Don’t Waste Time! How to Be More Productive in Your Management Efforts

Time is one commodity all managers wish they could double. Unfortunately, since we’re all allotted the same 24 hours in any given day, effective managers must learn to make the most of the time they have, rather than to wish for more of it.

The good news is that more productive management is possible. Here are several ways to maximize the value of the time you have – and get better results from staff while you’re at it.

1. Provide support for employees when it’s genuinely needed. “Support” can take many forms: specific feedback, updated equipment, emotional “backstopping” in the face of unfair criticism, the occasional chance to leave early to attend to work-life balance issues. Support helps your team work more effectively, which allows you to focus on management tasks. It also builds goodwill and trust, so that when a problem does arise, your team will be more likely to mention it to you while the problem is still small and easily fixed.
2. Don’t neglect management training sessions. We know: being asked to spend your hours in training when you could be spending them helping your staff or finishing paperwork sounds like the least productive idea ever. In fact, management training offers skills and tips that will help you become more productive at your “essential” tasks. Companies that focus on training for supervisors and middle management do so to invest in your career development and effectiveness. Don’t skip these opportunities: when else will you be paid to learn how to do your job better?
3. Control meetings – don’t let them control you. Meetings can be crucial opportunities to encourage teamwork, share ideas, and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to a major project or issue. Unfortunately, if they’re not handled well, they eat both management’s time and staff’s time – and no one is happier or more productive for it. Before each meeting, clarify the purpose of the meeting, the topics to be discussed, and the goal to be reached by the end. Create an agenda that allows staff to stay “on track.” And never meet to “fill time” – remember, just because a meeting is scheduled for an hour doesn’t mean it has to take an hour.

At Marquee Staffing, our experienced recruiters can help you find new or prospective managers who offer a great cultural “fit” with your current work teams. Contact us today to learn more.