Leadership: "Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?!"
Brian Siegel
Dr. Aft MGMT
Personal Ethical Dilemma
Should I stay or should I go now?
I find myself having a conflict with my values. After realizing I am an idealist by nature, and also like to aid my fellow human beings, I find myself enjoying an overflowing dinner plate during the day at work. Do I continue picking up the slack of fellow team members to facilitate day to day business? Or do I take a different approach, let the tasks pile up, see what happens, and trust they will get done? The “brick” theory spoken about by Dr. Aft summarizes so many jobs, and measures when to say “when”! It’s how you manage the “when” or “no”, and focus on yourself and your tasks. Finding a harmony and balance is an art, yet a tool that we should all fundamentally learn. This lesson is learned by much pain, multi tasking, and development of “adult attention deficit disorder”. Do I continue picking up the slack, handling others tasks and projects, or do I realize that I need to focus on my own tasks and this is not a selfish ordeal? To work, but with an unselfish focus, dedicated to our team by instilling trust, accountability, and the vision that things will get done if I am not there to pick up the slack? As Dr. Ingrid H. Shafer says, “Conduct that falls into neither constructive nor the destructive category does not even become an issue for ethical or moral deliberation…”. Is this behavior constructive or destructive? I have been finding that it is constructive in the short term, but for the long term and team development, it can fall into the destructive category if we don’t watch out for this personal villain some of us quietly have. It’s not wrong to take action, but perhaps I should watch how I take certain steps during the action. One of Deming’s points is “Institute Leadership”. How is leadership instituted if I am an adult babysitter? It’s not! Accountability, imagination, action, and supervision that allows for employee empowerment and thought benefits the business and employee personally. I am not aggressive to the point that I am overbearing, or so take charge I eliminate the task or individuality, but I have had this thought that I am taking on too much, involved in too many teams, and although it looks great, what does it accomplish if I pick up the slack of others not aware of correct procedure with smaller tasks, and commit myself to overstuffing? Am I detrimental or some sort of business super man? Be mediocre at many things, or discover a genius at a one or small number of things? I find myself integrating a lot of the subjects written about from the article “Reawakening your Passion for Work” in regards to clarity, renewal, listening, taking a deep breath, restorative action, finding my core, and reflective exercises. If I am involved constantly in many things, I am detrimental to the development and learning of others, and also my personal time and discovery. Delegating is an art as is balance. As Max Dupree speaks about in “Leadership Jazz”, we need to learn to create synergy through trust, explaining, accountability, not “dumping”, staying involved to a point, and learn from all. I find myself too involved, carrying the water carriers (Dupree), and need to decide if I am going to constantly need a “rope” with everyone, or learn that I can take a bath, and everything will be just fine (Ropes or Bathrooms, Dupree)! A key we call promise shouldn’t be one that we had to someone then take back. It’s a commitment, but a commitment both sides need to take. As I write, I believe I am clearer on my dilemma. It’s not delegating or supervision as much as it is trust I need to develop. So, do I trust people enough do get things done, personally develop, and create a balance? Or do I constantly join or jump in when someone has too many bricks in the water?
Dr. Aft MGMT
Personal Ethical Dilemma
Should I stay or should I go now?
I find myself having a conflict with my values. After realizing I am an idealist by nature, and also like to aid my fellow human beings, I find myself enjoying an overflowing dinner plate during the day at work. Do I continue picking up the slack of fellow team members to facilitate day to day business? Or do I take a different approach, let the tasks pile up, see what happens, and trust they will get done? The “brick” theory spoken about by Dr. Aft summarizes so many jobs, and measures when to say “when”! It’s how you manage the “when” or “no”, and focus on yourself and your tasks. Finding a harmony and balance is an art, yet a tool that we should all fundamentally learn. This lesson is learned by much pain, multi tasking, and development of “adult attention deficit disorder”. Do I continue picking up the slack, handling others tasks and projects, or do I realize that I need to focus on my own tasks and this is not a selfish ordeal? To work, but with an unselfish focus, dedicated to our team by instilling trust, accountability, and the vision that things will get done if I am not there to pick up the slack? As Dr. Ingrid H. Shafer says, “Conduct that falls into neither constructive nor the destructive category does not even become an issue for ethical or moral deliberation…”. Is this behavior constructive or destructive? I have been finding that it is constructive in the short term, but for the long term and team development, it can fall into the destructive category if we don’t watch out for this personal villain some of us quietly have. It’s not wrong to take action, but perhaps I should watch how I take certain steps during the action. One of Deming’s points is “Institute Leadership”. How is leadership instituted if I am an adult babysitter? It’s not! Accountability, imagination, action, and supervision that allows for employee empowerment and thought benefits the business and employee personally. I am not aggressive to the point that I am overbearing, or so take charge I eliminate the task or individuality, but I have had this thought that I am taking on too much, involved in too many teams, and although it looks great, what does it accomplish if I pick up the slack of others not aware of correct procedure with smaller tasks, and commit myself to overstuffing? Am I detrimental or some sort of business super man? Be mediocre at many things, or discover a genius at a one or small number of things? I find myself integrating a lot of the subjects written about from the article “Reawakening your Passion for Work” in regards to clarity, renewal, listening, taking a deep breath, restorative action, finding my core, and reflective exercises. If I am involved constantly in many things, I am detrimental to the development and learning of others, and also my personal time and discovery. Delegating is an art as is balance. As Max Dupree speaks about in “Leadership Jazz”, we need to learn to create synergy through trust, explaining, accountability, not “dumping”, staying involved to a point, and learn from all. I find myself too involved, carrying the water carriers (Dupree), and need to decide if I am going to constantly need a “rope” with everyone, or learn that I can take a bath, and everything will be just fine (Ropes or Bathrooms, Dupree)! A key we call promise shouldn’t be one that we had to someone then take back. It’s a commitment, but a commitment both sides need to take. As I write, I believe I am clearer on my dilemma. It’s not delegating or supervision as much as it is trust I need to develop. So, do I trust people enough do get things done, personally develop, and create a balance? Or do I constantly join or jump in when someone has too many bricks in the water?
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