When you get hired at a company, you rarely expect to have to fight for limited resources. But employment is unpredictable and weird.
Scarcity can happen to any department for different reasons and for varying timelines. Maybe the company had to cut back, and now employees must share office space. Or perhaps the purchases are running late, so things like stationery are limited.
Perhaps management has yet to hire more people, so the team is overworked and struggling to keep up. Some also have to deal with outdated technology, insufficient training, and even a lack of necessary tools or software.
Sadly, team members may not handle scarcity well. As the leader, you may see everything from unspoken tension to full-on arguments between co-workers.
So, how do you handle a situation? Your team is stressed because they do not have enough, and it is affecting productivity and teamwork.
Robin Sharma once said, “Anyone can lead when the plan is working. The best lead when the plan falls apart.” Scarcity is never part of the plan, so you must learn how to keep your team moving forward.
Luckily, this is a guide for helping your team succeed despite limited resources. So keep reading to gain another skill that could make you one of the best at it.
When you are dealing with limited resources, it can be pretty easy to blame your team for acting out. However, in a high-stress situation, leaders need to handle the issue without placing blame. Here are some tips to help you remain a leader who cares about his people:
When you have limited resources, it’s important to prioritize tasks and focus on the most important things.
Start by examining all ongoing projects and find out which ones align most closely with the organization’s strategic goals. Which ones are urgent? Which ones require the most or least resources? Etc.
Finding the answers to these questions helps you determine which resources go where. It also ensures that the efforts for the highest value will come from. I know you will want to stretch it thin, but focus on what’s more important.
For example, if you are dealing with budget cuts, you should decide to focus on projects that directly affect revenue generation or customer satisfaction. So, the passion projects can wait for now while you work on keeping the lights on.
Building and using cross-functional teams can help maximize the use of limited resources. In addition, it is a chance to improve your teamwork and collaboration efforts!
Leaders can encourage collaboration and innovation by bringing together employees from different departments with diverse skills.
Cross-functional teams can deal with complex problems better and find creative solutions that might not come up when the team is the way it always is.
Think of it as creating your own Avengers–everyone has a speciality. For instance, in a small company with limited personnel, forming a team that includes members from marketing, sales, and product development can lead to more inclusive and efficient outcomes.
Efficiency is key when resources are constrained. Your team is already tense about having to share or having limited resources. As a leader, it’s your job to find areas where you can make improvements.
You should always look for ways to streamline processes and eliminate waste. It might involve adopting lean management principles. It is when you focus on creating more value with fewer resources by removing non-essential activities.
For example, you could examine a project process and identify redundancies. Then, find solutions to shorten the process without sacrificing quality. This is a good example of achieving what you want while reducing costs.
By optimizing processes, leaders ensure that the available resources are used in the most productive way possible.
When limited resources threaten your team, it is the perfect opportunity to delegate. Delegation is not just about assigning tasks; it’s about empowering employees to take ownership of their work.
You are working with limited resources, so you cannot waste labor or anything else. It’s time to let your team fly and take ownership.
When you delegate responsibilities effectively, you can reduce your own workload and give your team members opportunities to develop their skills. This approach is fundamental when resources are tight, as it helps distribute the workload more evenly across the team.
For example, a leader might delegate the management of a specific project to a promising team member, providing them with the autonomy to make decisions and learn from the experience.
Even limited resources can be opportunities for your people to show their capability and take charge. Look at it this way, and you will win before you know it.
Limited resources is a crisis and a change, so you need to handle it well. Part of that is speaking to your team and keeping them updated on the situation. There is nothing as bad as not knowing, so don’t put your people in that situation.
Clear and frequent communication is always necessary in a resource-constrained environment. You must ensure that everyone in the team understands the current challenges, the rationale behind decisions, and the expectations moving forward.
You’re going to make some decisions, and your people will complain. Let them know why, and you will see less resistance. Being transparent also helps align the team and prevents misunderstandings that could lead to wasted effort.
For example, if you are dealing with budget cuts, you should regularly update the team on the financial situation. Explain why you are prioritizing certain projects, and cutting their coffee.
And don’t stop there. Ask your people how you can improve efficiency and help manage the resource issue. You might be surprised just how many good ideas your team can provide when they are in the loop.
I know it sounds crazy! Sacrificing resources when you are dealing with limitations sounds absurd and wrong. But keep an open mind here.
Even with limited resources, investing in employee development is still important for maintaining motivation and improving productivity. Especially if gifts and monetary rewards are out of the question.
Leaders can offer low-cost training opportunities, such as online courses or in-house workshops, to help employees enhance their skills. Why in a time of limited resources?
Because this investment not only boosts employee morale but also prepares the team to handle tasks more efficiently.
For example, if you are understaffed and desperately need someone to manage a department, take one of the promising employees and encourage free online courses to learn management and leadership skills.
This way, they can apply what they learned in their new role. You will have your manager, your team member will have a new, challenging role, and your team will have increased overall capability without significant financial investment.
Finally, as the leader, you have one big change to make.
Leaders have to be adaptable when managing limited resources. This means being open to changing plans and approaches as circumstances evolve.
It’s easy to get stuck in the moment during a change. Limited resources can cause you to panic and focus too much on fighting for a way to avoid scarcity. But in doing so, you waste time instead of adapting.
Flexibility allows you to respond quickly to new challenges or opportunities, making sure that resources are always allocated where they can have the greatest impact.
For instance, if a project suddenly faces a resource shortage, a flexible leader should reassign staff from a lower-priority project or adjust timelines to keep the critical project on track.
Remember, having limited resources does not mean your team is done. Some of the greatest companies in the world have outlived budget crises and come up on top. Therefore, embody your role as a leader and strive to guide your team to success.
By following these tips, you will quickly realize that limited resources are a chance to do more. Just keep your team moving forward!
Waithira Njagi is a seasoned wellness and relationship content writer with nearly a decade of experience. Her passion for helping others navigate the complexities of personal growth and connection shines through in her engaging and insightful writing.
With a knack for distilling complex topics into easily digestible pieces, Waithira's work is geared toward readers seeking guidance and inspiration on their journey to holistic well-being.
When she's not crafting engaging articles, you can find Waithira curled up with a stack of romance novels– always rooting for love to win– or enjoying quality time with her beloved family. Her dedication to spreading love and positivity is evident in everything she creates.
Waithira is here to remind you that life, much like their stories, is a tapestry of connections - to loved ones, and the endless adventures found in books.