LEADERS ARE PARTNERSand diverts his attention from primary tasks. People under him
do not achieve their own potential. In some cases, insisting on
doing a job oneself is a result of simple conceit.^12- Effective delegating to others is perhaps the single most powerful
high-leverage activity there is. Transferring responsibility to other
skilled and trained people enables you to give your energies to
other high-leverage activities. Delegation means growth, both
for individuals and for organizations.^13 - As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the less I do the more I enjoy it
because I’m more selective, more thorough, more conscious of
what I’m trying to do. I’ve learned that activity is not the
mark of accomplishment. The more I can delegate tasks that
are not uniquely mine, the more attention I can pay to those
that are...I retain to myself the things that only I can do and
delegate the rest.^14
In the final analysis, delegation of responsibility and the empowerment
of others is synergistic leadership – rather than selfish leadership. The
word synergy simply means: “To work together.” It means to cooperate...
combine efforts...correlate action. Through an under-standing of synergy, a
leader recognizes that “the whole is greater than the individual parts.”
That by pulling together more can be accomplished. That the group is
smarter...stronger...more creative than any single member – including
the leader. The whole concept of “team building” is based upon synergy.
It is a recognition that every member of the team is important in order to
achieve victory. In an organization – like in sports – no one individual
can play every position. It takes a number of players to make a winning
team. Synergy is essential for a good marriage...a good ministry...a good
business...a good organization...a good government. Synergistic leadership
capitalizes on the strengths of one’s partners to compensate for your own
weaknesses. A wise and winning leader is always a team player who seeks to
optimize the talents and experience of every person around him. Noted
author Stephen Covey writes this about synergy:
When properly understood, synergy is the highest activity in life...
It catalyzes, unifies, and unleashes the greatest powers within
people...The essence of synergy is to value differences – to respect
them, to build on strengths, to compensate for weaknesses...Valuing