Time to Be Inspired

I recently led a workshop on delegation for first-time managers. I asked the group, “What keeps you from delegating?” One manager chimed in and said, “I think my role is to be a pain sponge, I absorb all the hard stuff, all the pain, so my team doesn’t have to.” I could empathize with this manager, deeply.

In contrast, it reminded me of this talk by Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang. “I wish upon you greatness, which by way of saying it, I wish upon you plenty of pain and suffering.”  I know his Stanford commencement speech got a lot of heat, but I loved it.

In my career, I’ve learned the most from the managers who let me experience the pain of hard work. The fear of failure motivated me, but with one small caveat: I trusted them to have my back, to support me through it, and to constantly raise the bar a bit higher. To be a driver, not a passenger. Pygmalion Effect in full force.

Growing pains are named that for a reason. Growth hurts. I don’t think any of us want to keep our people from growing, so maybe we can’t and shouldn’t, protect them from the pain.

Time to Learn a Little

Speaking of delegation, one of my most popular manager workshops is called Motivation through Delegation. I always thought of delegation as all or nothing, either I do the thing or you do the thing, right? But one day I stumbled upon an image from the CCL (which I have since modified a bit). I now affectionately call it the “delegation rainbow.”

The idea is simple: the level of authority and autonomy you delegate is relative to the task, the time frame, the level of trust you have in the individual, etc.  But this rainbow gives you the ability to delegate in doses. 

So the next time you’re feeling inclined to become a pain sponge, ask yourself, “Who on my team could grow from attempting this project in part or in full?” Then, place them on the rainbow. 

Let’s say you place them far to the right and soon realize they weren’t ready for that much autonomy or authority. Resist the urge to overcorrect and send them all the way back to the left. Instead, bring them back one or two steps on the rainbow and chances are, they will crush it. I encourage you to share the rainbow with your team, it’s a great way to bring more transparency to your relationship.

Time to Connect

Inner circles require cultivation. Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most.” For this inaugural edition of Time for Joy, the top two communities I rely on.

For VC-backed company c-suite leaders:

Venwise: Small groups “pods” of c-suite leaders connect to solve their biggest business challenges. I was a member, then a pod leader. I can trace back the majority of super-connectors in my life back to Venwise.

For People/HR leaders:

TroopHR: Nurturing and helpful community jam-packed with opportunities to develop and connect. They also host an incredible annual member retreat that is a can’t miss on my calendar every year!

As an extreme WOO and extrovert, I am constantly connecting. Lately I’m hearing from Founders and CPOs that they are ready to network again post-pandemic, but they need it to look different than the before-times. Here are two I am building in response to this need:

• Founders without (Local) Friends in Charleston, SC - ok, we do have friends, but we are also really jazzed to meet smart people who are making things happen in our incredible town! 

• Wendy Road - an invite-only dinner & development experience for People Leaders in NYC who identify with this infamous character from Billions (co-founded with the GOAT of my inner circle, Alli Trussell). Our first group is full but the waiting list for the next one is open! Interested in a Wendy Road in another city? Let me know!

These two groups are just the beginning, if you’re interested in being a part of a future inner circle, please tell me more. I’ll get back to you soon with more details.

Connect with me in person:

This month my travels will take me to Portland (Oregon),  NYC, and Minneapolis. If you’d like to try to connect face to face, schedule a 15 minute catch up with me here and we can sync!

Help expand my inner circle!

My company, ScaleJOY, has grown solely through word of mouth and by delivering quality experiences to the hundreds of clients we have supported. Spread the word by sharing this newsletter or connecting them directly to me for leadership development, executive coaching or team offsite facilitation. Thank you for your continued support!