Hey Guys- I hired my first assistant when I began my consulting practice right out of grad school. She was a seasoned, retired executive assistant from a big corporate job, and was just looking for something interesting to do for twenty hours a week to get her out of the house and have fun. We really hit it off, and I was so glad to have her as part of my team. Shortly after we began together, we met and I gave her a bunch of projects and work to do. She took it all and went back to her office. About an hour later she came in and said something that I will always remember. It went something like this. You have hired someone for twenty hours a week and given me forty hours of work. Which twenty would you like me to do? I did not know what to say. The reason was twofold. First, she was putting the problem right where it belonged: in my lap. She was not taking responsibility for my bad planning and saying yes to too many things, or being unwilling to hire someone full time. That was my problem, not hers, and she was giving it to me. She was being responsible to me and not for me. Second, she was not moving. She was steadfast. I could see it in her mature, deep blue eyes and Now what are you going to do? smile. She was not distressed, stressed, or out of sorts. She was calm and clear. So, there was no drama to deal with like many less mature people would have created. The absence of drama made things very clear, which it always does, and it is one of the best by-products of a person being in control of themselves. It makes the problem the problem and they do not become the problem. So, I had to take responsibility for myself and my planning - and prioritize. I had to make some hard decisions and get focused on what I needed to focus on. It truly was my problem, and she had helped me. Perhaps you are thinking, But you dont know my boss. She would say, Then you better find a way to do all of that in twenty hours or I will find someone who will. But at the end of the day, you will have to figure out that if you are working for someone who is asking you to do the impossible, or do the job of three people, or work more than you have purposed to work, you have a problem. And you are going to have to solve that problem or go crazy. You do a good boss a good service when you make him or her aware of the problems that their overcommitment is bringing on the system. Remember the warnings to the captain of the Titanic? Those were a favor. If you are on a ship where dangers lie ahead, and the ones in charge do not heed them, then you may be on a sinking ship. That is no reason not to give the warnings, and if you find out you are on the kind of ship where leadership does not heed clear warnings, that is a clear sign to get your own lifeboat in order. I am sure that some people at Enron or other corporations that melted down in scandals could look back and see that the ones in charge were out of control, and they would have done themselves a service to have gotten out when the getting was good. Either way, be responsible for yourself and to others. In those situations, rejecting ineffective thinking like, But you dont know my boss or What if they wont listen? might have led to taking responsibility for their own lives - and maybe selling that stock while it still existed. Cheers, Henry
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 19:26:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015