How much more can your people do?
"Leadership is unlocking people's potential to become better." Bill Bradley
This is a question many leaders struggle with. My answer is, "more than you think." On the surface it may look like people are at their maximum capacity but you’ll find unused energy when you dig deeper. In a previous blog titled, “you are busy, your people are not.” I highlight a leader’s inability to distribute the workload. It centers around failure to delegate. Leaders fail to delegate for a few reasons.
A feeling of guilt, passing work downward to a perceived busy person or team
The "I'll just do it myself" fallacy caused by lack of trust, fear of confrontation, or guilt.
The fear that the person or team may not complete the task to the standard you desire. See my Intent Based Instructions approach
Remember, your role as a leader is not to do everything. You have responsibilities that your people do not. Your role requires you to be up and out, not down and in like your people. To serve them best you must place some loyalty to the demands of your position. I submit it is not to do everything. Lastly your role as a leader is to grow your people and asking them to take on new tasks is one way to accomplish that.
Ok, let's get to it. Here are three of five ways you can ask more of people.
Create first, an environment of trust, respect, empathy and discipline. People will take on enormous workloads under good leadership and in healthy work climates. If there is a breakdown, especially in trust, it is harder to delegate.
Troop to task. We used this in the Army to see who did what or who could do what. Often it would highlight an imbalance and or force us to consider giving tasks to younger, inexperienced (but capable) people. 'See' the total workload with your team.
Ask them, do not tell them what to do. "Sarah, I need your help. I'm only asking because I trust you and know you are capable. Let's spend some time looking over your workload and I'll assign some priorities to help you but could you take this on for the team?"
Build a strong team and strong culture and share the load in your organization. People have enormous potential and capacity. Tap into that unused energy!
Let's have a chat today. We are in rough waters and I'm ready to help you steer your ship.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell