Picture a time when you relinquished control to your team and you had the freedom to simply be an observer. Can you see that image? If a situation doesn’t immediately come to mind, you’re likely wading through the details of your organization and missing out on the ability to lead with peace of mind. There’s a better way I’d like to share with you now.
I’ll be completely transparent here, I periodically feel off track. As I continue to evolve and grow my business there are times I take back control of the details and then once stable I hand off to more capable people. I also realize that this business model is also not sustainable and we simply have to ask our team to take projects and trust the results. It’s hard for a leader to do this; perhaps due to a deep rooted value of personal accountability.
High performers take ownership and initiate solutions. Organizations celebrate that personal accountability by giving you more responsibility. That’s likely how you landed in a leadership role in the first place.
However, with more responsibility comes the need to focus on big-vision goals and sustainability – that includes both organizationally and personally. You cannot sustain a leadership role without relinquishing the daily tasks and trusting your team to get things done. Recently, I relinquished a business process to a highly capable team and while I trust the outcome, it doesn’t remove the uneasiness we may have as leaders.
As I pause and reflect on this challenge today, let me propose to you three compass points for you to consider so you can do the work you are meant to do:
Clearly articulate the Purpose of the work that needs to be done.
The Northwest compass point is Purpose and if vivid enough for you to convey to others, they will carry on the work needed to achieve that Purpose. When leaders are clear on this and can articulate what that means to achieve Peace of Mind, people will follow and execute towards that Purpose.
Ask your people if they have everything then need to achieve maximum Performance.
The Northeast compass point is Performance and when we evaluate each person’s role and their capability to meet that Purpose, we may identify gaps to be closed. When a leader puts people in roles, but never asks “do you have everything you need to succeed?”, their performance will not be realized. As leaders, our roles are not to get results, but instead ensuring we remove every barrier from our people to succeed.
Ensure the right Platforms are in place for your people to succeed.
This southern compass point is about the leader stepping away and giving them the tools they need to be self-sufficient and successful. Even when we have the courage to step back and allow your teams to perform against a well defined purpose, we need to provide them the Platforms needed to anchor their work. This may be an accountability system, decision criteria so they can be independent of you and frameworks for addressing issues or elevating them. When we give people the right tools to navigate complexity, they grow and learn from these experiences.
While you contemplate these compass points for your situation, let me share with you the rest of the story and how I’m now realizing freedom and peace of mind.
I relinquished control of my podcast management to a team of experts with the outcome that I use my time to focus on creating meaningful relationships with my podcast guests as well as all my business development efforts. They understood the outcome, they had all the skills and tools needed for success and after quick alignment, I now enjoy the freedom of enjoying my conversation with you.
I feel absolutely amazing and I want to continue to connect with more people like you. You are successful and should be proud. However, if you have come to a place where you don’t have the freedom you seek or peace of mind, I’d love to connect with you.
If you’d like a bit more time to kick around your thoughts on this article, you can email me, direct message me on linkedin or simply grab a few minutes on my calendar.
The CEO’s Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track – If you’re that leader who feels in their gut something is off track, this could be the resource for you.
Resources
Good Reads
Unlock the Sales Game by Ari Galper I know I’ve shared this one before, but now I’ve finished his interview and can’t wait for you to realize great value. When I stopped chasing people trying to close a deal, I focused on the person and asked them: “Where do you see this going from here?”. This has changed everything for me and takes the sales pressure out of the conversation.
Good Music
Dragonfly Keeper by Phildel This is a very light hearted song that stirs up creativity and hope in me. Today I was actually in a bad mood for unknown reasons. When this song played, it changed my mood. It also sounds a little like the theme music for the TV Sitcom, The Office.
Good Advice
I love this quote my podcast production team pulled from my solo episode this week. While in flow and being grounded in my values and talking points, sometimes these thoughts come and I have the honor of sharing them with you.
“When we focus on outcomes versus just the short term results, we bring people
to work for their minds and their creativity, and the possibilities are endless.”
–Deborah Coviello
Listen and subscribe now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-drop-in-ceo/id1498953914