a leader's ROI

As the leader of an organization, I am expected to move my organization forward, making it a better place tomorrow than it is today.  The institution has invested in me and, all things being equal, they expect to see a return on that investment.  At the end of each day, I must look in the mirror and ask myself whether or not my multiple activities have actually produced a return on investment for the university.  Did the meetings I attended move the institution forward? Did the visits I made provide something for the institution either now or in the future? Did the time spent answering emails make us a better place?  Did the time invested in writing a report help to ensure the organization's future?

Leaders of organizations or groups should be doing a regular assessment of their time and activities to make sure that the people who entrusted leadership to them are being well served.  As individuals are in their leadership roles over time, the demands on their schedule get more and more frequent...and many of those demands can be quite enticing including being asked to serve on boards, meetings with people who are seeking advice, and trips to locations far and wide.  So how might a leader take inventory of their time to ensure that the activities in which they are engaged are actually adding value?  Here are a few thoughts:

• do more people (and especially the right people) know and understand the organization and its mission?
• did the decisions made actually make the institution better?
• are employees and/or customers more satisfied?
• will the day's activities produce more revenue (either now or in the future)?
• am I better equipped to make decisions moving forward?
• are more people empowered to lead and make decisions themselves?
• have I served the greater good, even beyond one's own organization (and is the organization okay with that)?
• did the day's activities help to ensure the long run for the institution?
• will the organization not have to be dealing with the same issue a year from now?
• have I caused no harm to people, both internal and external to the organization?
• do others feel more pride in the organization because of the day's work?

This list could go on and on yet, at the end of the day, the same question remains: what was the return to the organization for its investment in me?  Leaders who can answer this question will keep moving themselves and their organization forward; leaders who do not consider this question will find themselves and their organizations remaining stagnant.  What type of leader do you want to be?