The True Cost Of Procrastinating When Leading
As a leader you are ultimately judged on the results that you deliver. While just about every leader understands this at a conceptual level, they still engage in doing and acting in ways that hinder the delivery of results. One of the key culprits is procrastination. So what’s the real impact on your success of procrastination?
Impact 1: You Put Things Off
As a leader you know that unless you take decisions and take action, nothing happens. Action really is the catalyst for everything. Maybe you are waiting for the time when you have perfect information. Maybe you are waiting for the right economic conditions or changes in the marketplace. The problem is that those times when we have perfect information or perfect conditions never arise so if you are putting things off waiting for the right time, recognise that there is no such thing as the right time.
Impact 2: People Are Left In No Mans Land
People on your team look to you to provide the direction and the leadership. If you are avoiding providing that direction, people spend more of their time trying to figure out what they should be doing rather than helping you to achieve. Worst still they might go off on the completely wrong course.
Impact 3: You Miss The Boat
Good individual leaders and leadership teams are always on the lookout for opportunities to gain competitive advantage. If you always deliberating and never taking action, there is a real risk of missing the boat and actually losing ground on your competitors.
Impact 4: People Will Form Views About You
People both within and outside of the organisation can be really cruel at times. If they see you dithering, avoiding or being indecisive, they may well form a view that you are spineless or lacking courage. I am pretty sure that is not how you are or want to be seen.
Impact 5: People Will Lack Confidence In You
A lack of confidence in you will more than likely also result in a lack of trust or respect. As a leader you need to have followers. If people lack confidence in you they are not going to follow. After all would you follow someone who you had no confidence in?
The Bottom Line: Procrastination at the end of the day ultimately impacts on your results, rewards and reputation. So what changes do you need to make to focus less on procrastination and more on success?
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.