Stop doing the work

An anthropologist went to study a far-flung tropical island. He found a guide with a canoe to take him up the river to the remote site where he would make his observations. About noon on the second day of travel up the river, they began to hear drums. The anthropologist asked his guide, “What are those drums?”

The guide turned to him and said, “Drums okay, but VERY BAD when they stop.”

As they traveled the drums grew louder and louder. The anthropologist was nervous, but the guide merely repeated, “Drums okay. Drums not bad. When drums stop, then very bad!”

Then the drums suddenly stopped. Terrified, the anthropologist yelled to the guide: “The drums stopped! What now?”

The guide crouched down, covered his head with his hands and said, “Guitar solo.”

I laughed my head off when I came across this funny story courtesy of GCFL.net.

But this got me thinking. There are many brilliant people in the workplace and they are being promoted.--If you were to use music as a picture for us to understand, this solo musician is now promoted to the position of being a conductor of an orchestra.

The job is no longer the same yet some “leaders” still play solo when that is not expected from them to do. The skills needed to lead a team and the skills possessed in doing things are not the same. The promoted manager or leader should be equipped with leading people.

Now, here is a slightly different scenario that takes place in business organizations. Productivity expert and bestselling author, Todd Henry has this to say: “You’re probably great at your job. You were likely promoted to a leadership role because you could do your job better than anyone else. In fact, you’re probably leading the people who are doing the very work that you used to do. Because of this, you might be tempted from time to time to tell them exactly what they should do, or even to just do it for them. Stop it. Seriously.”

Your job is no longer to do the work, it’s to lead the work. When you do the work for your team, you are putting a cap on their growth and ensuring that they will always need to come to you before making a decision.

Yes, doing the work ensures that the end product will match your expectations precisely and painlessly. However, in return for a little short-term ease you are eliminating the potential for your team to develop its own skills and capacity. When you do the work, your team only fits into a “you-sized” hole. You’re setting yourself up for long-term agony.

Consider areas where you are tempted to do the work instead of leading it.

What can you do this week to push responsibility back to a team member, and to lead by principle instead of looking over their shoulder?

Makes a lot of sense doesn’t it? This is why I love Todd Henry’s work and I have been a follower of his for many years and the good news is that Todd Henry is coming to town. And on November 9, he will speak on productivity and creativity equipping us to unleash our best work every day.

I will be sharing the same platform with Todd together with very inspiring leaders like Shakey’s CEO Vic Gregorio and others and will zero in on passion, productivity and purpose in a whole day conference.

There is a definite difference between doing the work and leading the work. It’s always good to know how.

(Bestselling author and productivity expert Todd Henry, Vic Gregorio, Francis Kong, and other successful leaders will talk about Passion, Productivity and Purpose in a whole day conference entitled: “Die Empty” on Nov. 9, 2017 at Samsung Hall, SM Aura.  For registration or inquiries contact April at +63928-559-1798)