Originally published in The Newnan Times-Herald, read here.
During my active-duty service in the United States Army, I learned one of the most valuable leadership lessons of life and business. The lesson came while serving with the First Infantry Division (Big Red 1) located at Fort Riley, Kansas, during a leadership course.
The third week of training was a week spent in the field. During that week I was selected to be the Battalion Commander over several hundred soldiers. Our first day began around 4:00 a.m., and we did not reach our objective until approximately midnight. The day spent walking in combat gear was exhausting as we crossed all types of terrain and dealt with probing enemy attacks along our route.
Upon arrival at our objective, the company platoon leaders began to set up a perimeter for guard duty. I was meeting with the company commanders at the edge of a tree line to discuss guard duty locations, shifts, and the next day’s mission. We were all absolutely exhausted. During our planning conversation, I felt the overwhelming need to lead by example and share the burden of the night, so I told my company commanders that I would take the first shift of guard duty for them so they could get some rest. No one objected.
As we departed, a training officer observing our performance pulled me aside and quietly asked me, “Why are you willing to kill everyone to make yourself feel better?”
Wow! Now I was exhausted AND shocked, and felt the weight of what my gut told me I was about to learn. The training officer explained to me that I should never be on guard duty or perform any other like duties. I needed to make sure that I received as much rest as battlefield circumstances would allow, because the decisions I make as a leader will either one save lives or two get everyone killed. An exhausted and distracted leader is a very dangerous leader.
Replay this scenario in your business or family life and you will find that it directly applies. Are you working on tasks that should be delegated to other employees or left entirely to you? Are you avoiding or neglecting the duties of your position because your feelings about delegating are getting in the way? Are there traces of guilt in your thoughts when you know the task you are assigning will be extremely difficult or negatively impact the person receiving it?
If any of these are true, you are on, or near, a very dangerous path. Depending on your leadership position, you are duty-bound to fulfill your responsibilities while delegating to others and holding everyone accountable. Failures in this area of leadership can take profitable companies with great products and people straight into a ditch from which you may not emerge without significant financial loss and employee pain.
Take time today to look honestly at what you’re working on and ask a simple question: Does this task truly matter? Will it strengthen a relationship, move the organization forward, or meaningfully serve the people you’re responsible for?
If the answer is no, don’t ignore the discomfort that follows. That discomfort often isn’t responsibility, it’s fear masquerading as productivity. Many leaders exhaust themselves doing work that feels important but accomplishes very little.
Leadership isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things, well-rested, clear-headed, and with the courage to say no to what distracts from what truly matters.
