If It Crosses My Desk

There will be many times when we may feel inclined to offer an opinion or guidance on a matter before we genuinely need to. It could be watching a subordinate struggle with a task or a colleague choosing a different path to address a situation.

In these times, the more responsible course of action may be pausing and asking two questions: 1) Am I robbing that person of the opportunities for full ownership or "stretch" growth (expanding future capability through challenges)? And 2) If I wasn't tapped to mentor or brainstorm, is the endeavor an appropriate use of my energy reserves at this time?

With that in mind, I've become a fan of letting people know that 1) I see their effort on an initiative, 2) I am cheering for their success, AND 3) I am here to support them if needed.

This sideline approach works well in most business situations—people appreciate feeling trusted. Still, people who have worked around me long enough know I operate with some basic frameworks. And one relevant to this topic is "It's not my problem until it crosses my desk; then, I own it."? ??

Here's the process I like to consider when an issue makes it to my desk (literal or electronic).

Filter

A good filtering question is, "Did this item follow an established protocol for arriving in front of me?" What you are driving to discover with the question is the appropriate identity for ownership.??

An example of a "no" situation: I receive correspondence about a specific project only because the sender doesn't have the contact info for my team member leading the project. In this case, my ownership is simply introducing the two parties formally and excusing myself from further day-to-day project-related communication.

On the other hand, maybe the person is contacting me because my team member has been unresponsive to their correspondence. In this case, my ownership is working to understand the cause of the disconnect so we can work to resolve it.? ?

Figure Out

In 30 Worthy Guides for Mapping Your Best Life, when discussing being adaptable, I note the importance of doing an initial inventory when landing in new environments. The same holds for new issues.

Ask yourself,

1. What is this new issue (how does it compare with previous experiences, and what elements are unique)?
2. What do I have on hand?
3. What is one step I can take to start moving myself along?

At this stage, ownership is developing possible solutions and identifying roles involved (primary, collaborators, mentors, authorizers, etc.)—flipping problems to goals.

Fulfill

"I've worked with some diverse and brilliant people over the years. I've come to realize that the difference between a successful person and a dreamer is that one understands the value of working hard to make a dream [goal] a reality." (30 Worthy).

In other words, you need to implement a plan. The choice doesn't have to be perfect, but it needs to involve action. Problems lying dormant don't get better with age.

If you can't visualize a definitive solution, at least put checkpoint markers in place. For example, "Measure progress quarterly," "Revisit when new role or equipment is funded," or "Engage with [title] when the new fiscal year starts." A start is a start.

Ultimately, no matter where your desk resides, you should realize that people will seek out the value it brings—the value you bring. You'll need to decide the timing and merits of where you spend your energy. And when you do decide, be committed to owning it—genuine engagement compels respect.