Kurt Blazek

Too often, managers get stuck acting like parents around a business. They spend more time trying to keep track of employees than focusing on their own work. Some scream commands then slam the doors to their office closed, leaving staff feeling resentful and often confused over the best ways to do their jobs. Others spread themselves too thin trying to do all the work in an attempt to meet company goals without making any enemies. A manager’s role is a delicate balance.

If you’re like most executives, you probably start your day fresh and energetic and end it tired and stressed but this isn’t how it has to be. Despite the challenges, having an executive position is rewarding and praise-worthy, and it is possible to feel highly productive and satisfied when your day comes to an end. The key to achieving this lies in improving your time management. If you’re finding it hard to mow through your daily tasks, here are a few steps to follow in order to get started.

Step 1 – Minimize Distractions

Before you get started with any of your daily tasks, minimize your distractions. This means switching off your cell phone, closing your personal emails and letting your voicemail service pick up your calls. Another great way to make sure you won’t be disturbed (unless there’s an emergency of course) is to make sure your staff knows what they’re doing. Having a well-trained staff means fewer distractions for you each day.

Coaching has hit the mainstream. It’s showing up in Dilbert cartoons, sitcoms, and well, even the Kardashians are using coaches. Being mainstream simply means that there are a lot more choices one has when considering coaching. It is no longer the secret weapon for C level executives. And it’s not about correcting performance. It’s about motivation, behavior change and ultimately ensuring that people are having the conversations that matter most. I’m a business coach. Fully trained and certified, and hard at work helping leaders develop and grow for the last 15 years. I have seen coaching at work in organizations, making a profound difference in how leaders lead, and how individual contributors put their best effort forward.

The key to growing your company is to change with your industry — and change doesn’t always come easy. On paper, it’s easy to construct a plan and execute it, but persuading your employees to go along with these changes may be difficult. Offering a pat on the back or a certificate are great catalysts for change, but they simply aren’t enough. People need to know why the change is necessary, why it’s important that they contribute to the change and what they will inherit from changing. Providing incentives that provoke these changes, will benefit not only your company, but your employees as well. Here are 5 incentives that provoke change.

No one exists in a vacuum, especially not in the business world. The rise up to a management position requires networking, mentoring, and coworkers helping along the way. When you reach upper management, you need a mentor on your side even more. You’re dealing with pressure and situations that you don’t encounter before you reach this level in the corporation, so getting a mentor who has years of experience in this environment is essential. Take your time choosing a mentor, however. You want someone you can easily communicate with, who is a natural teacher, and who can take your input, suggestions, and preferences into consideration for your mentorship. Once you’ve found the perfect mentor, you need to know how to apply their tips to improve your leadership abilities.