A leader’s job is to keep the team on track. You focus on hitting deadlines and executing projects without losing focus or getting lost in the weeds of decisions, communications, and logistics. The ability to execute in this way is critical for every leader.

In fact, Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman found that senior managers ranked execution first on a list of 16 must-have leadership skills, as they explain in an article for Harvard Business Review.

You and your team can improve on execution and become more execution-focused without working extra hours, suggests Zenger and Folkman. Instead, use the following ideas to make small changes within your team and yourself, allowing everyone to do what they need to meet deadlines and stay on track.

Empower your team to make decisions

When you provide the training, resources, information, and the necessary level of trust for employees to make decisions in their spheres of influence, you teach them how to be responsible and accountable for executing on their own.

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