"When leaders underestimate others, they underestimate themselves."
- Dan Rockwell (Leadership Freak)
There is a lot to be said for knowing your job, and doing it well. Not only do you allow yourself to be awesome, you empower others to do the same. I work with stressed and overwhelmed leaders and organisations who feel compelled to “do it all” - including senior leaders and governance with the very best of intentions that find themselves mucking in on operational stuff.
This can feel like the right thing to do - and every now and again, it can be. But overall, it’s a sabotaging behaviour that doesn’t honour their time, skills or role, or that of their team. I’m guilty of this too (as my long suffering EA, husband and kids will happily attest) and it can be a hard habit to break - especially when you feel like this willingness to get stuck in are how you’ve got to this point.
But as Marshall Goldsmith writes in What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, some of our success is more in spite of our behaviour than because of it. Blurry boundaries and control-freak habits undermine the productivity, engagement and effectiveness of yourself and everyone around you.
My prescription: do more of the stuff you are awesome at, empower others to do the rest and embrace the powerful impact on your team, organisation and customers or community. Know your job and do it well.
Tips
- Track your time and see where the opportunities lie
- Ask for honest feedback from your team about whether you are overstepping the boundaries
- Delegate or outsource tasks, projects or behaviours that do not make the best use of your skills.
