1: As leaders, what’s more addictive than flying in as Superman or Superwoman to save the day?
“It feels downright intoxicating,” Dan Martell writes in his book Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire.
The only problem with regularly donning our capes?
Our teams become dependent on us to provide all the answers.
“It may feel good,” Dan observes, “but over time one person has all the knowledge and expertise.”
We also pay a price. Before long, all the problems are our problems.
“Trust me,” Dan writes, “that’s not a nightmare we want to live.”
Not only that, but “every time we solve a problem on our own, we’re eliminating the chance for someone else to learn.”
This week, we’ve been examining Dan’s straightforward strategies to enhance our team’s success. So far, we explored:
- “Definition of Done,” where as leaders, we share the specifics of what “done” looks like every time we give a team member an assignment
- “The 1-3-1 Rule,” where prior to asking us for help, we require team members to define the ONE problem that needs to be solved, offer THREE viable solutions, and make ONE suggestion from that list of possible solutions.
- “The $50 Magic Pill,” where team members can spend up to a certain amount of money to solve a problem without getting permission.
2: So, what gets in the way of us implementing these strategies?
“While most of these hacks will save us time,” Dan writes, “there is one thing we will have to sacrifice if we truly want more freedom and time: Our ego.”
Because these strategies reduce or eliminate the need for us to jump in and solve the problem.
“If we use the $50 Magic Pill, someone else solved a problem without us,” Dan writes.
“If we push for a direct report to utilize the 1:3:1 Rule, they have to come up with their own solution (even when we know the answer).”
The hard truth? As our organizations grow, sometimes we “aren’t the best person to solve most problems anyway,” Dan observes.
Because what is “work” for us is often someone else’s “play.”
“If our marketing leader is coming to us with an ad campaign problem, aren’t they more likely to understand social media than we are?
“If our administrative assistant comes to us with a question about which organizational software to use, aren’t they more likely to know which would be better?
“If our copywriter comes to us with a copywriting question, aren’t they more likely to come up with the most creative copy-related decision?”
Sure, we excel at a few tasks. We may be great at many of them. But we’re “not the best at everything,” Dan notes.
When we trust our colleagues, we are telling them, “You can handle this,” removing ourselves as “the all-powerful savior of your company.”
3: Dan then outlines four other advantages to letting go of “the big E:”
Advantage #1: Empowerment. “Others begin to find the answers,” Dan writes. “More importantly, they begin to trust themselves to find the answers.”
Advantage #2: Exploration. When others bring forward their solutions, we create a culture of creativity.
Advantage #3: Equity distribution. “When others bring their suggestions,” he notes, “they now have buy-in. If their recommendation fails, it’s on them, not just on us.”
Advantage #4: Effective productivity. As leaders, as we utilize these strategies with our direct reports, they, too, will use them with their teams. The result: Everyone becomes more productive.
More tomorrow!
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Reflection: How often am I “saving the day” instead of letting my team learn, grow, and solve problems themselves?
Action: This week, when a team member comes forward with a problem, resist jumping in with the answer. Instead, encourage the use of the 1-3-1 Rule and empower them to own the solution—even if it means swallowing my ego.
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