Sunday, January 20, 2008

The Success Principles ~ Principle 41



Wow, there are a lot of principles. #41 in Jack Canfield's Success Principles is build a powerful support team and delegate to them. One of the core concepts here is this, "...you can keep chipping away at the low-payoff, nonessential tasks on your list until you are doing less and less of those and more and more of what you are really good at."

And here are similar challenges as last week. Though I see the value of passing on jobs that aren't in my strength area and/or that can easily be done by someone else, I feel badly about getting someone else to do the "low-payoff" tasks and keeping all the juicy bits for myself.

So, how do I tweak this or frame it in a way that grows me and also keeps me in line with my values? First of all I can simply focus on the aspect of getting the right person to do the right job. Though doing taxes may be crazy-making for me, it likely isn't for someone who has chosen that for a career. (And if it is, maybe I can offer them some coaching!) I enjoy standing up and presenting in front of others. For some people, that's a fate worth than death! So it doesn't have to be about who gets the gravy and who gets the leavings. It can be about making sure we all play to our strengths.

The other part of this principle is building a good support team. One way that you can do that is through hiring. Another way is by building relationships with wonderful people, relationships where you can all help each other achieve success. I remember last year when I decided I wasn't going to network. I was just going to meet wonderful people. Since then I have so many new, generous, smart, creative, lovely people in my life. People who have become confidantes and advisors, clients and mentors.

Our success doesn't happen in a bubble. We are social beings and will from time to time need advice, encouragement, a new hairdresser, you name it. And we have all that to offer too. Being in a community that you can contribute to and that can support you is invaluable. I know that's why so many of us value deeply what we have found in the blogosphere.

How can you build your support team and have them help you with your dreams?

2 comments:

Marilyn said...

Great post, Jamie! That's the key, isn't it? Learning to offer each other what we can via our strengths and the things that give us JUICE. One woman's juicy might be another one's dreaded chore. :)

Jessie said...

I can't remember if I told you this already, but I bought this book several months ago, after reading your posts about the principles. Now that I have the book myself, I still find it much more satisfying to read your posts ABOUT the principles. I just want to say thank you for putting your thoughts out into the world like this. I, for one, find it very invigorating and helpful! :)