Last time we talked about why the best leaders focus on building up their strengths rather than worrying about their weaknesses. I’ve heard from several of you, asking an important question: “What if my  weaknesses are blocking  my success?” Great question.

This is one of the most important steps along the journey to effective leadership. It’s the answer to this question that helps a person become a better leader. Leadership is not about position. It’s about influence. The most effective approach to developing influence is encouraging, equipping and allowing people to flourish in their area of strength.

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”  

Mother Teresa

When you invite a person to invest in your vision, your organization or your business from their area of strength, you add a valuable ally while removing a nagging obstacle. By adding value to this person, you will begin to earn their trust, which is a vital step in helping you get over any reluctance to delegate.

Delegation can be difficult, and you may have honest, legitimate reasons to hesitate. Take a look at what’s holding you back, what are you telling yourself that’s preventing you from delegating?

When a leader refuses to delegate, first, he or she is not being a leader. They’re blocking progress. Worse, they’re probably doing  work someone else would be better off  doing.

The shared responsibility of delegation is what makes leadership possible.

Maybe you’ve tried to delegate in the past and the people you trusted did the job a bit differently, or with less effort than you expected. That experience left you a little gun shy about trusting someone else. Understandable. This time, though, instead of giving someone a task, try connecting with them, asking for their help and acknowledging their strengths.  

When you begin to think about team building in those terms, you will not only add value to your team, but you will build your inner circle, surrounding yourself with a group of like-minded people who complement each other’s strengths and supplement each other’s weaknesses.

Remember, delegation is not about finding someone to do your work for you.  It’s about leveraging your strengths and the strengths of those around you so you can all accomplish something greater together.

To help you identify some weak areas and learn how to better leverage your strengths, take advantage of this special leadership event. Click the image below to learn more…

l2l-2016-ticket-and-timeline-banner

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Will you courageously stand in the unknown?

Will you courageously stand in the unknown?

Thinking partners make a huge difference in our lives. Even when we don’t immediately need them, there’s comfort in knowing we have people we trust to go to with our questions and concerns. But what about those times when there is no trusted advisor around...

Do you have dogs?

Do you have dogs?

Do you have dogs? How an unexpected question transformed intention into action   Recently, a friend shared with me how an unexpected question helped him move from intention to action. After role shifts in his career and at home, he’s been struggling to, as...

Are you choosing to actively listen?

Are you choosing to actively listen?

When we listen TO someone, we hear what they are saying, and we often miss WHY they are saying it. The meaning behind the words reveals who the person is being in that moment. Are they frustrated or hopeful, determined or resigned? Are they focused on...