monitored. Goals are also broken down into well defined, challenging but achiev-
able sub-goals. Goals set too high are discouraging, imprecise objectives cannot be
reached, and objectives without timelines tend to get put on the back burner.
Time management is important, though it makes little sense to plan every minute
of your day. This produces a constant feeling of dissatisfaction if you again have
finished only 17 of 35 items on your list or you are 2 h behind your own schedule,
which you’ll never catch up on anyway. It is better to plan buffer times for
unforeseen events such as spontaneous meetings, unannounced visitors, longer
phone calls, etc. In planning the day the leader should regard his or her own
personal performance biorhythm: some can concentrate best in the morning,
while others are night owls. You should schedule the most important projects and
strategic decisions for these times if possible.
Good leaders always know when their batteries are empty – and they take the
time to recharge them. They keep in mind their work-life balance and also pay
attention to maintaining the work energy, motivation and performance of their
employees. Modern human resources management provides the instruments needed
to create balanced personal time schedules for leaders.
Above all, this includes the focused use of resources and preventive measures in
private health management. Both factors have a considerable and growing influence
on companies’ efficiency and competitiveness. Following the work-life balance
principle, human resources departments serve as advisors to and partners of the top
management. Stress-related illnesses occur especially in middle management,
a trend that must be combated in the interest of both the people and the company.
After an analysis of the causes of the problem, individual coaching and seminars
on time management and self-management, healthy nutrition, regular medical
checkups and corporate sport facilities are recommended.
In many organizations there is no room for feelings of insecurity, weakness and
fatigue; the image of the always-dynamic manager is predominant. Many try to live
up to this image, denying who and how they really are until at some point they truly
believe they fulfill it. However, this is dangerous, not only because it can lead to
burnout, mental disorders and depression, but because it also undermines the
leader’s authenticity and credibility.
One could say that only leaders that are also weak are truly strong. I believe that
as a leader it is perfectly permissible for your employees to also witness your being
confused, at wit’s end or angry at times. Such “human moments” create closeness
that helps leaders’ credibility. Without allowing ourselves to feel seemingly nega-
tive emotions such as fear, anger or sadness, there can be no development.
The phenomenon of burnout is not primarily the result of excessive workloads.
Rather, it results from a person’s inner attitude towards work, from how they
experience that work. People who identify themselves with their work and feel
their work to be meaningful and satisfying are experiencing consider higher
workloads challenging, but not overwhelming or stressful. The best way to avoid
burnout is to let go of our own unrealistically high expectations, perfectionism and
self-imposed time pressure, as well as to free ourselves from the feeling of being
controlled by others (see Sprenger 1999, p. 114).
3.2 Leading with Your Head and Heart 151