Are you ready to drop the hammer?

A businessman who is in construction recently shared this thought with me: "When I pick up a hammer, our production goes down." I have to admit, I was a bit perplexed...then he explained what he meant.


When he shows up on a site to check on a crew, undoubtedly, he will get the urge to grab a hammer and start helping.  That's what a servant-leader should do...right? The problem here is that his crew will stop working to watch what he is doing, therefore prolonging the completion of their task.  This in turn, slows down the project. When he realizes what is happening, he drops the hammer and leaves the site.



The same is true in other venues. If you are a leader that feels compelled to have your hands on the little things as well as the big things, then you need to "drop the hammer." While you may have the best intentions, you're actually creating a hindrance to the success of your organization. If you're the leader you think you are, then you have hired good people. Set them up for success and then get out of the way. You need to lead, not manage.  You need to help them use their talents to create success for them and the organization.  Their success equals your success. 


What about you? Was there a time when you realized you needed to "drop the hammer?"