What makes someone an effective leader? Are there certain traits like organizational skills in business that all of them possess that make the difference between success and failure?
If the answer is yes, the next question is, “Are these characteristics innate or can they be learned?”
The answers aren’t clear cut. What we do know for sure is that disorganized business practices make it much harder for everyone in the company AND its customers! Companies lose money when information doesn’t flow as rapidly as it should. According to Forbes, the No. 1 must-have powerful trait of leaders is self-management. This means responsibly taking on goals, regulating time and attention well, and balancing disciplined behaviors with high people skills.
Sounds like an organized person to us! Let’s face it. Some people are naturally more efficient and orderly than others. And some people actually enjoy sorting through tasks and calendars — motivated to have work flowing as quickly and simply as possible. Even if you’re not naturally adept at organization, you know that life is actually better if your tasks and relationships have a low chaos quotient.
Want to be more organized in your daily activities? Or maybe your entire enterprise needs an overhaul to make it work more smoothly with less drama. Here are some central organizational skills in business ideas we talk about when discussing the organization with our clients.
Analyze
Begin to study your routines with some questions in mind, such as, “How is this a time-waster?” or “Is there a way to make this less confusing?” or “Why is this project being continually kicked down the road?” As you go along in your day, take a step back and look at how much money is being spent on wheel-spinning.
This goes for your physical space as well. Do you waste time and interrupt your “flow” because you have to remember where something is, or walk down the hall to get to the printer?
Prepare
One thing we know is NOT a waste of time is preparing by planning. Make lists, set priorities and follow through. Set schedules and timelines. Don’t forget to actually check off those tasks so everyone knows they are done!
Shoot for as few surprises as possible, for everyone in your interdependent workplace. When something changes but isn’t communicated well, what results is unnecessary work, bottlenecks and frustration.
Systematize
Protocols, procedures and standards actually work. However, they should change over time as the situation calls for it. If everyone sticks with a reasonable way of getting certain tasks done, anyone can instantly understand what’s going on and pitch in to help if need be. Rapid information flow can only occur if everyone understands both the data and the context.
Collaboration cannot happen unless everyone understands what is going on and why. And, yes, it does take time to set these up, train people, and review them every so often, but the time you’ll save in the end can be a huge return on investment.
Disorganization can arise from a wide variety of causes, including mental health issues, difficult life circumstances and plain, old, bad habits. Just know this — if disorganization is hampering your business, Larek Point Consulting can help with in-depth, practical solutions and mentoring to help you engage in simple behaviors that stop the cycle of chaos in your workday.
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