Making Time for People

Leaders who invest in people make time for them. Time is one of the most precious commodities for a leader. Choosing how to invest the moments in your day is crucial. In that vein, the only way to show real value to people is to give them time. Leaders on the forefront set aside time for people, with an eye to accomplish specific things with those minutes:

Time for appreciation. Recognize and reward those who contribute to the team. This doesn’t have to be a big public gathering. A pat on the shoulder with a “well done”, or a quick text at the end of the day saying “Appreciated your strong effort on the project” is a powerful and personal communications tool. People who know they are valued by their leaders return two things even more valuable to their leadership—respect and loyalty.

Time for advancement. A great gift you can give to others as a leader is letting them know you are for them and their success. A true leader doesn’t hold people back, but is comfortable seeing their people advance, claim their own victories, and see their leadership grow. In time your season of leadership will come to an end. Many leaders fade into memory and never see a legacy built because they put too much emphasis on their own efforts, rather than building up the next generation of leaders. Take time to talk to those you lead about their life goals, what they want to accomplish, what motivates them. This not only helps them succeed, it helps you too as they advance.

Time for no reason. It’s okay to waste a moment with someone—because the moment isn’t really wasted. Personal time and attention, to talk about life, interests, family, sports—whatever—is time well spent. The relationships you build with others are of long-term importance. A leader does not live in isolation, but rather, builds his or her team over time. Trusted advisors and workers enhance your leadership ability, and provide a fertile field of successors you can train and strengthen for the future.