Leaders within organizations show up in 1:1 coaching with me and say:
“I know I’m doing too much. I need to delegate more.”
They want to know why they aren’t doing those things.
We boil it down pretty quickly into a thought process that sounds something like this:
“If I don’t do these things, I’ll be viewed as _______________.”
Fill in the blank with any word that makes you cringe.
That’s the shadow part of leadership right there.
For example, a hospital administrator may tell me,
“I’ll be seen as weak.”
Internally, they have an association with the word they resist.
“I cannot be viewed that way!!”
And yet, the power is in reclaiming that word.
After uncovering the root and processing any emotions that go with it, beliefs may turn into:
“Maybe I am weak, sometimes. It’s not my whole identity. It’s okay if people call me that.”
Instead of trying to outrun the idea of being those things, reclaim the word.
Own the word.
Make it that not big of a deal.
Then there is power again.
Then it becomes easier to delegate.
What are the words you avoid wanting to be called?
Put them in the comments so others can learn in the community.
And check out the other videos in this series:
- Feeling guilty about delegating more work to burnt out staff
- How to stop deciding doing everything myself is a good strategy as a leader
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