The most important time we can spend is in developing the capacity of others

At a recent leadership institute where I co-facilitated, there was considerable discussion about the challenges of balancing operational or administrative responsibilities together with the inspirational, transformative and exciting work that is deeply satisfying and of the greatest organizational value. Participants shared that they often feel so bogged down in the day-to-day, it’s hard to find time to pursue strategic and innovative projects – let alone vision them!

I think this feels true for most administrators – in higher education or elsewhere. In a way, the conversation that the group had juxtaposes the polar opposites of a continuum: from managing through to leading. And in response to this dilemma, it was natural to get caught up in the “righting reflex“: collectively problem-solving around things like time management, setting priorities, finding efficiencies and performance management. However, upon reflection, these solutions were really management focused ideas. None of them got to the heart of the problem.

So…what would a leadership-focused approach look like? The shift in the room happened in response to a question that I’ve asked myself:

If every member of your team was working to their fullest capacity, expending their collective discretionary energy, and was truly excited by their work and contributions, how would that impact your own time and capacity?

This question opened up a whole new conversation, now centred squarely on leadership. The beauty of the question is that it highlights how supporting and developing our teams is the most essential role we have as administrators (that is, as leaders). The only way we can realize relentless innovation and thrive in conditions of rapid change is to open up a space for individuals to step into their own leadership potential.

Of course, this is easier said than done. Day-to-day operations will always need care and feeding, and engaging teams in distributed leadership is as much (or more) art as it is science. Plus, there may be very real resource inadequacies and/or employee performance concerns. However, on the whole, feeling overwhelmed by details is a symptom to pay attention to. It’s a cue to ask the above question and fearlessly look in the mirror.

And to ask a follow-up question: Where am I focusing, and what more can I be doing to unleash the potential of my team?

We all want meaningful work, to be inspired, to make a difference and have an impact. To be happy. Leadership isn’t just about increasing organizational productivity or freeing up more time for ourselves – when we invest in the capacity of others, that might just be the most deeply satisfying work we can do.