When "I" Am Important and When Not

One of the observations I've made of myself, and of others, is that often we get confused about when we really are important, and when we really aren't.   The dynamic often goes like this . . .that we become too involved in things in which we really shouldn't that we neglect to take care of the things, and the people, that really matter.  With that in mind, here's a quick primer on when "I" isn't such an important concept for leaders and when it is.

When the "I" Really Doesn't Matter. . .

I Don't Need to Do Everything Myself.  Whether out of a sense of "getting everything right" or "it's just easier to do it myself"  this is not a good idea.

I Don't Need to Insert Myself Into Every Situation.  Good leaders don't need to be everywhere;   they need to be where they are needed.

I Don't Need to Work Long Hours Just to Prove My Worth.  The natural workload provides more than enough challenge;  we don't need to add to it by incrementing our time at the office just because we think it will impress someone.

I Don't Need to be Right All of the Time.   Sometimes we spend so much energy and time trying to prove that we were right. . .that ultimately we are really, really wrong.

I Don't Need to be the Center of the Universe.   Your importance as a leader is not because you  need or want to be feel important.

So Instead of Wasting My Time on the Above. . .

I Need to Align the Team Around the Goals of the Enterprise.   This is core to every leader's work. . .time must be spent leading the charge to achieve the driving mission of the company.

I Need to be Present for My Team.   Team members who are involved in the work of the enterprise need guidance and answers at a moment's notice.   Leaders must be available to answer  questions ranging from the simplest to the most complex.

I Need to Listen.   One of the strongest ways to communicate a team member is valuable is to spend time listening. . .one of the best ways to be an invaluable asset to the enterprise is to listen to others.

I Need to Take Care of Myself.    Some of the stupidest things I've done I did when I thought I was too busy to take care of myself.   Good food, good rest, time with friends and family, as well as time spent in quiet thought are all strong investments not only in your own leadership, but in the success of the team.

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Brent Frerichs is the author of "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" available on Amazon Kindle for e-readers, tablets, Macs and PCs.