Years ago, an assistant chastised me for not utilizing him better. He lamented that there was no way he was going to steal my job, if I didn’t teach him how to do it. That was hilarious and he was right.
We often forget the mentors who let us make a million mistakes while they gave us a shot. Then we get the chance to pay it forward and muck it all up with pride.
A few simple tips, in no particular order...
1 - Unless you paint landscapes for a living, memorize the definition of the word team.
2 - If you ever have to remind your direct reports that you are their boss, you have lost the room. At that point, worrying about who is in charge is rendered irrelevant.
3 - If you want someone to do something for you, explain exactly what do to and how you want it done. Leave nothing out and ask with respect.
4 - Rule by fear while you bark orders is a tack that only works never.
5 - If they do a task unsupervised to your complete satisfaction five times, they have grasped the concept and you can move to the next challenge.
6 - Yes, they do want to learn from you so allow them that opportunity.
7 - Lower the bar to reach down to the poor performers and everyone will become poor performers.
8 - Do not be afraid to point out better ways to do things. If you fail to do so, you will be doing someone's career a disservice.
9 - Laugh at work often.
10 - Raise the bar, expect excellence, understand human mistakes, coach well, keep an honest real perspective on your abilities, and celebrate victories.
Not mine, but I love this phrase: Bosses say “Go!” while Leaders say “Let’s Go!”
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