Hey manager, it’s time to be more effective

As a manager at any level in just about any industry, you know what it feels like to have more to do than you have time to do it. The ability to stretch or create more time is a skill most managers learn just to be able to cope with their job requirements. But what would you say if I told you that you could actually learn how to be even more effective with your time. That you could really take each and every hour of the day and make it work more for you? You can, and here are some ways you can make that happen.

Develop respect. 

When your people respect you, they will get more done on their own, and this will free up your time to do more of what you have on your plate. When they are working because they believe in what all of you are accomplishing together, you can spend less time keeping them on task and more time focusing on what you have to do.

Learn to build rapport without sacrificing respect. 

Meet people where they are and seek to understand where they are coming from without lowering your standards. When you seek to create improvement by removing obstacles and increasing opportunity, most people will rise to the challenge. When you lower your standards in a faulty attempt to display understanding, you actually demean the other person by defining them by low expectations.

Speaking of rapport, seek to initiate conversation. 

Rather than saying you have some version of an “open door” policy, demonstrate that you are approachable and connective by being approachable and connective. Some folks try to fake this, and they just end up coming off like that smarmy boss in Office Space. Don’t be that guy, but be the guy who seeks to connect and understand.

Have a reason for what you do and how you do it. 

Some people are more accustomed to systems than others, but that doesn’t mean your approach to systems should be an all or nothing scenario. Figure out what aspects of your job should be managed by habit, and set up a system to manage those tasks. Tweak it as you go to be more efficient, but once the system is in place, let it work for you so you can enjoy the benefits.

Finally, make decisions quickly and own them. 

This is your key role as a manager. You must set or carry a vision for your company, and you must make decisions that support this vision. If you’re weak at decision making, don’t expect your people to respect you or your leadership to endorse you. But, if you take too much time to make key decisions, you might find yourself making the right decision too late. Learning how to make quick, correct decisions is a skill you can develop, and that, more than anything else, can help you be a more efficient version of yourself.

Elie Hirschfeld is a seasoned real estate developer in NYC.