Adrian Trenholm

Leadership focus: do or delegate?

August 19th, 2005

Phil Gerbyshak pitched in with a super comment on Make things better: aphorism or action item? :

… it may be something that you’d really rather not do, or something that really doesn’t make things better…at least not in the moment. I think the key is to focus on the big picture and see how this fits overall in your life. If you can find a way to fit it in there, it’s often worth doing.

The other thing that I find that often helps is finding someone else you can energize, because it’s more her/his strength than yours… .

I think Phil’s comment is right on the money: “do X” can be reframed as “delegate the doing of X to the most appropriate person.”

For example, after each meeting of the City of London Toastmasters Club , I used to help our Sergeant-at-Arms rearrange the chairs, take down the club banner and generally reset the room. It’s a mundane, but vital thing, because if we leave the room untidy, we might well lose our venue. But this year, I am President of the club. Is it right that I roll up my sleeves and move chairs? Or should I be talking to our guests and signing up new members?

I took the view that my role now is to represent the club with professionalism and show our guests the warmest possible welcome, not snub them because I am busy with heavy lifting. But what an uncomfortable transition. Those chairs need shifting, after all.

In the end, I reframed: instead of shifting the chairs myself, I remind our members to assist the Sergeant at Arms, leaving the VPs and me to talk with our guests and sign up those who wish to join.

Sometimes, leadership focus is as simple as turning “do” into “delegate.”

Entry Filed under: Leadership , Toastmasters