None of the aspiring leaders and managers I know could be accused of being lazy. On the contrary, most work really hard, working long hours and being stressed about improving their organisations. I surprise them when I tell them that what I want them to do is to create a situation where their people wonder what it is that they actually do. Here’s what I mean

1. Delegate. Work out what it is that only you can do and delegate the rest to others. This means that you are keeping only the highest value tasks and you are empowering others to do the rest. They will grow and you will have more time on your hands.

2. Become super organised and mega productive. Get done what you need to in much less time than you currently are by being organised and productive.

3. Plan, plan plan. Make sure that you and everyone else in your organisation are working on the most important things first. Make sure that everything that is being worked on gets you closer to your vision.

4. Trust. The best way to get great performances out of your people is to give them extra responsibility and support, then trust them to do the job. Sure, check on their progress and help when they need it, but let go to grow.

5. Now, lead. At this stage, your people should be wondering what it is that you actually do! You have delegated many minor and menial tasks. You are getting your tasks done quicker. Everyone is focusing on the most important stuff and people are lifting and accepting the extra responsibility you have given them.

Leading takes time – lots of it. The highest value you can add to your organisation and its people is to create time and space for you to lead.

Cheers

Greg