering effective leadership at the managerial level.