IT Leadership

Taking on a managerial role can be exciting! You may find yourself armed with a heap of ideas and goals for your new team, and yourself. It’s easy to want to jump right in and begin implementing changes and delegating tasks.

However, before you can lead a team, you must learn to lead yourself. This means organizing your personal workload and time, as well as setting goals for yourself.

The Importance of Leading Yourself First

Before you can begin to organize a team, you must be organized yourself. You should have a clear idea of your objectives and be working toward them efficiently. There are several reasons why this is important for new managers and leaders, especially within the first few weeks of transitioning into a managerial role.

Leading by Example: As a manager, your team will look to you not only for guidance but also for examples of workplace behavior. Showing good organizational skills will allow you to set this benchmark from the start.

Confidence in Your Abilities: Knowing that you have organized and efficient systems in place for your workload, will allow you to approach your new responsibilities with confidence. There is nothing worse than trying to organize others while you yourself are disorganized.

Creating a Plan: By taking the time to organize yourself efficiently, you will have a better understanding of where your own personal strengths and weaknesses lie within your new role. This will allow you to create a plan of action for yourself, to address any gaps in your knowledge or skills.

Avoid Burnout: Taking on a managerial role can be stressful and challenging, especially if you are trying to balance the responsibilities of your old role with your new ones. Organizing yourself effectively will help you manage your time and responsibilities, reducing stress, and avoiding burnout.

Strategic Decision-Making: A disorganized work environment can lead to poor decision-making. On the other hand, an organized workspace and clear objectives will provide you with the space to think clearly and make strategic decisions.

Organizing Your Workspace

A cluttered workspace can be a distraction and hinder your productivity. Regardless of whether you are working in an office or remotely, there are several ways to organize your workspace and approach work in a more productive way.

Create a Workspace: If you are working in an office, organize your desk layout to be as practical as possible. If you are working remotely, create a defined workspace, preferably somewhere you can set up a desk or table that is used solely for working. Having an established workspace allows you to mentally separate home life from work.

Keep It Tidy: Avoid clutter by having designated spaces for things. Regularly sort through documents and files, keeping everything archived digitally and securely.

Digital Organization: Maintain an organized computer desktop and filing system. Scan any physical documents and save them digitally for ease of access. Ensure that all work can be accessed remotely in case of emergencies, such as server failures or power outages.

Stick to a Routine: Having a routine will help you focus on what needs to be done and when. It is easier to stay organized than to reorganize a disorganized workload.

Organize Your Time

Now that you have your workspace in order, it’s time to organize your time efficiently.

Prioritize Your Tasks: List all pending tasks and assignments, then prioritize them in order of importance. Complete the tasks that require immediate attention before moving on to those that are due in the near future.

Learn to Delegate: You may have been used to doing everything yourself in your old role, but that will likely not be the case anymore. Recognize the skills and talents of your team and delegate tasks to those who are best suited to them.

Schedule Regular Breaks: It can be tempting to work nonstop to get work done; however, working without breaks can lead to burnout. It can also negatively affect your productivity. Make sure to schedule regular breaks to give your mind a rest and come back to work with renewed focus.

Set Time Limits: Give yourself a time limit for each task or assignment, and do your best to adhere to it. Knowing there is a deadline will help keep you focused and avoid procrastination.

Manage Your Meetings: Overbooking meetings can leave your schedule too packed to be productive. Be selective about when you attend meetings and whom you invite. Likewise, ensure you schedule meetings far in advance to allow everyone to plan their time accordingly.

Set Clear Goals for Yourself

Now that you have organized your time and workspace, it’s time to set some goals for yourself. Personal development and goal setting are crucial for leaders looking to expand their skill sets and reach new milestones in their careers.

Define Your Goals: Think about what you want to achieve in your new role, and create a list of achievable milestones. These should be goals that are attainable within a reasonable timeframe.

Break Goals Down: Break your goals down into smaller steps that will allow you to achieve them more easily. Achieving smaller milestones will help keep you motivated and on track to reach your highest goals.

Keep a Record: Record your goals in a place where you can frequently refer to them. Consider having a physical copy of them at your workspace, so they’re easily visible as a reminder.

Create a Plan: Based on your goals, create a plan for yourself that includes practical steps to help you achieve them. Think about who you can turn to for help and advice along the way.

Review and Adjust: Goals may change over time, so it’s important to review them regularly and adjust them when necessary. Depending on how you’ve structured your goals, you may want to schedule monthly or quarterly reviews where you check in on your progress and make any necessary changes.

Lead Your Team

Now that you’ve organized yourself efficiently and set some goals for personal development, you’re ready to lead your team. You can approach this new role with confidence, knowing that you have organized your affairs productively.

Learn About Your Team: Take the time to get to know each individual on your team, their strengths and weaknesses, and the work they are responsible for. This will help you delegate tasks effectively and provide assistance where needed.

Communicate: Maintain open lines of communication with your team members, and ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding goals and expectations.

Provide Feedback: Regularly provide positive and constructive feedback to your team. Help them identify areas for improvement and provide support in overcoming challenges.

Be Approachable: Create an open and approachable environment for your team. Let them know that they can come to you with questions, concerns, or ideas.

Encourage Growth: Create a culture of growth within your team. Provide opportunities for learning and development and encourage each individual to set goals for themselves.

Conclusion

Being organized personally will translate to better organization within your team. Leading yourself first allows you to set clear expectations for yourself and allows you to lead by example. Taking on a managerial role can be of benefit to you, your team, and the company, if you are well prepared. Setting aside time to organize yourself and your workload will put you in a much better position to succeed.