Leadership Competence - The less you do, The more you accomplish

 

It is very normal for young leaders to want to do everything themselves. This is because as a leader, you want to try to stand out so that you demonstrate your ability to the people following you. This is quite normal because most times no one is there to help you and you might not want to seek help and would rather do it yourself because you trust yourself at least. But there is a negative side to this. this very attitude actually limits your effectiveness as a leader.

 

 

As a young leader, my greatest mistake was spending my time doing things that aren’t my strengths, I devoted the first year of my life after school to things I was not good at, and I put little energy into the things I was good at. I was a great communicator and was good with people, but I was bad at business management, am a good innovator and know how to take initiative, but am poor at program designing. But during those days I did nothing that would build and improve my communication and innovative skills, I often felt I was good at them instead I spent greater time working on being a great business manager and program designer at my work place. It happened that when it was time for me to practice communication and showcase my great skill in building relationships with people, I failed woefully.

 The great news was that by reading books and listening to leadership tips, I learnt that I was focusing my energies on things I was not good at t began to excel by focusing my time on my strengths and found great fulfilment in it.  The irony is that those things you were doing that you didn’t find joy in is exactly what other persons in your organization enjoys doing, but you cannot know that because you do it yourself all the time. By letting go of things you are not good at you give opportunities to others following you to excel.

 

 

As leaders, its important to do only what you can do. What are the2 or 3 things that you and only you are responsible for?  What specifically have you been hired to do? Of the tasks you have been assigned to do, which of them are you specifically gifted to do? Which do you find most joy doing? You must focus your energies on those. That is your sweet spot, that is where you will excel. Within that narrowed context, you will add value to your organization.

 

 

To be continued… 

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