Turbo Leadership Systems : The TURBO* Charger

Larry W. Dennis, Sr.
President,
Turbo Leadership
Systems©

Maybe You Are Not Indispen-sable

Stephanie, assistant branch manager for a Portland healthcare organization, told Session 10 of Turbo’s Leadership Development Lab (LDL):

“On October 21st, Rachel, our new Patient Service Representative, started working at one of our local offices. We still had one more position to fill and I knew I would be busy with interviewing potential candidates while also filling in at the front desk. My boss, Julie, wanted me to train Rachel because our lead, Mirela, who is the natural person to train for this position, can be condescending at times. Two months earlier, I had chosen Mirela as my ‘Pearl,’ the person I wanted to improve my relationship with. I felt it was important for her to train Rachel, so I delegated this responsibility to her.

“Before Rachel started in her new job, I had a planning meeting with Mirela. I changed my natural way of communication to appeal to her ‘noble motives.’ I let her know she was the most knowledgeable and experienced person to train Rachel. I let her know I would cover the front desk for her so she could fully focus on the orientation training required to ensure Rachel had a good start and was confident and competent in her new role. I feel this was a turning point in our relationship. Mirela has done a thorough job of training Rachel and become much more open and accepting to new ideas herself. She is more friendly to everyone on our staff, including me. This has made the branch a better place to work with improved morale and patient care.

“The lesson I learned from this experience is that effective, empowering delegation is important because it can build the other person’s self-esteem and confidence, and empowers them to take on added responsibilities. The action I call you to take is delegate some of your responsibilities; recognize that delegation is empowering and can lead to greater levels of engagement. You aren’t the only one who can do many of the things you do every day; you really aren’t indispensable. The benefit you will gain is less stress and a stronger, engaged team.”

The Indispensable Woman

by Saxon White Kessinger

Sometimes when you're feeling important
Sometimes when your ego's in bloom
Sometimes when you think that you are
The best qualified woman in the room

Sometimes when you think that your absence
Would leave an unfillable hole
Just follow these simple instructions
And see how they humble your soul

Take a bucket and fill it with water
Put your hand in it up to your wrist
Then take it back out and the hole that remains
Is the measure of how you'll be missed

Now you can splash as much as you want to
You can stir up the water for sure
Then stop and you see in a moment
That the water's the same as before

Now the moral to this is quite simple
You must do the best that you can
But you'll always be wise to remember
There is no indispensable woman