When you can’t delegate

I can’t quite remember where I read it, but 95% of the leaders job can be done (most likely more effectively) by people on your team. But it is the 5% of the time where the leader must stand, on their own, and give an account, update, or explanation.
This should almost never happen in the case of positive “news”. In that case, it is the responsibility of the leader to pass along any recognition to the team. “Praise in public” is always a good mantra to follow by giving credit to the hard work of your team.
As Henry Cloud says in “Boundaries for Leaders”, as Leaders “you get what you create…or what you allow”.
As I have been learning over my career, the act of leadership is being the following in the face of criticism, opportunity, and challenge:
Be accountable
If the opportunities presented to you are accurate, don’t point fingers and don’t try to go “Teflon” and dodge the challenge. If you tried and failed, acknowledge it. If a process came up short, it is on you, own it. You need to restore confidence. Ducking and weaving is no way to do that.
Be humble and grateful
Be thankful for the feedback. As impossible as it sounds, if you have the chance to discuss the feedback, be grateful especially if the finding include blind spots in your leadership or processes.
Be solution-minded
Without making excuses, the meeting your in is Day 1, what will be different because of these opportunities. Can you take those and design a better service offering or client focused process? Be prepared with solutions, but ensure you are truly solving the right problem.
Be honorable
As I will never forget, one of my earlier bosses said, “Hey, no ‘whoa is me.’” No one needs a whiner or a deflector. As with the points above, your immediate need is to restore confidence in the work of you and your team. Commit to a follow up and
No one likes to find themselves in the “hot seat”. If you do, it is your hot seat, not one of your staff or second level reports. If you truly get what you create or allow, as the leader, you must be accountable, humble, solution-minded, and honorable to represent the best of your team and restore the trust and confidence in yours and your teams work. Then go make it happen.
