Solve Problems, Don’t Just Talk About Them

Raise your hand if you find yourself talking about the same problems over and over, but never coming to solutions. Whoa, that’s a lot of hands! This is a very common challenge for business leaders, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Let me share a fairly simple process for solving problems, so you can move on and focus on what’s important to you.

Make Time to Focus

The first step is creating a system for addressing issues. I recommend spending the majority (about ⅔) of your weekly leadership team meeting focused on solving problems. After all, as the leadership team, isn’t this the most valuable way you can spend your time together? By solving problems so the business can operate more smoothly or you can remove barriers to efficiency, productivity, and work satisfaction. Plan your regular meetings so that everything else gets addressed efficiently and you can get to the work of solving problems.

List Them Out

Create a list of all the issues that need to be addressed. This list can be collected throughout the week and added to at the weekly team meeting. It may be a long list at first, but don’t let that scare you. Include everything, so that you don’t lose a key issue. If possible, it’s good to have all of the issues listed out on a flip chart or dry erase board so everyone can see them all. If that’s not an option, a printed list for each team member will work.

Prioritize

Looking at your list of issues, determine – as a group – which three are the most important ones and should be addressed first. Rank them 1, 2, and 3 in order of priority. Do not spend a lot of time on this task, keep it to about a minute. Team meetings that are 90-minutes long will give you 60-minutes to work on your issues. Starting with three will give you about 20-minutes per topic. If you are able to solve these first three issues in your allotted time, determine which one should be addressed next and start on it. Proceed this way until your time has expired.

Process

Once you have the issues you will be addressing, there are three steps to efficiently solving them:

  1. Present & Analyze – The person who proposed the issue in the first place will present it.. They will concisely share what they see as the problem. Then the group analyzes and drills down to get to the root of the problem.

    • For example: the issue may be initially presented as something like: “Sales are down 25% on blue widgets.” While this is true, and certainly an issue, drilling down may reveal a different issue. Just looking at the issue as presented, it likely seems like a problem with the blue widget sales team. However, a drill-down may reveal that production is down, so the inventory of blue widgets might not be meeting demand. Or maybe there have been quality problems with the blue widgets, scaring away potential sales. Or maybe there’s an industry-wide backlash on blue widgets. Whatever it is, the group needs to agree to the real problem surrounding the issue. Again, this should be a fairly quick part of the process.

  2. Discuss – Once the real issue is decided on, the group has a discussion. Solutions are presented. Pros and cons are debated. The meeting moderator needs to make sure all voices are heard (not just the loudest ones). Each person states their case only once.

  3. Decide – When all the stars align beautifully, a solution presents itself during the discussion and everyone is happy. In the real world, that usually doesn’t happen. In the real world, someone usually has to make the decision. The decision maker is often the top leader on the team; however, sometimes it’s another leader who will ultimately have the responsibility of rolling out the decision. Whoever it is, the decision maker takes all of the input they have gathered during the discussion, they evaluate all sides of the issue, and they make a decision. Boom – problem solved.

Next Steps

Once the decision is made, you need to think through next steps.

  • Does the decision need to be communicated out to others in the company?

  • Are there action steps to roll out the decision?

  • Is there a plan that needs to be created?

  • Who will be accountable for the next steps?

As part of the problem solving, determine what comes next and the system for following up.

To-Do List

Another component of a great team meeting is a To-Do list. This is a good place to capture the action steps and ensure there is follow-through on the decisions made. Gather all of the action steps from all the decisions made. List them in the To-Do section for the following week’s agenda. At next week’s meeting you quickly go down the list reviewing each action item. If an item has been completed you cross it off. If it’s not completed you quickly determine if it is an issue or not. If it is an issue, guess where it goes? That’s right – you add it to the Issues List.

Initially you may have so many issues that it seems overwhelming to tackle them three at a time. As you’re getting started, you may want to set aside half a day to power through your list of issues. Stick to the process above and shoot for about 20-minutes per issue. Finally getting decisions made will feel great. It will help you move things forward. And solving problems will benefit everyone in the company.

This proven process will help you solve your issues quickly. Happy problem solving!

An outside facilitator can help your team learn this process and become a problem-solving machine! Email me at kim@athena-coco.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. Calm the Chaos and find time to focus on what’s important to YOU.

Self-Care – Yes, Business Leaders Need It!

leaders know quote

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s probably not actually Valentine’s Day when you’re reading this, but that’s when I’m writing. And that’s also why I wanted to spend a little time talking about self-care (aka: self-love) for business leaders. You might be thinking: “I don’t have time for that!” If so, I’m hoping I can change your mind with this article.

I found two great definitions of Self-Care, and this seems like a great place to start.

Definition #1:

The practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.

This one is a pretty broad definition and can include things you’re (hopefully) going to do regularly, like sleeping and brushing your teeth. It also encompasses regular check-ups, exercise, wearing your seat belt, healthy eating, and much, much more. These are all important habits, and I hope you have established great routines for them. Plus flossing, also very important. However, while there’s some crossover, these aren’t the practices this article is about. Which brings us to the second definition.

Definition #2:

The practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

Now we’re talking! The key word here is stress. If there’s anyone who has their fair share of stress, it’s business-owners and business-leaders, amirite? You have an entire business or nonprofit relying on you to make the right decisions, create a great culture, deliver the best services or products, and support your staff. That’s a lot on your shoulders! And those are the reasons that self-care is so important for leaders.

In working with leaders for quite some time now, I know that there are many who hear the words self-care and think one of three things:

  1. It’s for the weak. Tough leaders don’t need that new-agey crap.

  2. I’m too important for that kind of indulgence.

  3. It would be great, but who has the time!

If you fell into one of these categories when you first started reading, consider this. You know when you fly (or used to fly, pre-pandemic) and the flight attendant tells you to put your own mask on first, before helping others? As I’m sure you know, the reason for this is because you cannot help anyone else if you’re incapacitated. The same thing goes for leading your business. You’re going to be no good to the company, clients/customers, or staff if you’re too stressed out or exhausted to lead effectively.

The arguments listed above are rooted in the assumptions that leaders shouldn’t be vulnerable, important people don’t need to manage their stress, and leaders can’t take time for themselves. The reality is that self-care is an investment in your personal productivity and effectiveness. It can improve decision making and mental clarity. It most definitely improves mood, which can benefit relationships both inside and outside your company. With self-care you’re able to focus better, have more energy, be more productive, and find more creative solutions. These are just a few of the many benefits that come from “taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”.

The self-care industry has boomed from $10 million in 2014 to over $450 million in 2020. There are millions of products and services out there and everyone thinks their solution is the best. All of that can make self-care seem confusing and overwhelming. I am not here to promote any product or service. In fact, I believe the best options are free and simple. I also believe that self-care is as individual as fingerprints. You need to find what is right for you. My recommendation is to start out with things that are free or super low cost, then add or change as you find what works best for you.

Start Here

As a business leader, you certainly don’t want to add something to your day that is going to make life more stressful. While a day at the spa would be fabulous, it’s probably not realistic (at least not on a regular basis). So here are some ideas of things to start with, that won’t break the time-bank.

Breath Exercises

You’re going to breathe anyway, right? Take one-minute, two or three times a day to focus on breathing. There are several different techniques you can use. If this is something that appeals to you, a quick google search will give you lots of options. Here’s one you can try right now:

  • Sit in a relaxed position and close or downcast your eyes.

  • Take a deep (belly) breath in for a count of four.

  • Hold for a count of four.

  • Let out for a count of four.

  • Hold for a count of four.

  • Repeat for four breath cycles.

Breath is life. Focusing on your breath can lower your pulse, lower your stress, help you relax, and refocus your attention.

Journal

Journaling can seem intimidating. What will you write? Why will it matter? What’s the point? If this is something you would like to try, but don’t know how, here’s an easy way to get started. Just finish these three statement every day:

  • I will let go of . . .

  • I am grateful for . . .

  • I will focus on . . .

This is a really great way to start the day. If possible, do it first thing in the morning. Consider making it the first thing you see when you open your computer.

Connect

Set a goal to have one 5-minute, non-work conversation with a different team member every day. Human interaction does wonders for reducing stress. Mercy Medical Center says that social interactions are good for brain health. It can improve mood, lower the risk for dementia, and promotes a sense of safety, belonging and security. And the really great thing is that by incorporating this practice, you’re not the only one to experience these benefits.

Get Out!

Go outside and mindfully take in what you see. Check out the breeze. Listen for sounds. Observe the colors and movements around you. Again, as little as 5-minutes can reap so many benefits. Exposure to nature is known to reduce anger, fear, and stress; as well as reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension. This is so easy to incorporate into your day. Park at the far end of your parking lot and spend the walk being mindful of your surroundings. Walk for lunch or just take a walk around the building. This has the added benefit of physical activity, a little vitamin D, and setting a great example for your team!

Mindfulness

This goes right along with the previous practice, but can be done while doing literally anything. Practicing mindfulness for as little as two-minutes a day has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and mental reactivity. This can be done while you brush your teeth (one of the self-care activities from the top of the article). While brushing, think about the tiny circles you make with the brush. Think about how the floor feels under your feet. Think about your posture. Think about how you’re feeling. Notice everything about the process. Then guess what? When you’re done you have at least one-minute of mindfulness practice under your belt for the day! Spend a full minute focusing on what you’re eating at lunch. Examine the taste, texture, temperature, and how the food is making you feel. Chew twice as long as you normally would. Think about that process. And when you’re done – Boom! You’ve got your two-minutes of mindfulness in for the day!

Those are just a few ideas to get you started, all of which require very little time and no cost. Here are some other suggestions if you want to dive a little deeper into practicing self-care:

  • Physical exercise – yoga, walking, biking, strength training. Whatever you pick, start small. Commit to less than you think you will do, like 5-minutes a day. When that is a regular part of your day, consider expanding.

  • Healthy eating – you are what you eat, so consider what you put in your body. Shoot to make one small change. Be it smaller portions, mindful eating, reducing processed foods, healthy snacks, etc. Change one small thing, and see how it goes for you.

  • Routines – creating a routine or ritual is great for stress reduction. Wake-up routines, bedtime routines, get-to-work routines, end-your-day routines – routines reduce stress and can provide you with more time.

  • Quality sleep – everyone knows the benefits of a good night sleep. Coincidentally, the biggest deterrent to quality sleep is stress. As adults, stress can really wreak havoc on our sleep. Many of the self-care options in this article can help you improve sleep.

Still, there are many more ways to manage stress and take care of yourself. These are some good ones to start with, but you can also do your own research. Try different things. There is no right or wrong (despite what “experts” might say) that works for everyone. Find what works for you, then tweak it as you go along. And every once in a while, feel free to treat yourself to a spa day.

Need help managing stress? Email me at kim@athena-coco.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how we can help you Calm the Chaos and find time to focus on what’s important to YOU.

11 Traits of Exceptional Leaders

good leader diagram

Last week I talked about what I believe is the biggest mistake that leaders make. You can check it out here if you would like to make sure you’re not falling into that trap. Today I want to explore the things leaders do that make them truly exceptional. I prefer to focus on the positive, so this seems like a good follow-up to last week’s negativity.

The list I’m going to share with you comes from Glenn Leibowitz. Glenn is head of communications at a global management consulting firm and he writes about personal and professional development, media trends, and writing well. I like what he has to say about exceptional leaders and wanted to expand upon his thoughts. In full disclosure, Glenn had 13 traits on his list. One felt repetitive and another I didn’t really agree with, so I’m giving you 11 of his 13.

The ironic thing is that this list was shared with me by someone who could really learn a lot from the points Glenn makes. At least half of them are traits this person didn’t possess, or just didn’t understand. That made me think that maybe each point could use some more explanation. So, without further ado, here are 11 Inspiring Traits of Exceptional Leaders:

  1. They trust you to do the job you’ve been hired to do

  2. They seek your advice and input

  3. They find opportunities to let you shine

  4. They recognize your contributions

  5. They have your back during tough times

  6. They challenge you to do bigger and better things

  7. They express appreciation

  8. They are responsive

  9. They know when to apologize

  10. They treat others with dignity and respect

  11. They care

Let’s break these down.

They Trust You to do the Job You’ve Been Hired to Do 

To be clear, this doesn’t mean that they hire you and set you loose. They hire you, orient and train you, ensure you’re a good fit for the company and culture, and then they trust you to do the job you were hired to do. They are also available if you have questions or need to talk through your ideas. There is no micromanaging or nitpicking. After making sure you have received the tools and resources needed to do your job well, an exceptional leader sets the vision and direction, then supports you as you thrive.

They Seek Your Advice and Input

I love this one! Strong leaders know that multiple perspectives strengthen decision making. They come to you to understand your perspective and how you think about issues or projects. It’s important to realize that the leader is likely gathering advice and input from other team members as well. In the end they may make a decision that is contradictory to what you believe is best. As a leader, that is their job, to consider all angles and to make the best decision for the company.

They Find Opportunities to Let You Shine

Good leaders help identify your strengths. Then they align projects and work so you can use your talents. Exceptional leaders want you to excel because they know it will be good for you and good for the company. Then, when you have done a great job, they . . .

Recognize Your Contributions

They go beyond “giving credit where credit is due” by making it a point to share your hard work and the impact that it’s having on the business. And, they do it in a way that is genuine and appropriate.

They Have Your Back During Tough Times

Nobody’s perfect, we all make mistakes, and we all go through tough times. Strong leaders recognize the difference between a rough patch and a need for corrective behavior. It takes a confident leader to back up their team members when they mess up, but it’s imperative to maintaining a trusting relationship.

They Challenge You to Do Bigger and Better Things

I once had a boss who was great at this. Every time I started to feel like I had everything under control, he would give me more responsibility or a new project. I learned and grew so much in the five-years I worked with him. Those new projects pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I will note that I was also promoted and compensated for the additional work I took on. Raises weren’t given every time I did something extra, but it was enough that rather than feeling taken advantage of, I felt appreciated. An exceptional leader will challenge you appropriately, take care of you along the way, and give you the skills to reach your next level.

They Express Appreciation

This one is similar to #4 about recognizing your contributions. Exceptional leaders GENUINELY express appreciation for you, your work, your talent, your insights, etc. Nothing is more lame than a generic “I just want to thank my team for all their hard work” compliment. I learned through a children’s program I use to coach for that expressing appreciation has two (sometimes three) key components:

  • Specifically state the behavior or action that you appreciate

  • Share why it matters

  • If appropriate, state how it made you feel

Here’s an example: Alice, thank you so much for organizing the marketing presentations. Your contributions helped save the team a lot of time. I’m really proud of how well the team is working together on this project. You are helping accelerate our work for faster growth.

They Are Responsive

Leaders have a million things vying for their attention and a million things they could be responding to at any given moment. Regardless, exceptional leaders pay attention to the needs of their team members. They easily assess when someone needs more support vs needs to be pushed. They have their finger on the pulse of the company culture and are tuned in to any issues that jeopardize it. When something is off, exceptional leaders quickly recognize and address the issue.

They Know When to Apologize

Just like everyone else, leaders are not perfect. They make mistakes. Strong leaders recognize when they have messed up, and they own it. As with expressing appreciation, an apology must be genuine and specific. That same youth program that I coached for also taught the steps to a sincere apology:

  • State what your sorry for (specifically)

  • State why it was wrong

  • Explain what you will do differently moving forward

  • Ask for forgiveness

For example: Janet, I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize how much extra time you were putting into creating the schedule. I should have given you more training on how to make that process easier. I realize that my mistake cost you a lot of time. I am going to set up a time where we can work on this together. I’m also going to make it a point to check in with you more frequently than what I have been doing. Will you forgive my mistake?

They Treat Others with Dignity and Respect 

Personally, I don’t think you should get to call yourself a leader if you don’t have this as a baseline. Leaders are exactly-as-human as everyone who works under them. Anyone who cannot or will not value their team members shouldn’t be allowed to supervise staff.

They Care

Generally speaking, on any given weekday we spend more waking time with our co-workers than we do with our families or friends. Any leader worth their weight – cares about the lives of their staff. They care about how work is impacting their “real life” and how their “real life” is impacting their work. They care about the culture they create and how it impacts their people. I would say that this trait trumps all of the others listed above. If a leader has this one, the rest will come naturally.

Want help developing your leadership skills or addressing a challenging culture? Email me at kim@athena-coco.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how we can help you grow into an exceptional leader or “coach-up”.

The Biggest Mistake Leaders Make

bananarama quote

This is obviously an opinion article. Much has been written on the mistakes of leaders and there are varying opinions on which ones are the most egregious. Why is that? Probably because as leaders, we all make mistakes. And, people who observe leaders all have a different take on which mistakes result in the most negative impact.

Before I share what I believe to be the biggest mistake of a leader, I want to be very clear that I am a big fan of mistakes. So much so that I make them all the time! We make huge progress by trying lots of new and different ideas to see what works. In exploring what DOES work, we have to go through a lot of what DOES NOT work. We learn so much from mistakes. Often the lessons we learn from the mistakes we make are the ones that best stick with us and teach us how to move forward in a better way.

By writing this article I am not looking to create leaders who are risk-averse. Quite the opposite! I want you to keep trying new things and making big decisions, and exploring new opportunities. The biggest mistake we make is not really a thing we do. So please, keep doing and trying and exploring.

Decision Drift

If it’s not a thing you do as a leader, what is it? The biggest mistake I see leaders make is mixing up their roles when making decisions. We all fulfill different roles. One of those is probably a company leader. Another might be a spouse or family leader. You may also be a community volunteer and leader. Maybe you have more. Most people have two big categories of business leader and personal-life leader. And sometimes it can be difficult to keep your focus on making decisions appropriate to your role. I call this Decision Drift.

Decision Drift is when you should be wearing your “leader of the company” hat, but you let your “leader of my personal life” hat slip into your decision making. When a leader makes a decision based on what is easiest for them personally, that’s Decision Drift. When a leader makes a decision based on which will cause them the least amount of personal discomfort, that’s Decision Drift. And when a leader makes a decision based on how much they will personally gain, you guessed it, that is Decision Drift. Those decisions have drifted away from what is best for the company.

Now, you might be thinking that this sounds crazy, and that no decent leader would make those kinds of decisions. But the challenge is that it’s easy to convince yourself that you are making decisions for the right reasons. Leaders will talk themselves into Decision Drift, and then they convince themselves that it’s not for personal reasons. For example, if there’s a difficult conversation that needs to happen, and the leader dislikes confrontation – they will convince themselves that it’s best not to have the conversation because it will have a negative impact on the culture. Or, maybe more often, when faced with a decision that will benefit the employees vs one that will benefit the leadership, leaders frequently convince themselves that the option that benefits the leaders is the right one, because they know best.

What are you being paid for? 

When you are hired as a company/nonprofit leader, or you are the leader of your own business, your role is to make decisions based on what is best for the company. Period. While it’s challenging to remove your personal interests from those decisions, that is what you’re paid to do. Or, if you are the owner, it’s your commitment to the success of the business and the people who work for you. The people who hired you and the people who work for you are counting on you to make decisions based on what is best for the organization, even if it makes you uncomfortable.

None of this is to say that you shouldn’t make decisions that benefit you personally. It’s just that those are decisions you make when wearing your “personal life leader” hat. In your personal life – you, your family, and maybe your friends are counting on you to make decisions that are good for you (and your family and friends). That is when you make decisions about what you’re comfortable with, what will be best for your life, and what will preserve and protect you.

Keeping those two decision-making categories separate is imperative to being a good leader. If you need to make a business decision that’s best for the company, but not so good for your workload or mental health, it leads you to needing to make a personal decision. Does the increased workload fit with the demands of your personal life? Is the stress affecting your family and friends? If questions like those are answered with a “yes”, it’s time for you to consider what you need to do personally to adapt to what is best for the company. This could be anything from adding in some self-care to changing careers.

There you have it. The biggest mistake I see leaders make is Decision Drift. They try to avoid having to make challenging decisions in their personal life by making business decisions that are best for them, rather than what’s best for the business. It’s easy to do. It’s better for you. But by doing so, you are not fulfilling your role as the leader of the company. You’re letting down stakeholders and team members. And you’re holding your business back from where it could go and what it could accomplish.

Servant Leader = a leadership philosophy in which the main goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader’s main focus is the thriving of their company or organizations.

If you look at this definition, you might think that I’m contradicting the concept of Servant Leadership. That’s not the case. I believe very strongly in Servant Leadership, and I think that it is a part of what I’m talking about. With some exceptions, the most valuable asset of most companies is their workforce. A Servant Leader knows this. Part of serving their team members is likely making decisions based on what is best for them. And very often what is best for the staff is also what is best for the company.

Google says. . .

A quick search of the biggest mistakes leaders make will give you several options of lists similar to this one:

  1. Micromanaging

  2. Leading from a position of power or ego

  3. Not listening

  4. Not valuing followers

  5. Failing to grow themselves as leaders

  6. Lacking boundaries

  7. Not providing or receiving feedback

I would argue that each and every one of these mistakes (and the similar ones that land on other lists) can be tied back to Decision Drift. Let me show you:

  • Micromanaging is often a mask for a leader who doesn’t know how to empower, delegate and build up their staff. Rather than pushing themselves to grow as a leader, they decide to use their time to nitpick their staff.

  • Leading from a position of power or ego – This comes from a lack of humility and confidence. Power and ego is used to mask personal deficiencies, rather than deciding to do the hard work of growing as a person and a leader.

  • Not listening – As a leader it takes a lot of confidence and security to be open to the ideas of others. Again, it’s easier to mask insecurities by pretending like you have all the answers, than to work on personal growth.

I could go on with the list above, but my comments would continue down a similar path. Decision Drift comes from a leader’s need to protect themselves, their time, their ego, etc. True leaders know how to separate self-preservation from organizational leadership, and make decisions in the company’s best interest. .

It’s hard to separate business decisions and personal decisions. Outside help can see the issues without the emotion that leaders bring. Email me at kim@athena-coco.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how we can help you make better decisions for your company and for you personally. 

Too Busy to Lead

perfection is the enemy of success

Are you running your business, or is the business running you? Do you spend your days putting out fire after fire and never getting to the tasks or projects that you want to work on? Is there so much on your plate that you barely have time to answer your staff’s questions, let alone provide valuable leadership? If your answer is an annoying little “yes” to any of these, it’s time to talk about delegating.

FACT: Running a business (or a nonprofit) is hard work. There is always more to do than what you have time for in a day. As the leader, you feel responsible for making sure everything gets done, and gets done right. And the more successful you are, the more work there is to manage.

FACT: Every successful leader in the world has had to figure out how to delegate. And they have likely all struggled to figure out what and how to delegate. Effective delegation is key to managing your business while also leading your team.

The idea of delegating might seem impossible. After all, don’t you have to have everything organized in order to delegate it to someone else? The answer to that is no, and we’ll talk more about that later. Effective delegating is one of most important skills you can learn as a leader. In order to learn the skill, it helps to have some basic structures in place to make delegating easier. These three components create a solid foundation for effective delegating:

  1. Establish the right structure

  2. Hire quality staff

  3. Understand your strengths

Structure

Finding the right structure for your business not only helps with delegation, but it sets you up for success in many other ways as well. This means establishing and communicating a clear chain of command, thoughtfully creating positions and departments, and ensuring everyone knows what they are accountable for and how their work impacts the success of the company. You can read a lot more about this topic by reading Structure – Getting it Right to Grow.

Quality Staff

Quality staff does not always mean that you pay the very best or you provide the most glamorous jobs. Quality staff are those people who you trust. Those whose values align strongly with yours and those of your company. Those who have a positive attitude about the success of your business. In order to have confidence in delegating, you need staff who are willing, able, and motivated to help advance the work.

We all know that solid staff don’t grow on trees. And I’m not suggesting that this is a simple step. However, I do have a few tips to help. In addition to creating the right structure (mentioned above) for your business, here are some proactive steps you can take to create a breeding ground for quality staff.

  1. Communicate your vision. All. The. Time. When staff do not see the bigger picture vision for your business, then all they have is a job. But when a picture is painted of the direction you are taking the company, and their role in helping to get there, then it becomes much more. They see the work they are doing as valuable. They want to help accomplish goals. And they understand better why things need to be performed a certain way.

  2. Communicate your values. All. The. Time. Use your values when you talk about the big picture of your company. Use them to make hiring decisions. And use them in performance conversations. The first step is obviously to establish your values and to ensure that they truly reflect who you are as a company. Then, the more you use them, the more closely your staff will align with the values you hold dear. Staff will either self-select out if they don’t have the same values, or they will be drawn in if your values resonate with them. Both of those consequences create a stronger team.

  3. Practice your listening skills. People want to be heard. Even if you cannot accommodate their requests, people feel better when they have been genuinely listened to. When we truly listen to someone, they feel valued and respected. What a great gift to give to someone! And don’t you think that staff who feel valued and respected will also be motivated to help you and your business? Listening is one of my very favorite topics, you can read more about developing these skills here and here and here and here. (Clearly a favorite topic.)

Your Strengths 

This part isn’t just about understanding your strengths. It’s also about understanding the things you love to focus on; as well as the things you’re not that great at or don’t like to spend time on. Here is a fairly simple exercise to help you determine what you should be delegating. Take a piece of paper and divide it into 4 quadrants. Label the boxes as follows:

  • Top left = enjoy, not great at

  • Bottom left =  don’t enjoy, not great at

  • Bottom right = don’t enjoy, great at

  • Top right = enjoy, great at

From there, insert all of the tasks, responsibilities, and relationships that are on your plate. Look back at your calendar for a few weeks to make sure you capture everything. Once everything is recorded, it should be pretty easy to see which items would be good to delegate. Additionally, by practicing your listening skills, you will hopefully have an idea about staff who would enjoy or be good at the things you don’t like or don’t excel in.

Just Do it

Back to the point at the beginning of this article. Leaders often feel like they have to have everything in place, just right, before they can give a project or task to someone else. As the quote above states, perfection is the enemy of success. Perfection is an illusion, and if you keep waiting for everything to be perfect, you will never be able to let go. By creating the right structure, nurturing quality staff, and communicating consistently you will create a culture of trust. When that exists, you can trust your staff to handle projects and ask for help when needed. Also, your staff will trust that you will support them, even when they get stuck and need additional guidance.

The last point that I want to share on this topic has to do with the fact that you cannot be an effective leader if you are running from one crisis to the next and never taking the time to “work on the business”. A good leader spends time thinking about the direction they are taking their company. They spend time strategizing on how to reach their goals. They focus on how to lead and develop their team members. All of those things take time. Time spent away from the doing and fixing and scrambling. So as you consider what and how much to delegate, make sure you are giving yourself enough time to lead.

Need help establishing the right organizational structure for your business, creating a strong culture, or figuring out how to effectively delegate? Email me at kim@athena-coco.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to see how we get you moving on the path to growth.