The Importance of Calendar Maintenance

By Veronica Baginski

Calendar maintenance is essential when you have a leadership position. Your team or peers will rely on you to make time for them, and it is your responsibility to ensure enough time is dedicated to them. There is a common mistake leaders make with calendars and scheduling which is sitting in on meetings where they are not making a decision, or their input is not necessary at that time. If that is the case, you as the leader should confirm if you are needed in this meeting, determine how you will support, and move to the next project or meeting. Your time as a leader is very valuable, so to squander it by sitting in a meeting that can be handled by another team member is wasteful.

The other common mistake is overbooking. When you are a leader, your input is valued on the team and as a result, people will book you for meetings. Depending on the size of your team and the timelines on projects, your team might need your support at the same time you are working on another project. Communication as a group, either in a company meeting or with a public calendar, will eliminate most of these issues.

The last major mistake leaders make when managing their calendar is not looking at it often or in advance. With all the responsibilities you have as a leader, it is easy to go with the day to day and walk into the meeting with your team ready to brief you or catch you up. Looking at your calendar often and weeks in advance will allow you to plan your workload better, as well as ensure your team has what they need by a certain deadline. Several leadership books advise leaders to look at their calendar the day before to make sure the schedule they have planned is accurate. You can then update your to-do list with anything you might have missed. Of course, looking at your calendar with more notice will allow you to prepare more fully and manage your workload better. Having great calendar maintenance will set you apart as a leader from your peers, and your team will greatly appreciate the quality of time as opposed to the quantity of time.