Delegating with Courage

Leadership

Delegation

Conversations

Courage

I think/talk/write about these 4 topics every day.

Someone said you teach what you most need to learn - I clearly still have more teaching/learning to do. Here is a story illustrating why.

Traveling often, years ago, I asked my son Mason (then a teenager) to shovel the front walk.

Me - parent (leader) and shovelling (delegation) - should be simple right?

Arriving home late one night - long flight, suit and dress shoes on, I get out of the car and notice…the walkway is NOT shovelled.

So, now I had a choice.

1. Go inside, and have a “conversation” focused on accountability and consistency with my son.
2. Grab a shovel and do it myself (getting it done and avoiding any difficult conversations).?

I caved.?

I was tired and didn’t like the thought of “confronting” my son the second I got home from a business trip. So, in the dark, with suit and dress shoes on (and luggage in tow) I shovelled.

So - let’s call that version “Craig 1” - the guy who caved, shovelled, and avoided a difficult conversation.

Looking back - here is what I would challenge “Craig 2” to do.

Delegation - do a better job explaining the WHY behind the request.?

It isn’t just shovelling the snow after a storm - it is about Safety!?

I would clarify the WHY by explaining to my son that shovelling is important as this task will keep his grandparents (and his Dad in dress shoes) safe!

Conversations - in the moment, pause, and recognize there is more to this than just shovelling. This is the opportunity for me to practice what I teach and find the COURAGE to have the “difficult” conversation with my son the next morning.

• Do you have an opportunity to clarify the WHY behind a recent delegation request?
• Do you have the opportunity to summon the COURAGE and give feedback and/or have the difficult conversation you have been avoiding?