Carrying Buckets

BY: MIKE GREENE, PRINCIPAL, INTEGRITYWORKS COACHING

Are you a leader, manager, supervisor, volunteer, or parent? If you are, keep reading…

How many buckets do you carry every day? Buckets are the actions you take to do your “job.” My guess is, that it’s a lot. Maybe, there are too many buckets. Then again, maybe many of those buckets aren’t even yours. That’s right, we often carry other people’s buckets, too.

The best illustration I can think of is one from a leadership perspective, because, in my humble opinion, this is where leading and managing often go wrong. When I think back on my own life, how many times did I just do the thing I asked someone else to do, and why? I did so, because it was easier, quicker, and frankly, I was better! But, wow, those buckets were heavy at times. And what happens when we are tired, frustrated and carrying heavy buckets? You guessed it – stuff spills!

The buckets are getting pretty heavy, aren’t they? It’s time to put some down and let others do what is expected of them, and even more. Let the right people carry the right buckets.

Focus on your own buckets – one of which is to TEACH others how to CARRY THEIR OWN BUCKETS! Teaching takes time. It’s a heavy bucket, and it’s filled with a powerful tool – equipping.

How do you truly equip your people? As John Maxwell states, “it’s pretty simple.” You do it while they watch and learn. They do it while you advise and correct. They do it on their own. Then, they equip someone else.

Carry that “equipping bucket” any time you want to do something for someone else who really should be doing it for themselves.

Think about the buckets you pick up this week. Should you really be carrying them? If not…put them down or grab the equipping bucket!

The author, Mike Greene, leads ABC Keystone’s Dynamic Crew Leadership, an interactive course providing practice in communication skills, time management, focus, motivation, leadership, planning and problem-solving through role-playing and other classroom activities.