Take A Time Out

There’s one thing competitive leaders tend to have in common: We are always busy. Taking a step back to disconnect from the stress, or taking a time out to relax happens when our heads hit the pillow at night. We may be delivering results for our company, but without a particular pause, we could be missing out on so much more.

Welch, one of my managers, was extremely busy. He was in the office early and left late – as expected for someone with his responsibilities. However, I noticed Welch would occasionally drop by my office to do what he called “a drive-by.” That was an impromptu three-minute stop by my desk to say hello and check in on me. Nothing was expected other than touching base. Often, that would be it. Sometimes, it turned into other discussions. I remember feeling good that my manager took a few minutes to say hello. The frequency was not important. The point is that he made an effort to connect on a more personal and social level. That was special to me. And you know what? I started replicating Welch with my team. They enjoyed the attention.

We get so busy pushing, driving, leading, and envisioning that after some time, we may realize we never took a pause to spend time with our team. I’m not referring to meeting career needs or giving feedback nor am I referring to providing coaching and direction. I mean taking time to see them, talk about their weekend or their kid’s sports victories, empathize with them, and learn about their fears and concerns. A simple acknowledgment during an office “drive-by” works wonders. I know. It’s not a necessity. It’s optional, but that’s what makes it special and memorable. It’s different from crossing paths in the office hallway as we scramble from one meeting to the next.

Benefits Of a Time Out with Your team

I’m sure you know this, but sometimes we need a little reminder. So, here are a few benefits of this particular time out.

• Boosts team morale which improves motivation.

• Role models a culture of teamwork that drives collaboration.

• Shows that you care. People will trust you more if they know you care.

• Fosters a healthy team environment which influences employees to push beyond their perceived limitations.

• Keeps you in touch with your people. This will allow you to identify organizational red flags that need addressing which would not surface in more formal discussions.

• Your team won’t avoid you because every time they see you, they get more work. Ok. Ok. Ok. That’s extreme. Scratch that because you are not like that.

These are just a few that come to mind (the first five, thank you). I’m sure you can think of some others. There are personal benefits to taking the time out also.

• Refreshes your perspective on your work and your people.

• Helps you focus on building the culture you want. Especially knowing that culture building is usually not a top-three organizational goal.

• Clears your head from the stressors for a few minutes and put a smile on your face. Trust me. Your heart and blood pressure would be happy.

Of course, we all know that productivity increases as stress decreases. Short and simple time outs with our teams influences that metric.

Other Time Outs

You can get creative with your timeouts.

• Have in-the-office or out-of-the-office team activities which boost team spirit.

• Join your team for lunch, or better yet, serve them an appreciation lunch. This is an act that role-models servant leadership.

• Ask a team member to join you on a coffee break even if you are just picking up the coffee to take back to your desk.

Stress comes with leadership. Pushing our organizations to deliver more comes with the territory. Insufficient time to complete what we want is normal. But, taking a few minutes of our day or week to stop, walk to a couple of our employee’s desks to say hello, and check in on how they are doing is memorable for them, beneficial for the business culture, and stress-free for us. Everyone wins. Take time for a Time Out.

Empowered Leader Reflection

How did you feel the last time your leader dropped by your work station just to say hello with no additional requests?

Please Join in the conversation. What other benefits have you enjoyed by taking time to connect with your team?

Photo Credit: Pexels.com