A couple weeks ago I began this series on prioritizing. You can read those posts here and here. Imagine you are a newly appointed leader with a vision of what you want your team to look like. You are excited and even have the vision written down.
In your excitement, you start moving forward and the vision begins to become a reality. The business starts to grow, and you add new team members. The temptation we all have is to keep everything in our control because it feels easier.
But is it?
I had the opportunity to be in a leadership role with a tremendous group of volunteers. When I asked for their help, they said yes and did it. I cast the vision, and they made it a reality. It was in this situation that I experienced the power of equipping others and letting them do the work. What I had to do at this point was get really clear on what I should be focusing on.
I had to organize my thinking so I could lead myself and others effectively each week. Here are a few questions to consider to help you get clear on your micro-prioritizing.

What are the things only I can do?

If you are a bit of a control freak like me this first question may be the hardest one. You may be tempted to think you have to know all that is going on.
As the leader, you have to be aware, but as the vision becomes reality and grows, you won’t know everything. And you definitely cannot do everything, or you will stifle the growth of others and prevent reaching the vision. There may be a few things that only you can do because of your skills, your position, or your influence. Figure those out and get the rest off your plate.

What are the one or two things that give me the greatest return?

This question may sound similar to the first, but it is actually a complement. Maybe you have heard of the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule. In any situation, 20% of the work gets 80% of the results.
If you have ever gone to a pitch-in, maybe you noticed 20% of the people eat 80% of the food. Maybe you have volunteered and seen 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I could continue, but I think you get the point.
As you prioritize your activities, what are the one or two activities that give you the greatest return on your time? Maybe one-on-one meetings with team members. Maybe it is strengthening one or two specific relationships or completing one or two tasks each week. Figure out what they are and put them first on your list.

Who can I empower and equip that will do the work better than me?

This final question is how we overcome our control freak tendencies. (By the way, we all have them, but they just show up in different ways . . . That is a topic for another day.) If we as leaders have to be the best at everything, then we will be the limiter to growth.
Imagine if a CEO of an organization put average people around him or her to do the work they delegate. The organization would be average. That is why a good leader puts people around him or her that are smarter and better at that work. They bring smart financial people, salespeople, technology people, etc.
Maybe the person isn’t better than you in the beginning, but with time and investment in their growth they will be much better and help you take the team to a higher level. They are the people that will handle the priorities you decided in question one and two you should not be focused on. Give it to them, equip and empower them with authority, and watch as you take the team to a higher level together.
Ok, which of these questions do you need to focus on in the next week? It may be uncomfortable at first, but when you do it, your stress will decrease and you will be free to focus on the most important things. Need help thinking into this? Need a tool to help you look at your time and what is important? Check out this free resource to help you evaluate your calendar and your priorities. Take a moment today to answer these questions and lead well!

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