september – From the desk of Adam Thomas

Holistic delegation is a meta-skill

When I started unpacking the concept of regular delegation this month, I thought that I would write about just the act of giving someone something to do.

That is regular delegation.

Simple enough. However, there is more than that.

Great leaders recognize the action around the transaction as well. That regular delegation pales to “holistic delegation,” which is delegating which considers all other concerns.

Even before you give someone something to do, there are things to consider:

How are you going to explain the why? We aren’t robots, treating people like they are is a surefire way to mediocre work.
What needs to happen with the team to make sure they have a chance of getting things done? The last thing you need is a project that is dead on arrival.
Where is their skin in the game? Threatening them with the stick won’t get your best out of people.

These questions sound like a lot of work, and they are. That’s why the focus is always important. Doing high leverage work is your leadership balance. Everything else has to fall to the side to even attempt holistic delegation.

Holistic delegating is a meta-skill. The good news is, leveling up any one of those things makes the rest doable.

So, get some coffee.

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Did you know I send a newsletter out every Sunday? It is more personal than the blog, combining my personal stories with an overarching theme. I also throw in some great links that I’ve found on the internet.

[bctt tweet=””If there is no struggle there is no progress” – Fredrick Douglass”]

Life takes you places.

I started this month focused on risk. By the middle of it, I recognized that I wasn’t in a place that I could focus on it effectively, so I effectively canceled the month’s theme.

Never did that before, but it felt right to do. That will be the theme next month, and I am far more suited to work with it now.

What stopped that from happening? Well, I allowed a break to break me. My vacation to Cabo moved me down a path of mood leadership(I’ll explain below) and the work that I did over the last few months fell away.

All of my habits fell to the wayside. Comedy stopped. Writing stopped. Reading stopped. In short, I left everything behind because I found myself running away. I felt like a failure based on my fear.

“If there is no struggle there is no progress”

Instead of wallowing in that failure, I took the opportunity to look inside and find out what made me tick so much. Through investigating smaller issues like using my office and establishing a wakeup time, I started to circle around fear. I’ve written about fear and the resistance (as Steven Pressfield calls it), but each time I tangle with it, I begin to understand it more.

This month was a great opportunity to understand.

[bctt tweet=”Fear is everywhere – but it doesn’t have to stop you”]

Through that understanding, I discovered that plans are great trip wires, ownership means real vulnerability, and there is no shame in leaving. I grew this month by working through the pain I felt, and came out of it a better person.

Struggle isn’t all bad, and sometimes the best thing to do is to sit right in the middle of it and see what it teaches you. You may not end up in a good place, but I think you end up in a better one than where you were before. Failure isn’t bad or good, it is simply an opportunity.

Wins:

Fear– Recognizing that it lies at the core of everything I do. Asking a simple question “What are you afraid of?” lies serious insight.
- Lesson: Fear is everywhere – but it doesn’t have to stop you
Sleep – When I sleep better, everything else gets better. I get creative and I can take more emotional risks. Waking up at the same time everyday makes everything easier, sleeping in on the weekends doesn’t catch you up with anything.
- Lesson: Go to sleep at a decent time, prioritize your sleep experience, and wake up at a consistent time.
Visualization–Breathing and visualizing helps. Take the opportunity to breath when you feel bad, and then visualize how you make the next situation better.
- Lesson: Box breathing and taking time to focus improve the situation around you.

Losses:

Mood – Through most of the month, I let my mood dictate my actions instead of letting action lead the way.
- Lesson: Mood leadership ( letting your mood lead you around) is a treadmill. Doing something positive with breathing and visualization will help.
A Break Broke Me–I collapsed on all habits when I took a break in the middle of the month. I have to stay consistent.
- Lesson: Plan your breaks. Don’t use it as an excuse to lose.

Important Posts

Books

Habits

Sleep w/ CPAP – Didn’t take this seriously. Started too and changed how I slept.
Water Coffee Tea – WCT! Changing my drinking habits. Not all the way there (I’ll cheat sometimes) but it is amazing how much better I feel – and money I save, but focusing on just WCT.

Closing The Loop

Todo Lists – Experimenting with to-do lists based on location. Losing my old habits brought up this idea. Has been interesting so far.

Emotional Intelligence

It Isn’t For Me – When something wasn’t for me I would take it as an insult. Lately, I just make that decision and still try to enjoy myself in the ways I do.
Gratitude – Just the practice with the 5 minute journal. It helps calm the seas.

Network

Barbershop Books – Working with Detroit!
Harlem Tech – A lot of people working on stuff up town. It has been wonderful.

Organization

Slowly GTD – Worked in my day job cubicle. Now its time to do it in my office. Slowly preparing and it is scary due to the amount of notes!