Propelling Team Progress through Five Key Steps
In the rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of a manager has evolved significantly. According to an unnamed female author in the September 2025 article "Five Shifts to Drive Teams Forward," managers should focus on creating outcomes for their teams, clients, and the organisation, rather than simply being busy.
One tool that can aid in this endeavour is the Eisenhower Matrix, a triage model that enables managers to evaluate tasks based on their urgency and importance. By understanding the significance of each task and prioritising accordingly, managers can ensure they are working on what truly matters.
However, it's crucial to remember that even important work can become busywork if it's not connected to outcomes. To avoid this, managers should block daily or weekly working time for "Important, not Urgent" tasks. This dedicated time allows for strategic planning and long-term goal setting, which are essential for driving growth and success.
Connecting the work to the mission can also help employees feel more ownership, energy, and meaning in what they do. This sense of purpose often leads to increased productivity and lower turnover, benefiting both the individual and the organisation.
The shift from contributor to leader involves a change in identity from focusing on individual tasks to focusing on the growth, success, and alignment of one's team. Management is about creating systems that empower others to be more successful and fulfilled, not stepping away from meaningful work.
Strategies for multiplication in management include making it safe to fail, connecting the work to the mission, and cultivating trust. By creating an environment where failure is a learning opportunity, managers can foster innovation and growth. By aligning daily tasks with the organisation's mission, managers can ensure that every action contributes to the overall goal. And by building trust with employees, managers can accelerate development and deepen commitment.
A proactive mindset can be developed by answering three questions daily: what are the three most important initiatives, what can be accomplished today to make progress, and what is needed to accomplish that task. By staying focused on these key initiatives, managers can stay ahead of the curve and react less to urgent but unimportant tasks.
Inefficient managers often find themselves reacting to tasks rather than being proactive. To avoid this trap, managers must clarify priorities and align their team by articulating and communicating how success is measured, connecting daily work to outcomes, and reviewing progress consistently.
The author, a guest writer in the Professional Services sector, shares a poignant example from a bike race to illustrate the importance of shifting strategies in leadership. Just as a cyclist must learn to conserve energy and strategise to win a race, a manager must learn to prioritise, delegate, and focus on the long game to drive their team and organisation forward.
In the context of Alaskan-owned businesses, the kind of leadership needed involves creating clarity, developing people, and shaping what comes next. Managers should shift their strategy from containment to multiplication, becoming the fuel that allows others to innovate and lead. This shift from a reactive to a proactive approach can propel businesses forward, enabling them to grow and evolve in a rapidly changing world.
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