leadership dot #4628: task hierarchy

It’s a myth to think that once you achieve a high position in an organization, you are finished with projects. Directors, vice presidents, and even CEOs still have tasks on their to-do lists; the nature of the work is what changes.

Leaders do work that is appropriate to their level: creating strategy, chairing important committees, communicating with external influencers, developing and hiring senior staff, analyzing data, and managing resources. Rare is the employee who can delegate everything and focus all their time on thinking or reading.

Leaders are doers — doers of high-impact work that creates the culture and vision for others to successfully contribute. Take a look at your to-do list and assess whether the projects align with your position, and if not, elevate your doing to match your role in the organization. The more senior the position, the more strategic the tasks.

Thanks, Michael!

leadership dot #4627: unravel

“Complicated times increase our hunger for simple answers.” — John Lanchester

In times of stress or anxiety, people want plain explanations and, ideally, clear answers about what will happen next. They don’t want to get lost in the details or backstory — they want concise information. Too often, the communicator wants to clarify nuances or finer points and forgets about the receiver’s perspective. People presenting bad news can fall into the over-explaining trap and drone on about details to justify a decision, or when silence becomes uncomfortable.

The true expert is the one who can help people grasp a concept in plain language. The more complicated the subject, the more powerful a simple analogy becomes.

Source: “The Number” in Who is Government, edited by Michael Lewis, 2025.

leadership dot #4626: vacation

With Memorial Day and the summer season right around the corner, many people are starting to plan vacations. My advice to you: if you go, fully immerse yourself in the experience. Treat “vacation” as a verb, not a noun.

I have had coaching clients who still want to keep their regular appointments and end up on a Zoom call in their car while the family waits. I’ve had students who want to earn the participation points but are hardly focused on the class content while away. I know colleagues who attempt to join a meeting (or even run them) when their minds couldn’t be further from the task at hand.

People should go on vacations to disconnect. Let your “vacation brain” take over and turn your strategic thinking muscle to mush. As you’re making plans, use that “delete” button on your calendar and clear your schedule of commitments as much as you are able (hopefully, totally). Coming back refreshed will make you much more productive than revisiting your ineffective contributions while away.

leadership dot #4625: skillful

If you want an example of a well-done social media site, follow the National Park Service on Facebook. They manage to have entertaining posts while still communicating the seriousness of their mission.

It would be easy to devolve into a series of rules and regulations, or to just post pictures of the natural beauty under their care, but the posts manage to smartly combine humor with education, all while staying on-brand.

The next time you’re scrolling, pay attention to some of their content and how they present it. The NPS site is a model for skillful use of the medium.

Thanks, Felicia!

Visual for a post on wildlife safety that begins “There are easier ways to earn frequent flyer miles…”

leadership dot #4624: cognizant

When I went to deactivate my dog’s microchip after her passing (see dot #4623), a message popped up which read: “Please accept our condolences on your loss,” and then it shared a copy of the Rainbow Bridge story. (The Rainbow Bridge is a mythical place meant to help grieving pet parents feel better.) It was a soothing message to receive.

It would have been simple to process the updated profile information like any other data change, but someone thought to go a step beyond when the status is moved from living to deceased. Kudos to them!

Do you have sensitive fields in your database that merit a more nuanced response than “continue” or “thank you for updating”? Being cognizant of how your message will land can make a big difference to your audience.

Screenshot

leadership dot #4623: last

Yesterday, I said goodbye to my beloved 13-year-old golden retriever, Iris. When I scheduled the vet visit, the receptionist said, “Sorry you’re at this hard part.” I knew it was coming; it was in her best interest that it came, and yet, it most definitely was the hard part.

Unlike my other dogs, whose deaths were natural or sudden, Iris had been in a slow decline, and the date for the final vet visit was set several days in advance. It is very disconcerting to know definitively when the end will be here. The whole time, I was thinking, “this is her last treat of peanut butter,” “this is her last belly rub outside,” “this is the last night she’ll be with us,” “this is the last breakfast she’ll have,” etc.

I recalled a sign that said: “We once unknowingly ordered our last Happy Meal.” That always stuck with me, as we have done hundreds of “lasts” that we didn’t even realize when we did them.

Saying goodbye to my Iris and all the reflection that comes with it has reminded me to live life with more intentionality. One day, we too will have our last last. Before that happens, savor all the moments in between.

Farewell, my sweet girl

leadership dot #4622: novices

Last weekend, I was able to watch my nephew play volleyball. This is just the second year the high school has sponsored a men’s volleyball team, and it showed. The scores were lopsided, and the matches weren’t fun to watch.

I’ll bet the guys would have been more comfortable sleeping in, yet there they were — a full roster of young athletes who had to be at the bus at 8am on a Saturday after playing on three other nights earlier in the week. My nephew even joined the swim team to stay in shape during the off-season. I admire their dedication.

It would be easy to quit after a disappointing season, but they have made a commitment and are working to improve every game. They can execute the fundamentals and are working on the strategy and finesse! Hopefully, it will be even more fun by senior year when all their efforts pay off and they can appreciate what they have built.

It’s never easy starting something, as you’re bound to look bad. But if you only do things you’re good at, you’re missing out on many of life’s adventures. Let the volleyball men serve you a lesson to focus on the potential, not the moment, and become a novice at something you might love.

leadership dot #4621: capacity building

I’m a big fan of leadership coaching, and not just for executives. I think that new and middle managers benefit even more from having someone who does not evaluate them guide them through tough situations and proactively prepare for challenges.

Unlike conferences, webinars, or podcasts, where the same content is offered to everyone, coaching allows for a personalized experience targeted when and where the client needs it most. It helps to translate theory into application in real-time, real-world experiences. During our sessions, I’ve had clients share documents to review, strategize, analyze, plan, learn, vent, and create. It’s not a cookie-cutter approach, so every call is different depending on the moment and needs.

Coaching may be the best way to maximize your professional development dollars — either for yourself or someone you supervise. It can help star performers shine even brighter, provide confidence to those who have potential, and even course-correct those who are struggling. Pro athletes regularly have trainers and coaches — why don’t leaders? It should be something to consider as you look to up your game.

leadership dot #4620: brainstorming

It’s fashionable for people to seek out-of-the-box thinking. It implies innovation and creativity, and the new ideas generated in such brainstorming sessions can lead to product breakthroughs and market gains.

There is also out-of-the-planet thinking where the ideas are so far out of the box as to not be doable under the parameters provided. Out-of-the-planet can be awesome in the right circumstances or with the right timeline, but pushing for such changes within hard constraints doesn’t lead anywhere.

Before you engage in any idea generation or brainstorming, it’s important to understand the purpose and desired use of the outcomes. Staying grounded on Earth may be the most helpful, or the culture may embrace further exploration. Know how far your rocket is headed before you blast off.

leadership dot #4619: flushed

High on the list of serious problems the Iowa state legislature is addressing is the tax on toilet paper. House File 1019 seeks to eliminate the sales tax on this household essential, estimated to cost the state “an estimated $6 million in general fund receipts.” More importantly, it would also reduce the one-cent sales tax designated for schools, eliminating another $1 million from the already underfunded institutions.

Will the average consumer squeal in delight because their overall grocery bill is now a few cents less? No. Likely, they will never even notice. But a $7 million reduction in revenues should be nothing to flush away without some visible impact. This bill has none.

Legislators claim there is not enough money to appropriately fund schools or other services, yet they make cuts with no significant gain. Something else having to do with toilets comes to mind.

Don’t play politics. If you are going to make a change, expend your energy on something that will truly make a difference beyond the initial press conference announcing it.