Leadership
Productivity Coaching, Time Management Consulting and Leadership Coaching for business and nonprofits - get your most important work done. Collaborating with leaders and their teams to become more strategic, focused and productive. Leadership and Board Coaching, Strategic Planning Facilitation, Productivity Coaching and Time Management Consulting, Professional Speaker.
Productivity Coach, Productivity Consultant, Leadership Coach, Time Management Coach, Business Consulting, personal productivity, time management, nonprofit, board coach, collaboration, strategic planning, facilitation, change management, leading productive teams, project planning, board development, volunteer engagement, association management, workplace productivity, executive director.
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Leadership

01 Jul

Posted at 21:58h in Leadership, Organize to Thrive, Productivity, Tech & Digital Clutter

Last week I worked with a client who had just received a well-deserved promotion. His new manager voiced one concern: she was worried he might miss something important in his email. He was smart, capable, and willing to work hard. But years of accumulated email made it difficult to distinguish what actually required his attention.

For years, my recommendation would have been straightforward: reduce the noise first. Archive older email that no longer requires action. Remove newsletters, completed projects, duplicate conversations, and information that belongs in a reference folder. Then work through what’s left and decide whether each email should be filed, deleted, or kept as an action item.

That process still works. But something has changed. Today, AI can help with routine sorting and review. Instead of manually combing through thousands of messages, AI can identify newsletters, group similar conversations, summarize long email threads, highlight messages that appear to require a response, and even suggest rules or filters to keep your inbox cleaner going forward.

Notice what AI isn’t doing. It isn’t deciding what matters. You are.

AI Changes the Work, Not the Principles.

I still believe the biggest reason people feel controlled by email, rather than in control of it, is that they keep too much in their inbox. The result? Stress increases, important emails get buried, and managers begin to worry that something important will slip through the cracks.

Here’s the core methodology: every email should fall into one of three classifications.

Classification Explanation Action
Trash I don’t need it anymore Delete it on the spot
Reference I might need it later File it in a folder (Outlook) or label (Gmail)
Action I need to do something with it soon Leave it in your inbox and organize it by priority (more on this later)

 Step 1: Clear obsolete emails from your inbox.

  • Email search has improved dramatically. You can usually find an old message when you need it, but keeping every searchable email in your inbox creates clutter and makes the inbox harder to manage. Instead, create one folder or label for older emails and move them there. The name does not matter; the goal is to give yourself one place to search later.
    • What to call it? It doesn’t matter. Call it what works for your brain: Old Inbox, Past Inbox, Past Emails, Reference…
    • How many old emails to move? For most people, anything more than a month or two old is no longer actionable. If two months feels safer to you, that’s perfectly fine. The goal isn’t to be perfect, it’s to get your inbox back to a manageable size. You’ll want to move a block of emails from your inbox into your Reference folder.
  • The goal is to clear the clutter as quickly as possible to give yourself a fighting chance to get your inbox under control. The more emails you leave in your inbox the more decisions you’ll have to make. Remember, you’re just moving where you search, it’s a waste of time to worry about processing them – we’re moving forward!
  • Move old emails in blocks. If you try to move too many at once, your computer may slow down or freeze, so try 100 or 200 at a time. To select a group, click one email, hold Shift, click another email, and then drag the selected block into your new Reference folder.
  • Sometimes Gmail may leave messages in your inbox if they still have the Inbox label. If that happens, ask AI how to remove the Inbox label after moving or archiving messages. The point is to clear your inbox, not just copy messages somewhere else.

Can AI help with this? Not much. This part is mostly mechanical: selecting older emails and moving them into one reference folder. The good news is that there is very little thinking involved. Put something not too compelling on TV, move emails in manageable batches, and remember: this is a once-and-done task.

Step 2: Processing what’s left in your inbox

Before AI:

  • Sort by sender and file or delete what’s no longer actionable.
  • Sort by subject and clean up duplicate or outdated threads.
  • Set up rules for recurring emails you need to keep but don’t need to see regularly, such as newsletters, shipping notifications, and receipts.
  • Organize what remains by priority.

With AI: Let AI become your assistant.  These AI prompts do not ask AI to make decisions for you. They ask AI to show you the landscape so you can decide faster.

  • Show me every newsletter I’ve never opened (then you decide: do you unsubscribe or make a rule to move it automatically out of your inbox into a folder.)
  • Group similar emails – instead of having to read and process 50 emails you can read 2 or 3 and decide on the action.
  • Find emails that require responses – let AI help you identify what’s actionable
  • Identify duplicate threads
  • Summarize long conversations
  • Suggest rules
  • Find commitments
  • Identify emails I’ve already answered that no longer require any action.
  • What kind of emails do I have left in my inbox? A few minutes later it returns this:
    • 212 newsletters
    • 43 receipts
    • 18 travel confirmations
    • 5 legal documents
    • 9 unanswered client emails
    • 7 commitments
    • 11 invoices awaiting payment

Instead of spending 90 minutes figuring out what’s in your inbox, you can spend those 90 minutes deciding what actually deserves your attention. Now you’re talking about priorities. That’s a huge shift.

Step 3: Respond in a timely manner

Stay on top of your emails daily and respond promptly to emails that need to be addressed today.

Before AI:

    • We’re going to sort your emails by priority (I love using categories for this, more details here, and if you love this idea, buy my book and read chapter 12) so you are working on the most important emails first.
    • Then you are going to take it one email at a time and respond… and respond…and respond

With AI:

    • I still love sorting by categories, so I know what to do first
    • Let AI help you draft a response. Instead of reading, thinking, and writing from scratch, give AI three key points you want to communicate and ask it to “write a concise response.”

Things I would never let AI do:

    • I would never let AI permanently decide about Delete – File – Action. Those are judgment decisions. You could, however, ask for recommendations.
      • AI suggests
      • Human decides

Other Things to consider:

    • When should you trust AI? Always verify.
    • How do you avoid becoming lazy? Let AI be your collaborator and editor.
    • Don’t ask it to think for you, ask it to think with you.
    • How do you keep your authentic voice? Over time AI will learn your style, however if something is important discipline yourself to write from scratch. Allow it to help you think… but then start a fresh document and start writing.

Connecting AI to your email

  • ChatGPT can now connect directly to supported email accounts for eligible plans. Claude is moving in this direction as well, and there are also dedicated AI email assistants. But whether someone can connect depends heavily on whether it’s a personal account or a company-managed account.
  • Personal Gmail or Outlook
    • This is the easiest.
    • A user goes into ChatGPT Settings → Connectors (or Apps, depending on the interface), signs into Gmail or Outlook, grants permission, and then ChatGPT can search, summarize, and reference their mailbox when asked. It can also work with calendars and contacts if those connectors are enabled.
    • For example, someone could ask:
      • “What emails require a reply?”
      • “Summarize everything from Susan over the last two weeks.”
      • “Find invoices I haven’t responded to.”
      • “What commitments did I make yesterday?”
    • That’s a very different experience than copying and pasting emails into ChatGPT.
  • Corporate Accounts
    • Many companies don’t allow employees to simply connect AI to corporate email. But those companies do have corporate AI tools that are integrated and approved. If your company uses ChatGPT Enterprise, you can connect through that. If your company uses Microsoft Copilot, you can connect through that. If your company uses Google Gemini, you can connect through that.  Ask your IT department which AI tools are approved in your organization, then ask that AI assistant how to connect to your email.

AI is changing how we work, but it isn’t changing the fundamentals of productivity.

Your inbox still needs a trusted system. Your priorities still require judgment. Your relationships still deserve thoughtful responses.

Let AI handle more of the organizing so you can spend more time making good decisions.

Want to Build an Email System That Actually Works?

AI is changing how we process information, but it doesn’t replace the need for a trusted productivity system. In Productivity for How You’re Wired, I walk you through the complete email methodology—including how to reduce inbox clutter, organize actionable email, create sustainable systems, and build productivity habits that fit how you’re wired. The technology will continue to evolve. The principles won’t. If you’re ready to create a calmer, more intentional way of working, you’ll find practical strategies you can use immediately. Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

17 Jun

Posted at 16:25h in Leadership, Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Time Management

how to find a productivity coach in the age of ai

Finding a productivity coach used to be relatively straightforward. You searched online, looked at a few websites, and contacted someone who seemed like a good fit. Today, it’s surprisingly harder. For years, if you searched for a productivity coach, you generally found productivity coaches. Today, you might find a directory, a training school, a software company, a YouTube channel, a bestselling author, or an AI-generated list of experts—many of whom aren’t available for coaching. That’s not necessarily wrong, but it does make it harder for someone seeking actual coaching to find the help they’re looking for.

Having worked in the productivity field since 2001, I’ve watched the search landscape change dramatically. What concerns me isn’t technology itself. What concerns me is whether people looking for help can actually find it. The challenge is no longer finding information. The challenge is finding the right information. And when it comes to coaching, finding the right person matters. If you’re overwhelmed, stuck, or struggling to create a more productive work life, here are a few things to consider when looking for a coach.

Decide Whether Professional Coach Training Matters to You: Anyone can call themselves a coach today. There are no licensing requirements and no universal standards. That doesn’t mean every coach needs a credential, but it does mean you should understand what you’re getting. If professional coaching skills are important to you, look for someone who has completed a recognized coaching program and earned a credential through an organization such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Training and certification don’t guarantee a great coach, but they do demonstrate a commitment to learning, competency, ongoing development, and adherence to an established code of ethics.

Look for Expertise in the Areas Where You Need Help: Productivity is a broad term. Some coaches focus on time management. Others specialize in leadership, ADHD, business growth, organization, executive effectiveness, work-life integration, or team productivity. Before you start your search, spend a little time identifying what kind of support you’re actually seeking. Then look for coaches whose experience and expertise align with those needs. A coach may be excellent, but if they primarily work with college students and you’re leading a growing business, the fit may not be right.

Make Sure Their Approach Matches What You’re Looking For: Not every productivity offering is coaching. Some programs are structured courses. Some are accountability programs. Some are consulting engagements. Some are true one-on-one coaching relationships. None of these approaches are inherently better than the others. The question is whether the format matches what you need. If you’re looking for personalized support, individual coaching may be the best fit. If you’re primarily seeking education and tools, a course might serve you well.

Find Out Whether They Actually Coach: Many of the most visible names in productivity are authors, speakers, trainers, or content creators. They may have brilliant ideas and excellent books, but they don’t necessarily work directly with clients. If your goal is to have a thinking partner who helps you navigate challenges, create sustainable systems, and make meaningful changes, verify that the person you’re considering actively coaches clients. A coach who teaches a system helps you implement their methodology. A coach who coaches a person helps you build a way of working that fits your strengths, challenges, goals, and circumstances. Neither approach is wrong. They are simply different.

Look Beyond the First Results: Search engines and AI tools don’t always prioritize actual coaches. Your search results may include coaching directories, coach training programs, articles about coaching, podcasts, software tools, sponsored advertisements, or bestselling authors who have written about what worked for them, but whose expertise may be different from helping someone else discover what works best for them. Those resources can be valuable, but they may not help you find a coach you can actually hire. As you search, try to distinguish between information about coaching and the coaches themselves. You may even want to skip past sponsored results and directory listings to explore the websites of individual coaches.

Talk With More Than One Coach: If coaching is a significant investment for you, talk with more than one coach. Compare their approach, experience, personality, and philosophy. Read their websites. Look for client success stories. Pay attention to whether they clearly explain who they help and how they help them. The goal isn’t to find the “best” coach. The goal is to find the coach who is the best fit for you.

Trust the Conversation: After all the research, credentials, testimonials, and AI searches, most people ultimately decide based on the conversation. Ask yourself:

  • Do I feel understood?
  • Do I trust this person?
  • Can I imagine talking openly with them when things get difficult?
  • Do I leave the conversation feeling clearer, more hopeful, or more energized?

The answers to those questions often tell you more than a list of certifications.

Is Ellen Faye the Right Coach for You?

If you’ve read this far, you may be wondering whether I’m the right coach for you. The truth is, I’m not the right coach for everyone. My clients are typically professionals, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and emerging or established leaders who are successful by most measures but know they’re capable of more. They may be overwhelmed, struggling to manage competing priorities, facing leadership challenges, building a business, navigating change, or simply trying to create a more sustainable way of working.

What makes my approach different is that I don’t separate productivity from leadership, business, or life. Your calendar affects your leadership. Your leadership affects your team. Your business affects your time. And all of it affects your quality of life. As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Productivity Leadership Coach (CPLC), and Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®), I’ve spent more than two decades helping clients turn ideas, goals, and good intentions into meaningful results. Some clients come to me because they want better systems, improved focus, and greater productivity. Others are looking for support as leaders, business owners, or decision-makers. Many discover that the real solution lies in addressing all of those areas together.

If you’re considering coaching, I encourage you to explore my client success stories, learn more about my approach, and compare me to other coaches you’re considering. The right coach isn’t necessarily the most famous or the easiest to find online. It’s the person whose skills, experience, approach, and personality align with what you need right now. In an age when AI can generate hundreds of recommendations in seconds, the human connection still matters. Perhaps now more than ever.

Ready to Create a More Sustainable Way of Working?

Whether you decide to hire a coach or go it alone, the goal is the same: creating a way of working that helps you succeed without sacrificing your well-being. My book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, offers a practical roadmap for designing routines, systems, and habits that fit your strengths, preferences, and real life. Instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s productivity system, you’ll learn how to create an approach that works for you. Because productivity shouldn’t leave you exhausted. It should help you create a better life. Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

05 Nov

Posted at 09:35h in Change, Leadership, Productivity, Stress Management

Let’s flip the script on AI. Instead of using it to cut staff, let’s use it to make work more human — to reduce burnout, lift engagement, and help people do their best work sustainably.

One Person Doing the Work of Many

In the U.S., productivity has skyrocketed – output per hour is up over 60% since 2000, while total hours worked have barely increased. That means today, one person is often expected to do the work of several people from a generation ago. And while technology has helped, it’s also pushed us past the point of human capacity. We’ve normalized 60-hour weeks, overloaded inboxes, and burnout as a badge of honor. It doesn’t have to be that way.

What I Learned Running a Hotel Front Desk

When I was a hotel front office manager, I knew exactly how many people it took to run the front desk well. If I needed ten clerks, I fought for eleven – because someone was always out. But even with that planning, I regularly worked 90+ hour weeks. When a clerk called out, I was the one behind the desk. That meant I wasn’t leading, improving service, or making strategic decisions – I was filling shifts. The company only cared about payroll. They didn’t see the cost of the work not getting done – the missed opportunities, the lack of leadership, the fatigue that spread through the team. That experience shaped how I think about leadership today. Cutting people to save money in the short term often costs far more in the long run.  “When leaders focus only on costs, they lose sight of capability. When they focus on people, both quality and profit improve.”

AI Could Change This — If We Let It

We now have tools that can automate the repetitive work that eats up our days. If we use them thoughtfully, AI can give people time back: time to think, plan, connect, and create. But if we treat AI as just another cost-cutting measure, we’ll repeat the same mistake: expecting one person to do the work of five, only faster this time. Let’s use AI to make work better!

A Challenge to Leaders: Use AI to improve the quality of work, not just the quantity.

  1. Automate the busywork. Let AI handle meeting notes, scheduling, expense reports, and data entry – the tasks that drain energy but don’t require human insight.
  2. Protect the time that’s saved. Don’t fill it with more work. Use it to have better conversations, mentor your team, and think strategically. AI should buy back human connection.
  3. Redefine productivity. If one person can now do the work of two, don’t double their workload. Let them do that work well – thoughtfully, creatively, and sustainably. AND LET’S IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE DELIVER! (I’m so frustrated that mediocre is now the acceptable norm!)
  4. Focus on engagement, not headcount. Retention and burnout are expensive. A burned-out employee isn’t productive – they’re exhausted. A supported employee does better work and stays longer.
  5. Measure leadership by human impact. Track turnover, engagement, feedback, and growth -not just output. Ask: Is my team thriving?  Is my team doing it’s best work?

The Long View

Yes, short-term profits matter. But when the people doing the work are burned out and disengaged, those profits won’t last. Leaders who invest in sustainable workloads and supportive cultures outperform in the long run. The data already shows that engaged employees deliver higher quality, better customer service, and stronger results. AI can make that easier — if we lead with intention.

From “Do More” to “Do Better”

We don’t need to glorify overwork or expect humans to operate like machines. We need to build systems where people can do fewer things better – where the hours we do work are meaningful and manageable.

“If we keep using AI to squeeze every drop of efficiency out of people, we’ll keep getting mediocre results from exhausted humans.” But if we use AI to free people up to think, connect, and create, we’ll get excellence. And that excellence…that’s what leads to success.

Let’s Make Work Human Again

This isn’t anti-AI – it’s pro-human. Leaders have a choice: You can use AI to eliminate people. Or you can use it to elevate them. Let AI take the tasks that drain us. Let people focus on the work that inspires us. Because the goal isn’t to replace humans — It’s to make it possible for humans to do their best work again.

If this idea resonates with you, stay tuned for how leadership and productivity intersect in my (hopefully) upcoming book (working title), Productivity for Leaders. Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Or learn more about my one-on-one and group coaching options for leaders who want to build teams that thrive — not just survive. Let’s connect – schedule your discovery call today.

20 Aug

Posted at 09:23h in Envision Success, Leadership, Productivity, Productivity for How You're Wired, Productivity for Leaders

Why Solid Leadership Skills are Critical for Team Productivity

If you lead a team of 1, 10, 100, or 1000 there are skills you need to drive your productivity. These aren’t productivity skills per se’, they are leadership skills. Looking at leadership from a productivity perspective will help you boost your effectiveness and the effectiveness of your team. Where are your opportunities for growth?

Collaboration

Collaboration is the coming together of individuals, with positive intention, to work toward a best solution. These solutions develop from the sharing of knowledge, perspective, and experience in a psychologically safe space.

Communication

Communication is a process in which information is exchanged. It provides a forum for understanding and agreement and it builds connections. Good communication is key to creating productive teams. 

Decision Making

A good decision is one in which the chosen course of action meets the objective with the least amount of risk and the greatest benefits. Leaders are expected to make decisions frequently and, often, quickly. Finding the balance between quickly and too quickly can be a challenge.  

Delegation, Follow Up and Accountability

No matter how well you may do things, there is only one of you. You can accept the limitations of not delegating, or you can learn to delegate. 

Delegation is the assignment of responsibility to another person for the purpose of carrying out a specific action. Delegating involves thought and planning, and, by nature, is proactive. Not delegating is reactive, allowing a situation to dictate actions.  

Effective Meeting Best Practices

People don’t hate meetings; they just hate meetings that waste their time. When meetings are good, they advance all that is good in an operation. When they are bad, they waste resources. 

Yes, meetings take time. They take you away from the work you’ve prioritized. However, when people come together collectively, share information constructively, and stay focused on the task at hand, meetings can result in solid decision-making with the ability to quickly move into action.

Productive meetings take planning before, during, and after. Additionally, having meeting agreements sets the stage for on–going meeting success.

Conflict

Conflict is a natural occurrence. An individual’s past experiences inform thought and result in different people holding different perspectives. When important decisions are on the table and there are differing opinions, conflict can arise. How leaders navigate conflict affects the team’s productivity.

Toxic Personalities

A safe work environment drives productivity. Yet toxic personalities are often revered in the workplace. 

While in the short term this may seem sustainable, perhaps even beneficial, the long-term cost to the team may be irreparable. Not only does tolerating the “bad apple” suggest that accepting mediocrity or rule-bending is acceptable, it can also undermine the productivity of the rest of the team.

All these leadership skills and concepts impact a team’s ability to get into flow, do innovative work and drive success. Without these skills leading a productive and effective team is next to impossible. 

This is the chapter highlights  from Chapter 15 (the last chapter!) of my new book Productivity for How You’re Wired available on Amazon. Many templates are included via the time tools link discussed in the book.

29 Jul

Posted at 09:07h in Envision Success, Leadership, Productivity, Productivity for How You're Wired, Productivity for Leaders

productivity and leadership

In my last blog post I shared with you the concept that team productivity is impacted by the leadership effectiveness of the person leading the team.  Here’s why:

If doing one’s most effective work occurs when a person is in the flow state, then a team’s most effective work occurs when the team is in flow. We call that team flow. 

What does team flow look like? How does it feel? What could be possible?

  • The team has clearly defined priorities resulting in time, money, and energy being spent intentionally and proactively. Team members are not frustrated by constantly fixing problems.
  • Team members are clear about both the team’s goals and their own personal goals. They know what constitutes high-value work and do not waste time on things that don’t support desired outcomes.
  • Healthy relationships are based on open, honest communication. People feel safe to be their most authentic, best selves. Team members do not get sidetracked with drama, ego, and narcissistic behavior.

Productivity–focused leaders understand their role in creating a team that is in flow. 

To create a successful sustainable business, leaders must embrace the humanity of working with people. 

Motivation 

It’s not about the MONEY! Money does not inspire best performance. Money is an extrinsic motivator — an external force — and extrinsic motivators such as fear and reward have very short lifespans. They are quick fixes and easily forgotten once an acute situation passes. 

The motivation that matters, the one that drives productivity and results, is called intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from inside oneself and it is this motivation that has staying power. Intrinsic motivation is what affects a team member’s productivity. It is the driver when someone chooses to go above and beyond in their work.

What the employees identified as the things that motivated them to work harder, go above and beyond, were appreciation and acknowledgement, sense of belonging and problem–solving support.

Successful Teams

How do you create such a culture? What makes a successful team?

Google spent two years delving into just this question. In a study dubbed “Project Aristotle,” Google studied 180 of their teams. Their hope was to find a pattern of team member characteristics that could be plugged into a “dream-team” algorithm. 

However, that didn’t happen. There was no tangible list of demographic consistencies in their most successful teams. “It was only when they began looking at group norms that the researchers found consistencies.”

At Google, successful teams were collaborative and engaged. Google’s Project Aristotle lead researcher Julia Rozovsky identified two characteristics of these teams: 

  1. There was equality in conversation turn-taking; everyone on the team talked roughly the same amount of time. If one person on the team, or even a small group took over, collective intelligence declined. 
  2. Team members exhibited a higher-than-average social sensitivity, intuiting how others felt based on tone of voice, expression, and non-verbal cues. 

Additional key characteristics of successful teams were identified:

  1. Psychological Safety — a work culture that supports risk taking, respect, and openness.
  2. Dependability — the ability to count on colleagues for work to be done on time and to proper standards.
  3. Structure and Clarity — a mutual understanding of goals, expectations, responsibilities, and how work is to be executed.
  4. Meaning — work that is personally significant. 
  5. Impact — work that makes a positive difference.

From a productivity perspective, it’s not surprising that dependability, structure, and clarity would be included. And from an intrinsic motivational perspective, meaning and impact make total sense. However, the concept of psychological safety is the most interesting.  

In her study Rozovsky stated “Psychological safety was far and away the most important of the five dynamics we found – it’s the underpinning of the other four.”  

Many leaders today still think of fear as a great motivator. It makes sense people will work hard to avoid unpleasant consequences; however, this doesn’t encourage intrinsic motivation and it doesn’t result in sustainable productivity. 

Fear diverts resources from the brain. Fear affects working memory, reasoning, processing, and creativity. Psychological safety mitigates fear.

Work life is often fraught with conflict. The effective productive leaders works to create conditions that mitigate conflict and fear and instead support the characteristics that allow for maximum intrinsic motivation. 

This is an excerpt from Chapter 14 of my new book Productivity for How You’re Wired available on Amazon. Many templates are included via the time tools link discussed in the book.

08 Jul

Posted at 15:29h in Envision Success, Leadership, Productivity, Productivity for How You're Wired, Productivity for Leaders

empowering leadership drives team productivity

Leadership is a behavior, not a title. 

It doesn’t matter what someone’s title is, how much they are paid, or how much authority they have. If they don’t influence change, drive progress, or inspire others, they are not a true leader. 

A true leader creates an environment in which those they lead are inspired and motivated to give their all towards the achievement of a desired outcome.

  • A leader creates a culture in which their team members are self-motivated to do great work.
  • A leader ensures their followers’ efforts matter and positively influence outcomes.
  • Some of the most effective leaders do not have titles or authority. They achieve success through the actions they inspire. 

Real leaders work for the greater good. Some managers, owners, or figureheads don’t. Just because someone is in charge doesn’t automatically mean they are going to make decisions that best serve the entity they have influence over, nor does it mean they’re a leader.

  • Real leaders continually monitor their behavior. They are aware of how their actions affect their team. 
  • Real leaders lead team members who work hard and are empowered to support the team’s success. 
  • Real leaders deliberately work to create a culture in which individual efforts result in a win for the system as a whole.

Successful productive leaders know the importance of understanding, considering, and integrating all aspects of their operation. It’s not just big picture, it’s whole picture. They consider the effects of their decisions and anticipate how change affects outcomes throughout the entire system.

Being the kind of leader team members are inspired to work hard for produces great long-term results. It is perhaps the most important quality for boosting overall team productivity.

It takes commitment to be a productive leader. 

  • Productive leaders create a culture based in safety, trust, and relationships.
  • Productive leaders have systems in place so people know what is expected and can effectively do the work that matters most. 
  • Productive leaders communicate, share, and are transparent so people feel secure and confident in the normal progression of work.

Focusing on productivity alone isn’t enough. Focusing on culture alone is not enough. Focusing on profits and growth is never enough. Each part, on its own, gets you only so far, like a bike without tires, or tires without a frame. Successful productive leaders ensure all parts support the whole.

It’s time to think about the productivity of your team differently. 

 

This is an excerpt from Chapter 14 of my new book Productivity for How You’re Wired available on Amazon. Many templates are included via the time tools link discussed in the book.