Leadership Thought #454 – Be Careful About Taking On Too Much
Leaders must avoid taking on too much.
There is a wise old saying, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” In my experience, this phrase accurately depicts how families, organizations, and communities operate. The “Type A” person will always assume the most responsibility and be the hub of critical activity. Other people tend to rely on them and their boundless energy for execution. Unfortunately, if you are not careful, this dynamic can also become dysfunctional and unhealthy over time.
When someone overextends themselves to fulfill their responsibilities, it leads to diminishing returns. We each have only so much bandwidth to allocate to our responsibilities. What starts out as a promising idea often ends up becoming a burden for the party responsible, creating unrealistic expectations for those who depend on that person’s efforts. The energy and focus will gravitate toward what is not being done and who is to blame, rather than the best way to move forward. Sadly, we often end up becoming disconnected and resentful over what initially brought us together.
Most of us in leadership positions need to say “no” more often than we currently do. Instead of always taking on more, we need to learn to let go and take on less. I have seen many talented individuals buckle under the weight of their self-imposed pressures. Overcommitment always comes with a cost. Ironically, the people and things that require most of our attention end up taking a backseat to lesser priorities and other distractions. The gap between what we want and what we are getting only widens, and eventually, some form of breakdown usually occurs.
It is always advisable to do a few things well rather than too many in an okay or mediocre fashion. Activity is never a good substitute for results. We are defined not just by what we do, but by what we achieve and how this aligns with what we truly value. Be careful about taking on too much and losing sight of what is most important in the process.
Related articles
- Chapter 2…..(continued)….The heart of the wise person (bhagavadgitablog1.wordpress.com)
- Eight Simple Lessons a Wise Book Taught Me (seapublication.wordpress.com)
- 5 proven ways to avoid distraction at work and increase your focus (prodcoach.wordpress.com)
- Don’t Use Up All Your Energy Multitasking (bigthink.com)
- Productivity with Purpose (tingkelly.wordpress.com)
- Dan Goleman: The Four Basic Moves to Strengthen Focus (huffingtonpost.com)
- Stress and performance: the other law of diminishing returns (triciainflow.wordpress.com)
