Leadership Balance: Meeting Your Team’s Needs While Managing Your Own Responsibilities
Leadership isn’t just about what you do for others; it’s also about managing your responsibilities. It’s a lot, and you’re not alone in feeling it! Supporting others starts with supporting yourself—but what if the work you are responsible for can’t be delegated?
Consider Rachael, juggling an overflowing list of responsibilities that only she could manage, all while supporting a team that needed her guidance. She felt stuck, but she found a way through by taking a few key steps to lighten the load where possible:
- Set Clear Priorities: Rachael took a step back to identify her highest-impact responsibilities and the areas where her leadership made the biggest difference. Instead of aiming to complete everything, she focused on what was truly essential and communicated this focus to her team.
- Establish Boundaries: To protect her time, Rachael set small boundaries, like blocking out time for deep work or setting specific hours for team interactions. This helped her manage her workload while still being accessible to her team in a structured way.
- Lean into Micro-Breaks: Even short breaks between tasks made a difference. When Rachael felt overwhelmed, she took a few minutes to recharge—stretching, taking deep breaths, or stepping outside. These small resets helped her stay grounded and regain energy throughout the day.
- Communicate Transparently: Rachael was open with her team about her capacity, so they understood she might be delayed on some tasks. This honest communication created an atmosphere of mutual respect and helped her team manage their own expectations.
If you carry responsibilities only you can manage, remember: it’s okay to set boundaries and focus on what matters most.
Leadership doesn’t require you to do it all; it requires you to do what you can with intention and resilience.
You got this!
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