A Leader's Guide to Time Allocation: What works for me

As a CEO and leader in start-ups and fast-growing tech-enabled companies in the MENA region, I have learned a lot about how to allocate my time effectively.

Time management is essential for leaders because it allows them to be more productive, efficient, and effective. In this article, I will share my tips and advice with other leaders who are looking to improve their time management skills.

I can conclude that there are four main areas where leaders should focus their time:

1. Connecting
2. Teaching
3. Thinking
4. Delivering results

For many years I have practised planning my week ahead using a quadrant with these four areas and ensuring that I am allocating enough time in each of these areas based on the requirements of the business. The priorities for each area will vary depending on your role, your company, and the stage of growth. For example, a CEO of a startup may need to spend more time connecting with investors or developing new products than a CEO of a more established company.?

Let me dive deeper into each area.?

Connecting

Leaders need to connect with a variety of people, including employees, customers, partners, and investors. This is essential for building relationships, sharing ideas, and getting feedback. Connecting is about building relationships with people in and outside of your organisation. This can be done through meetings, events, social media, and informal conversations. Some ways I connect include:

• One-on-one meetings
• Team meetings
• Town hall meetings
• Customer visits
• Industry and speaking events

Teaching

Leaders have a responsibility to teach and mentor others to learn and grow. This helps to develop the next generation of leaders and build a strong team. I'd take any opportunity to pay forward any learning, however here are some ways I like to teach:

• Formal training programs
• Mentoring employees
• Giving presentations
• Writing blog posts and articles

Thinking

Thinking is about taking time to step back from the day-to-day and reflect on your business, your team, and your goals. This is also time to think about new ideas, strategies, and opportunities. Some ways I like to think strategically include:

• Setting aside time each day for reflection and pure thinking
• Going for walks or runs to clear my head
• Reading books and articles on business and leadership
• Talking to other CEOs and leaders

Delivering results

Ultimately, CEOs and leaders are responsible for delivering results for their company. This means setting clear goals, developing plans, and executing on those plans. Here are some ways I plan to deliver results:

• Setting clear goals and objectives for myself and my team
• Developing and executing on a strategic plan
• Tracking my progress and making adjustments as needed
• Delegating tasks and empowering my team

Of course, priorities change and sometimes you need to be delivering more than thinking, but it is important that you are aware of where your time is going and make the necessary changes to make sure you are allocating time to do all of these things. By following these tips, Leaders can allocate their time more effectively and achieve their goals.

Another way to think about this is to consider the difference between strategic and tactical focus. For example, Thinking and Delivering Results are also strategic and tactical activities, respectively. Thinking is about developing long-term plans and strategies, while Delivering Results is about executing those plans and achieving your short-term goals. By understanding this quadrant, you can better allocate your time and become a more effective leader.

Please share your own tips for time management, and if you have any questions on this practice I shared, please feel free to contact me. I also encourage all leaders to take some time to reflect on how they are allocating their time and to make adjustments as needed.