Transcending Tasks

You work through others

Let’s remind ourselves of our favorite equation. Your output is defined as:

The output of your team + The output of others that you influence

Now, consider both parts of that equation. Who is actually doing the work? Well, with regard to the output of your team, it’s certainly not all you. Each staff member on your team is working toward the team’s collective output. With regard to the others that you influence, those people aren’t on your team, and you might not even know the details of what exact work they’re doing! You work through others. That’s your job. It’s what effective managers do.

In the ...