PODCAST: How to Lead & Protect Your Thinking Time (Pt. 2)
Leaders: Do you find that you’re spending so much time managing your team that you have little time or attention span left to slow down and think strategically? Harvard Business Review contributor Maura Thomas has these tips just for you.
Schedule regular meetings with direct reports, and designate specific times for others on the team. An open door policy is good, but the door doesn’t have to be open all of the time. If you’ve empowered them to make decisions, and they’re clear about their responsibilities, questions can wait for your office hours. That mean will mean fewer interruptions.
Be available less often. When you’re away from the office, employees manage to figure things out. Being less available helps to break the closed loop of “when questions or problems arise, I bring them to my boss who provides solutions.” Trust your team to figure it out. Then, address any resulting concerns in your regularly scheduled meetings.