Giving your job away.

After you've spent months or years pouring into a system, process, or team, it can be really hard to pass that responsibility on to someone else.   For technical leaders, it's easy to invest so much of our passion and efforts into our craft that it becomes very personal.  But we miss the opportunity to raise up other leaders if we are always trying to hold on to all of the things that are currently "our job". 

Organizations change and grow, and as a result our roles will change and grow.   And I'm sure that you don't want to be an obstacle to that growth.  I know I don't.  The truth is, we have to push responsibility down, because that is the best thing for our organizations. Delegating to others accomplishes two key things.  First, it grows and develops other people and prepares them to step into new roles with new responsibilities.  Secondly, it frees you up to spend time on other important projects and even take on new responsibilities yourself.   It makes you even more available to the organization when something changes and you're needed somewhere new. 

My pastor shared something very inspiring today.  He said, "One of my greatest joys is giving my job away."  Think about that.  He's not worried about up and coming leaders stealing his time in the spotlight.  Instead, he's encouraging it!  Its probably because he knows the secret that a leader who raises up other leaders will always have a job.  

You may wonder what you'll do all day if you delegate more.  That thought has crossed my mind as well.  Right now I'm in the process of giving some things away to a member of my team.  Does it feel weird?  Totally.  Is it the best thing for the church?  Absolutely.  What am I going to do with my spare time?  I'll spend time and energy planning the future, building into volunteers, trying my hand at something new and who knows what else!  Tech leaders in the church always seem to have a never ending to-do list anyway, so maybe you can just make a dent in that!  

So what is one thing you can give away this week?  Could you give away one thing every week?  Wow, that's a tough one.  It might be difficult to let go of some things, but it's the best way to empower and equip the volunteers and/or staff that you lead.  It communicates to your team that you believe in them and that you trust them, and those are life giving feelings.