| One of the greatest mentors I will ever have | | | | managers really struggled, but in the end I learned |
| was an executive coach named Dawn. She was | | | | a lot about myself and what it means to lead. I |
| the leadership coach for all of the general | | | | had to watch others slip and falter, and even fail |
| managers at Time Warner Cable, and thanks to | | | | at times, but finally exposing these weaknesses |
| the agreements we had with them, she worked | | | | was better for my team and the company. My |
| with one of my startups. My boss, one of the | | | | starts finally had a chance to shine and with the |
| founders, convinced the rest of the team that | | | | new room to spread their previously caged wings, |
| since I had 3 direct and 60 total reports (55 more | | | | they more than made up for the faltering of |
| than any other department), I probably would | | | | others. |
| benefit from her advice. He was oh so right! | | | | Many of you, well those of you who are at |
| Of all of the many things she had to teach there | | | | startups know it is impossible to delegate most of |
| is one quote I share often and live by. When | | | | what you do. There are no executive assistants, |
| Dawn took a look at my activity list and saw | | | | support staff, or any other employees; it is just |
| what I tried to accomplish on any given day she | | | | you and a few others that are equally |
| said, "Karl, if you are doing something that | | | | overburdened. My advice in these cases is to stick |
| someone else can do, you are not doing the | | | | to your priorities and only do as many little things |
| things only you can do." | | | | as are necessary to accomplish the major |
| This statement struck me to the core and for a | | | | objectives. All those other things can wait, and if |
| couple of days I started to examine the | | | | you avoid them, you will find the resources to |
| controlling nature that had my hands in the minutia | | | | have others eventually do them. |
| of other people's work. I made a concerted | | | | In the end I would also advise outsourcing as |
| effort to heed her advice and in weeks my | | | | much as you can to virtual workers. This new |
| managers and admin were doing most of the | | | | crop of employee is less expensive and driven to |
| busy work I felt responsible for. My reps were in | | | | succeed. We have new worlds burgeoning on the |
| charge of their own pipelines and tracking of | | | | growth of working form remote locations. For |
| activity. My boss was in charge of his win | | | | every few dollars you place in someone else's |
| agendas and expectations of me. I had to learn | | | | pocket, you get back an hour that could be worth |
| that there were things I could not afford to | | | | thousands. I mean who else is going to come up |
| sweat if I was going to become more effective. | | | | with the plan that makes you win? |
| My team rebelled at first, and one of my | | | | |