Are you sabotaging focus time? Tasks, time & team management for SMEs

In today's fast-paced SME world, maintaining focus is crucial for success. Whether it's ensuring employees are aligned with company goals or helping managers prioritise tasks effectively, creating a focused work environment is key to driving productivity and growth.  

We caught up with Breathe Partner, Kaye Shane Director at OneHR, to talk about time prioritisation, the process of meaningful management and understanding individuals working styles. Drawing from Kaye’s experiences and insights, we explore how you can enhance focus within your organisation and ensure your team is working efficiently towards company and individual goals. 

 

Management training: The foundation of focus

One of the most impactful ways to enhance focus within a business, is through management training. Training programmes are essential for ensuring managers have the right skills to lead their teams and the tools to align employees with broader company objectives. 

"Breathe is really helpful to structure what managers have to do," Kaye says, emphasising the importance of tools like this for structuring team focus. "It can also help determine what managers need in terms of their development, and help them focus on practical and structured training for themselves and their team." 

Through structure, managers gain a clear framework, allowing them to guide their employees more effectively. This extends to how they manage time and focus on organisational goals. A system like Breathe simplifies the process of assigning one-to-ones, setting employee goals, and linking them to the company's overall objectives. This structure helps employees stay on track and gives managers a reference point when evaluating performance. 

"By creating goals, you always have a reference point for your objectives," Kaye continues, noting how critical this is for ensuring employees remain motivated and focused. Not only does this foster a sense of achievement, but it also empowers employees to reach their full potential by knowing exactly where they’re heading and what they need to achieve. 

3 best practices to prioritise work

When it comes to improving focus, prioritisation plays a crucial role. Different people work and respond to tasks in various ways, so it’s important to find methods that suit both individuals and teams. 

1. List-making

"I’m a list maker. Writing things down really helps me," Kaye shares, highlighting the value of making lists. "Psychologically, if you hear something and write it down, it solidifies in your mind. Not only do you have a visual reference, but it also helps with memory of tasks." 

The act of writing down tasks doesn’t just help with recall – it also provides immense satisfaction. Ticking items off a list creates a tangible sense of achievement, helping to maintain focus and motivation. 

2. The Eisenhower Matrix

Another effective tool Kaye uses is the Eisenhower Matrix, a time management system that divides tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. The matrix encourages strategic thinking and helps employees focus on long-term planning by prioritising what’s truly important. 

"Operating in the ‘important but not urgent’ quadrant allows you to think strategically, develop your staff, and understand what motivates your team. It’s essential to carve out time for this quadrant as it prevents constant firefighting and reacting to crises, which can lead to burnout.”  

- Kaye Shane, OneHR

3. Delegation

Delegation is another key to maintaining focus. Tasks that fall into the ‘not urgent or important’ category, can often be delegated. This frees up time for more critical, strategic work. 

"Effective time management involves not just focusing on the most important tasks but also planning for the ‘urgent but not important’ ones," Kaye advises. “By setting aside contingency time and ensuring that tasks such as returning phone calls or dealing with unexpected interruptions are handled systematically, you avoid disrupting your more critical work.” 

Organising your week 

A great way to stay focused is through weekly planning. It might sound obvious – but lots of people don’t work like this. Organising your week in advance ensures that you have time set aside for the big, important tasks while also leaving room for the inevitable small things that crop up. 

"One of the best ways to set yourself up for the week is to open your calendar and plan your big tasks first," Kaye suggests. This simple act helps ensure that you’re prioritising your most important work before getting distracted by smaller tasks or emergencies. 

Kaye also recommends blocking out thinking time in your calendar, especially for SME leaders who often face unexpected challenges. "If you’ve blocked this time in your diary, it can really support you in a reactive situation," Kaye says. “Having this time ensures you can handle sudden demands without losing sight of your broader objectives.” 

Why understanding personality types is relevant

An often-overlooked aspect of improving focus is understanding how personality differences affect the way people work. Whether your team is full of introverts or extroverts, detail-oriented thinkers, or big-picture dreamers, acknowledging these differences can vastly improve organisational focus. 

"Some people thrive on structure and organisation, while others are more idea-driven but struggle with follow-through. This is why it’s important to create complementary team dynamics. Pairing individuals with different strengths - like a visionary with someone more detail-oriented, this creates a balanced team where everyone’s strengths are utilised." 

- Kaye Shane, OneHR

Respecting these working styles helps avoid conflict and fosters a positive, focused work environment too. For instance, extroverts who think aloud should be given space to brainstorm, while introverts who need time to reflect should be allowed that time to step away. 

"Strong management understands how to leverage different personalities to improve business performance," Kaye emphasises. This helps to create better client relationships but also keeps the team working harmoniously towards shared goals. 

Conflict and mediation 

However, personality differences can sometimes lead to conflict, especially when individuals have different approaches to work. When tensions arise, particularly in multi-generational workplaces, it’s important to handle disputes constructively. 

"Mediation is a great way to handle disputes before they escalate," Kaye suggests. By encouraging open conversations, mediation allows both parties to feel heard and understood, preserving relationships while solving the issue. “Formal processes often create a winner-loser dynamic, but mediation offers a more collaborative approach," Kaye adds, advocating for its use in maintaining team harmony and focus. 

Situational management and adapting leadership styles

When it comes to high-focus times or crises, situational management is key. Understanding that different scenarios require different leadership styles ensures that you can support your team effectively. 

"In a crisis situation, clear, direct instructions are essential," Kaye explains. In such cases, taking charge and ensuring everyone knows their role can help the team work efficiently to resolve the issue. 

On the other hand, for less urgent tasks, such as introducing a new policy, a more collaborative approach works best. "A coaching or consultative style is more appropriate when gathering input from the team," Kaye notes. This approach helps engage employees, making them feel part of the decision-making process. 

The key takeaway? There’s no one-size-fits-all leadership style. Knowing when to adapt based on the situation helps create a focused, productive work environment. 

Recap - the path to focus

To sum up, improving focus within an organisation requires a mix of good management, clear prioritisation, and an understanding of individual working styles. By investing in management training, structuring tasks effectively, and fostering a supportive work environment, you can ensure that your team remains aligned with company goals and works at its full potential. 

"By respecting and celebrating differences in personality and work style, and by understanding how to adapt leadership styles based on the situation, you create an environment where everyone can focus and contribute," Kaye summarises. With the right tools and approach, such as using HR software like Breathe, organisations can create a structure that keeps everyone on track, ensuring long-term success.