Sneak Peek: Tip #1 Delegating Allows Them to Shine

 

Face it. You can’t do it all. And even if you could, would you really want to? Let’s dig into the first tip of 128 Tips to Make You a More Effective Leader:

You are not delegating enough. Maybe you are afraid to let go of the work. Maybe you don’t trust anyone else to do it as well as you. Maybe since it’s a task you don’t like, you assume nobody could like it. But not everyone is you. Delegating can help your employees learn and grow. Handing over additional responsibilities can be a show of confidence, and allow your employees to rise to the occasion and shine. Set clear expectations for what success looks like, communicate any boundaries or constraints, and let them deliver!

Who can you allow to shine?

Pinpointing what is holding you back from delegating can be the hardest step of the process. Looking inward can be uncomfortable. Being aware of what your ineffective delegation habits are is a great start, and it is not enough.

Recognizing an ineffective habit is only the identification of a symptom. If you want to experience meaningful change, you have to go after the cause of a symptom; the underlying belief motivating your behavior.

Make the commitment to be fully aware of why you do the things you do.  The best place to start is to simply write it down. It’s a lot harder to hide from the truth when it’s staring you in the face.

• List 3 ineffective habits enabling you to hoard responsibilities that could be delegated
• Below each habit identify the belief causing the symptom

#1.)

Habit (Fill in what you do__________________) = symptom

Belief (Fill in why you do__________________ ) = cause

#2.)

Habit (Fill in what you do__________________) = symptom

Belief (Fill in why you do__________________ ) = cause

#3.)

Habit (Fill in what you do__________________) = symptom

Belief (Fill in why you do__________________ ) = cause 

By identifying what and why… you can then tackle how: how to change your ineffective habits to be a more effective leader. Repeat the exercise from above, and this time instead of filling in the ineffective habits that you currently have, fill in the effective habits that you desire to have.

Now ask yourself:

What belief will I have to change in order to fuel my desired habits?

If you want to be a more effective leader, adopt the habits of effective leaders. Take a look inside my new book now available on Amazon!

I’ll Write About Procrastination Tomorrow

Okay. I’ll be real with you. I meant to start writing this post yesterday.

So why am I sitting here working under a crunched timeline?

Well, because…

I waited.

And why did I wait?

Allow me to answer that question, with a question:

Why, only in the last 24 hours have the pleas of my desktop, closet, and filing cabinets to be meticulously organized… become so darn…seductive?

That’s right – these are the ramblings of yet another unsuspecting victim of procrastination.

…or, the ramblings of the proud new owner of a client filing system that is color coded and alphabetized by middle name, depending on the way you look at it.

Procrastination is nothing more than borrowed time charged on a high interest credit card. It allows us to splurge our time on things that don’t need to be done when we can least afford it.

When the bill comes due we are left with two very undesirable options:

• Scramble to make the deadline
• Miss the deadline and pay the penalty

How do we stop procrastinating? Yikes…that sounds like a topic for another day.

Let’s start with identifying the 2 main reasons why we procrastinate – Do either of these hit home for you?

1. You are energized by the rush that comes from knowing you have to pull out all stops and accomplish something against an upcoming deadline
2. You are de-motivated by the work you are delaying. The job is big and feels overwhelming, you are not sure where to start, or maybe the work is dull and sucks the life out of you

Knowing why you are procrastinating, naming it – takes away its power and will enable you to move forward. Taking the first step means you are no longer procrastinating… you’ve started!

What project or task do you need to take the first step on today? Go ahead. Get started.

Sneak Peek: Tip #17 What Matters Most?

Let’s take a look at Tip #17 from my new book 128 Tips to Make You a More Effective Leader. The tip itself is simple and will take you less than a minute to read. The positive effects however... if applied…stand to benefit you for the rest of your life.

Tip #17 What Matters Most?

When we know what matters most to us, decisions become easy and priorities become clear.If you are stressed out, overwhelmed or running too fast (sound familiar, anyone?), step back and remind yourself to ask, “What matters most to me?” Now you can take your next right step.

You’ve got a lot on your plate. What matters most to you right now? Based on this, write down your next right step.

I know. It’s easy to gloss over your answer here. You could just say “my family” or some other stereotypical answer and move on with your day.

But if you want to want this 60 seconds to result in a change that matters…don’t stop at “what” is important to you… push yourself to find the “why”. Why are the things you value most important to you? Once you have your “why” you have the reason and motivation to fight for what matters when your days inevitably don’t go according to plan.

I promise, when the stressors in life become overwhelming and life seems impossible to navigate, knowing why and what you are fighting for will make all the difference in the world.

Are you ready to become a more effective leader? Visit www.128tips.com and take action today!