This book came at just the right time. I was out on the Larapinta trail with my Leader’s Edge Mastermind group, the Chillers, and we were discussing the leadership challenges of delegation, and how not to be a micro-managing pest.
A leadership framework for using new knowledge
Zoe Routh reviews Leadership Hacks by Scott Stein.
Scott Stein’s book was with me and I was delighted to pull it out and point straight to the chapter on delegation. Scott has a very simple model that explains the three main modes in delegation: Tell, Show, Ask. Each one has a particular application and context. For example, the Tell mode is most useful when:
You’re short on time AND the individual you’re speaking already knows how to do what needs to be done
When you have an individual or group who are likely to be most motivated and inspired by a story
When you’re communicating a set of instructions that need to be followed to the letter otherwise disaster ensues.
This book is great across each of the main sections Personal Hacks (distraction and productivity, technology and email), One-On-One Hacks (communication, delegation, coaching) and Team Hacks (team meetings, team mobilisation).
One of my favourite processes in the book is to mindmap your current activities. Look at what you’re doing, and identify where you’re spending your time. Look at how much time you are spending working on your business rather than it operational activities versus strategic ones). Map your ideal activity. Now we have a gap. Identify the activities that could be delegated to someone else in your team so you can be more strategic in your work.. Then create a transition plan.
I love this book because it is written as an easy to use handbook - easy to read, easy to implement. Highly recommended. Get it here.
What I find with the books I recommend and give to my clients, is that knowledge is great, but implementation is wisdom.
Reading plus action boosts leadership effectiveness
So here are my implementation ‘hacks’ that you can apply to Scott’s book, and to any other book you’re reading and want to make use of.
In your note-taking app of choice, jot down the three to five most relevant ideas/strategies from the book.
Identify which 1-3 strategies that would make the biggest difference to your work if you mastered or implemented. These are best done if you have a task / meeting/ appointment coming up soon where you can implement these new ideas.
Pick the the strategy that is most useful and most timely,
Create a task with a deadline to start the new strategy in your task management system.
Use the book to guide your actions and do it!
Schedule 15 minutes in your diary in two weeks time to do the process again, and to review the strategy you implemented. Keep doing this until the new strategies are part of your new way of doing work.
Bonus:
Share the ideas from the book with a colleague or team and challenge them to implement one of them.
Buy a copy of the book to give to a friend, colleague, or team member, with post-it notes for the sections you think they would find most useful and why.
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Related Articles:
How to lead with confidence through uncertainty
Boundless Leadership: What Leaders Are Desperate For
How to be a Better People Manager: One Fundamental
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About the author, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted staff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.