You’re a leader. You take initiative. You’ve got a handle on how to get things done. And you’re exhausted. The good news is…It’s fixable. Relieve your leadership fatigue once you empower your team.
High-achievers already know they can accomplish most anything they set their minds and hearts to do. What they also know is there is a limit to their capacity at any given time.
Consider these three ways to empower your team a great starting trifecta if you struggle in the “getting it all done” department.
MAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS MATTER
Is there a time and place for idle chit-chat? Of course. It’s a social practice that helps you break the ice when you need to.
However, if small talk is the only talk you’re having in your office, you’re falling short.
If you’ve done a great job of positioning your company’s mission and your team member’s roles in making it happen, you’ve got to have the deeper conversations.
It’s time to talk about benchmarks. Your team member’s feelings of contribution, value, and performance. And doing it openly.
Be transparent, authentic, and honest when you engage your team members in these one-to-one conversations. When you are, you’ll foster a culture of trust, vulnerability, and kindness.
The even bigger win is you’ll inspire each team member to grow and evolve in the role they’re in so that you can all rise together as a team. Everyone “mans” the oars.
Empowerment high, overwhelm low. Not a bad place to be.
TEACH, DON’T OVERREACH
You did a meticulous job hiring each and every member of your team to fulfill a specific role, correct?
If that’s the case, you recognize they each have a particular skill set well suited for the tasks you’ve put them in charge of completing.
So, when they have a problem they’re working through, perhaps something you know how to solve, what’s your natural response when they come to you seeking it?
If it’s to tell them the answer, you may want to reconsider. Here’s why…
Remember, if you give a man a fish he only eats for a day. Teach that “man” to fish and he’s going to solve those problems for life. In other words, you’re instilling a habit of critical thinking and independence in your team member.
How you teach is by asking the right questions. Especially if you’ve got a solution that’s proven to work. You just need to ask your team member the questions to guide them to the answers that allow them to “solve” the problem.
All the while, they will gain confidence in their ability to problem-solve, and you’ve helped them arrive at a solution you know is suitable.
Win one, you empower your team. Win two, you relieve your overwhelm of having to do it all yourself.
DELEGATE, DON’T DEBATE
Consider this a sub-set of tip 2.
You’ve got all the right team members in all the right roles. Check!
Your systems and processes to get tasks done are clearly defined and documented. Check!
Now, you’ve handed off all those tasks to the appropriate people on your team. They’re officially off your plate and you get to focus on driving the mission and vision of your business.
So, do it. Don’t meddle. Don’t micromanage.
Fall victim to making sure everything you’ve handed off is “perfect” and done exactly as you would do it and you’ve failed.
If it’s sufficient to meet the definition of done, be grateful that it’s done and you didn’t have to do it yourself. You are paying your team to get things done for you after all. Allow them to.
Over time, they will likely modify the processes because they’ve become more efficient at completing the task than you were anyway. It’s in their wheelhouse. They’re doing it day in and day out. Not you.
Welcome and respect the adjustments they make to your processes, so long as they are completing their tasks properly and on time.
When you release your attachment to doing everything your way, you let go of overwhelm and empower your team members to contribute with their unique skill sets.
BECOME A HIGH ACHIEVER WITH THESE THREE WAYS TO EMPOWER YOUR TEAM
There you have it. The three best ways to reduce your leadership fatigue and empower your team are:
- Meaningful conversations
- Coaching for development
- Delegation without attachment
Yes, all three of these are natural ways of being for high achievers. But I also believe these are all ways of being that you can learn if you want to be a better leader.
Reach out and schedule a free strategy session with me to find out how to integrate them into your daily routine.
