The Productivity Powerhouse: Why High-Potential Leaders Matter

Leadership productivity is a precious commodity, and most organizations spend it carelessly. Bain & Company partner Michael Mankins found that the average manager has less than 6½ hours per week of uninterrupted time to get work done. The rest of the week is broken into fragments by meetings, email, and interruptions.

Middle managers feel the strain most. In a McKinsey survey of managers, bureaucracy was the most-cited negative factor in every region, with excessive meetings, emails, and approval processes a problem everywhere. Forty-two percent of respondents either disagreed or were unsure that their organizations set them up to be successful people managers. Unclear decision rights, limited authority, and administrative work crowd out the leadership these managers were hired to provide.

High-performing leaders show what is possible when that time is protected. McKinsey reports that in highly complex roles, such as management, high performers are 800 percent more productive. That gap is why developing leadership talent pays off so well.

The Impact of High-Performing Leaders

One high-performing leader can deliver the output of several average performers, which makes these leaders a crucial driver of organizational success. By guarding their focus and prioritizing high-value work, they:

• Drive momentum through strategic decision-making
• Foster strong team connections
• Deliver outcomes that align with the organization’s purpose

The Takeaway

Developing high-potential leaders is no longer a nicety; it is a necessity. High-potential leaders are tomorrow’s high performers, and investing in their growth is how organizations build more of them.

Key Action Items

• Identify and nurture high-potential leaders within your organization
• Give them training and resources to strengthen their productivity skills
• Build a culture of focus and prioritization, with fewer meetings and clearer decision rights, so leaders can drive high-impact outcomes

Organizations that recognize the value of high-potential leaders and invest in their development reap significant rewards and stay ahead of the competition.

Developing Your Next Leaders

If you want to accelerate the growth of a high-potential leader on your team, or your own, I keep a small number of complimentary strategy calls open each week.

Book a complimentary strategy call

Sources

Field, E., Hancock, B., Mugayar-Baldocchi, M., & Schaninger, B. (2023, March 10). Stop wasting your most precious resource: Middle managers. McKinsey & Company.

Keller, S. (2017, November 24). Attracting and retaining the right talent. McKinsey & Company.

Mankins, M. (2016, February 24). Is technology really helping us get more done? Harvard Business Review; Bain & Company.