Leaders: what can only you do?

This article is written by Paula Vital, BCL, LLB, mindfulness coach, yoga therapist and civil servant in the Ontario Public Service.

• The problem: Taking on too much and finding difficulty in delegating can be common for leaders.
• Why it matters: Doing too much can soon lead to overwhelm and poor mental health.
• The solution: Practise the art of mindfulness when work comes in and ask yourself, ‘is this really something only I can do?’

What is it that I only can do? Learning to delegate and the 80/20 rule

When I first started my management journey, I found myself doing things, and then realising that I had a team that could have done them! Then I would find myself rewriting or redoing products, and then realising that this was taking me a tremendous amount of time with very little return.

Mindfulness can help with these typical management challenges. When we incorporate a mindful pause when a new task comes in, we can ask ourselves – is this something only I can do? If not, who would be the best person for this job?

Taking the time to build your team’s capacity for project leadership will help to increase their engagement while reducing your overwhelm. Again, this will require the mindfulness practice of spending time with your team, being present with them, and adequately communicating tasks so they fully understand your expectations.

When you catch yourself over-editing or redoing your team’s tasks, this is another opportunity for mindfulness. Does this product actually need to be redone, or is it just my preference?

Be ok with 80%

I have heard that the last 20% of work takes 80% of the time. So if we allow ourselves to be ok with 80% on most things, this will create more space and ease in our day, along with greater empowerment for your team members who see their work is appreciated rather than constantly revisited.

Delegating and managing our expectations requires transitioning from automatic pilot, where we quickly move from one thing to the next, to more intentionally responding to the various demands that arise throughout the day. From constantly running from one thing to the next, to stopping for a moment to observe what is arising.

Here is a video on how to shift this perspective.

You are doing better than you think – practise self-compassion

Perhaps it is the nature of being a leader that you often feel like you are not fit for it and should just quit or move to an easier job. Maybe it’s just me, but I seem to have this thought every other day!

There is so much to do as a leader, so many people’s expectations and tasks to deal with, that to feel that you are not up to the task is part of the game. Don’t take yourself out of the race! Instead, remind yourself of the many things you are doing well.

If we can adopt a growth mindset, where it is ok to take risks and make mistakes, then just get up and try again, and even communicate to others when we are feeling not sure about things, this will take a lot of the pressure off.

The practice of self-compassion, treating ourselves as we would a friend or loved one, can really help with this.

Here is a self-compassion practice that you can try when you are feeling unsure about your success: self-compassion break

I hope these mindfulness tips will help you to navigate your management journey more smoothly! As mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn says, we can’t stop the waves, but we can learn to surf.

This is the second part of a series on why mindfulness matters in the public service. Read part one.

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