Is leadership an effective use of my time?
During a discussion at a networking event recently, one HR leader shared a question from a leader in his organisation:
Is leadership an effective use of my time?
To provide some context, the organisation in question uses billable hours and given that leadership activities are not billable, they were questioning whether they should be spending their time on activities that might be seen to generate more revenue than ‘leadership’.
Where do we start? There isn’t a simple yes or no answer to this question as it raises all sorts of complexities, but our feet are firmly on the ‘yes’ side of the court here. Why is that? Let’s consider the ROI of leadership:
Amplified Impact – Leadership is about the ability to bring out the best in others and when your focus shifts from your individual contribution to shaping outcomes across your team and the wider organisation, everyone benefits. It is highly likely that the ‘loss’ in your own billable hours will be more than replaced by an increase in productivity and efficiency in your team.
Personal Growth – We haven’t met one leader who tells us that leadership is easy. It challenges you, and stretches your decision-making, communication and resilience. From discomfort comes growth, and your clients will respond well to a more rounded, confident version of you. Who knows, you may even win some new business as a result of these changes.
Positive Workplace Culture – Whether we like it or not, people view leaders as role models, or as an example of the cultural care of the business. When we lead by example, our teams either follow that lead, or push against it. Creating a culture in which you model empathy, integrity, trust and open communication provides a safe environment in which your team will thrive.
Stronger Alignment – When leadership is clear and consistent everyone understands what the goals are, how they matter and how their work contributes to achieving the goals. When your team members are all moving in the same direction we tend to see the same trends: needless debates are reduced, productivity is increased, retention is improved and results are achieved more quickly, positively impacting the bottom line.
For those who choose to lead, and want to be as effective as possible, taking time to approach the role with humility, curiosity and care will undoubtedly reap financial, psychological, and physical rewards.
If you feel you need support in your leadership role, talk to us about coaching!
