Fighting the Urge to Take Over

Those who aspire to become leaders all share one quality. I'll warn you ahead of time that it isn't earth shattering, or life altering. The quality that all leaders share is that they want to lead.

See, it wasn't that much of a stretch.

Likewise, because leaders want to lead, this means that they typically want to call the shots...grab the bull by the horns...make the big decision...be the chief of their tribe. For the majority of aspiring leaders, this is the driving force to lead.

It is in making the decisions that leaders make a difference. For a new, up-and-coming leader, this is valuable experience. It is in these decisions that leaders cut their teeth, learning what works and what doesn't. New leaders need these "calling the shots" moments to gain knowledge and confidence.

Ironically, as a leader grows and matures, they will find themselves in situations where they have to start releasing these decisions to those they are leading. The reason is very simple. It's the same as for when they were growing as a leader.

A mature leader must let go of the decision-making processes in order to give younger leaders the opportunity to develop.

This isn't an easy task. It goes against the very nature of being a leader. But, it is necessary.

As an organization faces decisions, the natural tendency of a leader is to take over the conversation. Their job is to make those decisions, and to give up that responsibility is foreign.

But, for the sake of the organization, and the upbringing of new leaders, the mature leader has to let go of a large part of the decisions they used to make. It doesn't mean that the mature leader gives up leading. Instead, they help guide new leaders through the process of making wise decisions for the organization.

In the end, fighting the urge to take over will liberate the leader, allowing him or her to focus their attention on more critical aspects of their job.

What are some areas that you need to turn over to leaders under your guidance?