Take a look around your office. Look at your desk. Look at your email In-Box. As you look at the various piles of papers and streams of emails, ask yourself, “What am I dodging? What am I trying to delay? What problems, issues, or projects am I finding excuses to avoid? From what am I intentionally (Though I claim it’s unintentional) hiding?”
If you’re getting nervous by any of the questions above, you’re probably avoiding Procrastination Leadership. Procrastination Leadership is a term I’ve coined to describe that leadership trait that causes effective leaders to address what others fear; to initiate what others avoid; and to complete what others delay. It’s that characteristic of overcoming your innate desire to continue to stall, because you’ve identified those things that are important enough to stay on your To Do list, even though you’ve been avoiding them. It’s that ability to instead tell yourself, “I’m the leader. It’s my job to do something about this.” Then choosing to forge ahead and do it. It’s deciding to bite the bullet and do what needs to be done.
Procrastination Leadership addresses things such as:
- Having Necessary Conversations™ with under-performing staff
- Holding meetings with antagonistic colleagues to clear the air and achieve understanding
- Reviewing difficult documents, texts, and reports to wade through the heavy material so you can move it to the next person waiting for the information
- Sitting down with team members to layout needed project plans or revamp poorly-performing projects
- Meeting with board members to clarify roles, responsibilities, and boundaries
- Working on tasks expected of a leader instead of working on those that should be handled by staff
Procrastination Leadership is recognizing and then acting upon those various difficult tasks that you, as a leader, are charged with handling; those tasks that you are being paid to address; and those tasks your strong team members have been waiting for you to address.
Don’t make them wait any longer. Take on Procrastination Leadership and become the leader others need you to be.
Copyright MMXIII – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890
Liz supports clients with strategic and succession planning, as well as leadership training and executive coaching. Learn more about Liz on LinkedIn!
