I have taken a different approach to work since I resumed from my vacation. It has been gradual but sharp as I am continually trying to identify areas that could make the job more tolerable and myself happier and more productive. So far I am loving the energy I have started with but as always the challenge has always been maintaining consistency and desired discipline.
The first major adjustment was something I knew would need to be implemented immediately on resumption. I have always taken too much tasks partly because a part of me was insecure about my Teams ability to handle certain tasks effectively. It did not help that some portrayed attitudes indifference and nonchalance, making them virtually impossible to trust with sensitive tasks.
I instead overburdened the few diligent subordinates I have and while they don’t complain, I certainly felt the guilt of doing so and felt compelled to take on more tasks myself so they won’t be stretched too far, and can also take some inspiration from my own work ethic. That may have achieved the desired result for them, but for me it was a nightmare scenario and led to periods of feeling stressed and out of sorts.
Now I am not shy about delegating duty all round. My new philosophy is simply to officially report all cases of attitude issues and sheer incompetence. I have also subtly communicated this but have been quite firm in my execution of sharing tasks round. My colleagues have noticed this change and while it is too early to tell, everyone seems to have accepted the fact that responsibility must be shared in an organization that sustains our livelihood.
The effects have been immediate. I have improved my clock-out time by about 30 minutes on average this week simply because I have delegated some of the more time consuming tasks that could be done with minimal supervision, just diligence and a good attitude.
I certainly hope this sustains further.