A counterintuitive tool to grow your influence (...for both workplace and family)

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A counterintuitive tool to grow your influence

When you moved from technical expert to people manager, the nature of your work changed. Much of your energy is now invested in internal or emotional efforts that may be invisible to the people who report to you. To them, it often looks like absence, not work.

In a way, it’s similar to what happens when you step away from your family and go into your office. If you have kids, your work will look to them like absence.

But there’s a tool you can use that has a pretty cool counterintuitive side effect.

That tool is delegation.

Sure, the primary purpose of delegation is to prepare other people for expanded roles and responsibilities. This is true whether you’re asking a direct report to make a proposal or facilitate a meeting you would normally lead, or whether you’re inviting one of your children to prepare a meal or participate in home maintenance.

When you delegate part of your leadership work, you not only invest in the growth of others, but you also help them understand more of what your work looks like.

Of course, you’ll want to consider things like confidentiality and appropriateness when you delegate. But most leaders tend to under-delegate far more than delegating too much.

There are many reasons that leaders feel challenged in finding opportunities to delegate. If you find yourself in that situation, let’s talk. Visit stevedwire.com/connect for a complimentary conversation.

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