Do you know your team members most effective time of day?

As a leader, you have probably worked out the time of day you are most effective at work. This is your ‘get stuff done’/focus/drive time. You work at a phenomenal rate with the result that many items from your to-do list are crossed off in a short space of time.?

The majority of leaders and business owners I have worked with tend to be larks. They are at their best in the morning, arrive early and use the time well. They like to be there as others arrive in the office or log on from home. Everything is under control.?

Most people who choose to arrive in the office early, will rarely spend that time distracted or chatting. They are showing you their most effective time of day. They want to focus before the room fills with noise.?This easy to recognise and likely suits your own working pattern.

But what about those who focus at a different time of day; those who are owls and need four cups of coffee to even function at a base level? Are we making sure we understand their ‘focus’ clock or are we expressing disappointment that they don’t align with our own version of most effective working time??

If you try to force everyone to be at their best at the same time of day every day, you are unlikely to succeed. Some will feel comfortable, others not, and the end result is unfair judgement on those who are out of sync. Choosing tasks that suit your energy and focus zones is key to ensuring you are doing the right things at the right time of day. Helping your team understand their own timelines of energy will help them allocate the most effective type of activity for each part of the day.?

The key here is to spend time discussing individual team members preferred focus times. Build time blocks of intense activity that suit each person and their working rhythm. As a leader, you have to show empathy in a variety of areas. The natural body clock of our teams is a vital component to understand if you want to support everyone in realising their full potential.?

Next time you assess your team and how they are performing, ask yourself whether you recognise their ‘most effective time of day’ or whether you are just assuming they should fit with your own triggers.?