3 Ways to Stop Playing the Hero and Start Making Heroes Out of Your Team

Playing the hero in your leadership role may seem like a good thing, but it can actually hold you back and your team. When you're constantly trying to do everything yourself, you're not giving your team members the opportunity to learn and grow. And that's not good for anyone in the long run.

I’ve come up with three things you can do to stop playing the hero and start making heroes out of your team members:

1.      Think coaching first.

Get a sticky note, write "coach instead of do" on it, and stick it on your computer. Train your brain to think coaching first.

Every day, remind yourself that your job is to coach and hold others accountable, not do. This is a subtle mindset shift, but it's huge for your performance as a leader.

I know it's hard to watch someone less experienced or talented than you without jerking the steering wheel out of their hand. But until you learn to resist the urge, you will continue to sacrifice your long-term sanity, success, and quality of life for immediate gratification.

That's why I recommend giving yourself a constant, physical reminder.

2. Delegate or delete.

Make a list of your most important tasks. These are the tasks that only you can do and that have the biggest impact on your team and your organisation.

Now ask yourself — how many things have you spent time on today that didn't make the list? That is the low-value crap that you must let go if you want your life back. Those activities are stealing your energy and preventing you from mentoring, developing, or holding your people accountable.

The good news? All of them fall into one of two categories:

Things you can delegate: This is stuff you can pass along to a team member or another part of your organisation. Take the time to do this once and you'll never have to worry about it again.

Things you can delete: This is stuff that nobody at all needs to be doing. Let it fall off the table and see what happens. When nothing blows up, I won't say I told you so.

If you've done this before, it's time to do it again. No matter how vigilant you are, time-sucking busywork and pointless meetings can easily creep back into your work life. Delegate or delete.

3. Take back your calendar.

Time blocking is the #1 productivity habit of successful executives and managers. It's the simple practice of scheduling