I finally came to the realization that as a mother, I was doing a less-than-stellar job of teaching my kids to do some of the most basic things around the house, like laundry, changing a light bulb, or unloading the dishwasher. Most of this had to do with my complete lack of patience in taking the extra time to teach them, as well as my desire to have things done to my “control-freak” standards. Thankfully, it finally dawned on me that in four years time, my son would be off to college. If I didn’t modify my behavior, I would most likely have to hire a maid to live with him in his dorm room. Time was running out. I had to teach ‘em how to fish!
Not surprisingly, my behavior at work wasn’t much different. I fell into a pattern of doing things myself because it seemed easier than taking time to teach someone else. The irony is that half the time, I was irritated that I was stuck doing the work. In essence, I wouldn’t let go of my need to control, but somehow I expected others to do it for me… a little absurd when you think about it. Once again, I just needed to teach ‘em how to fish!
Take a minute to think about the last time you said, “I guess I’ll just do it myself!” I would bet that there might have been a hint of frustration or sarcasm in your voice. If you can recall that moment, ask yourself whether the activity was something only you could do or if you just hadn’t taken the necessary time to teach someone else.
Two things happen when you teach ‘em to fish. First, you remove things from your to-do list that others are completely capable of taking over. Secondly, you empower others by expanding their skills and allowing them to take pride in their newfound accomplishments. I will admit this is very successful in a work environment - not sure my son would say he is proud of putting away dishes. Wait until I teach him how to empty the litter box!
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