Nothing can be more frustrating than feeling your time isn’t valued. We all – and this extends down to middle-school age at this point – are overcommitted with activities and responsibilities. In this situation, to be in charge of people’s time and mismanage it is a powerful offense to the people you’re working with.
Put another way. a leader should never leave their group feeling as if their time could be better spent elsewhere.
A leader’s/teacher’s/conductor’s first responsibility, then, it to tell their audience “I value your time.”
Say it by requiring only as much time as needed. Say it by being thoroughly prepared for each meeting/class/rehearsal. Say it by using the time efficiently and intentionally. Say it by demanding more of your group and yourself.
We all have so much to do. If you’re going to require people’s time, use it efficiently and tell them that you value it.