"Look, I'm sorry to have to ask you to take this on, I know it's not your usual area and probably isn't the most exciting thing to come your way, but I don't have much of a choice."
Susan has fallen into the Delegation Apology trap. Like many leaders, she feels uncomfortable delegating to peers or even the more experienced members of her own team. That discomfort can show up as this confusing and demotivating tendency to apologize for, effectively, doing your job.
What feels like a logical pitch to tech experts doesn't always resonate with senior leadership. Let's explore this mismatch and surefire ways to get your message across.
We've all found excuses to Not delegate at one time or another. See if your "favorite" excuse shows up in the Top 5 I've listed in this article.
We're all flawed. It's the attempt to deny or hide the flaws that erodes trust and breaks connection with others—not the personality quirk itself.
Some practical ideas on nonverbal communications suggested by myself and other Forbes Coaches Council members.
If only I didn’t have this horrible feeling in my gut every time I think of updating the committee on this project. Why am I such a wimp?
Whether you’ve had exactly that thought or not, managing our emotions in professional life can be a significant source of difficulty. For some leaders, unregulated emotions are the main limitation on their upward trajectory.
We worry because, deep down we believe this behavior is accomplishing something.
In other words, we believe in magic. Constructive problem solving, is, of course, a useful exercise. That’s not what we’re talking about. We are talking about the proliferation of repeating thoughts, sensations and emotions about “our problem” that we play over and over again in our heads like a demented DJ.
We were late on a project that I had championed. I felt my credibility as a leader was dependent on its success. Any threat to that success led me to thoughts blaming myself or others. It was a very short step from mindlessly letting those complaining thoughts take control of my mind to letting them take control of my mouth.
