Leadership in Action: Prioritizing Tasks and Effective Communication Under Pressure

<p>I work at a large Tech company and work in a technology leadership role. In this article I wanted share a situation I and my team were in and how I handled it.</p> <p>A few days ago, I found myself at the center of a classic workplace scenario, one that tested both my leadership capabilities and communication skills.</p> <p>Early in the day, one of my direct reports approached me, visibly stressed. He had just been handed a daunting list of seven tasks by our superior, all to be completed by the end of the day. Even as a seasoned leader, moments like these can be challenging. How do you ensure your team feels supported while also effectively communicating with upper management?</p> <p>The sections in this article are the areas I handled subtly, which showcases the importance of time prioritization and effective communication.</p> <h1>1. Calm and Reassure:</h1> <p>Before diving headlong into the problem, I asked my team member to take a breath. I assured him that we&rsquo;d work through the tasks together, even though I hadn&rsquo;t yet seen the list.</p> <h1>2. Assess and Prioritize:</h1> <p>We met half an hour later to dissect the tasks. The key was not just to look at the tasks but to prioritize them based on importance and urgency. I have removed the specifics of the tasks however made it easily relatable to my readers. As mentor I would have him articulate the tasks but because of the urgency I articulated the tasks this way:</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@chetan.nagarajrao/leadership-in-action-prioritizing-tasks-and-effective-communication-under-pressure-17287956c59e"><strong>Click Here</strong></a></p>