Protect Your Time - Don't Let the "Task Monkey" Jump on You

Hi, this is Steven McLain of the finance leader podcast. This is bonus episode number 56. Has this happened to you as a leader of a team, your team members working on a project and they come to you for help. And then you somehow take on the project or a big piece of it, because you want it to help now what happened? The project you assigned out now has become your project. And your team member is asking you for updates. That task monkey jumped on your back has this happened to you? I was very recently reminded of this exact issue. Thank you, Chelsea, of what happens when you're not careful. And you want to be overly helpful with a direct report that you lead. You give them a project, but that project comes back to you. Because you are trying to be helpful. There are responsibilities that we have as leaders to make it possible. For our team members to be successful. They need to be properly resourced and properly trained. We need to help prioritize and protect them from distractions, and others taking their time. We need to issue clear guidance, but we aren't supposed to complete the project for them. So don't let that task monkey jump back on your back. Now this comes from a 1999 Harvard Business School article called management time who's got the monkey. The article says there are three types of management time, boss imposed time system impose time and self imposed time. As a leader, you have to manage your time well, anything your boss gives you to complete, you have to prioritize and get it done. system imposed time is when you are accommodating your peers. Both boss imposed and system imposed time require you to prioritize those tasks higher as the article states penalties will occur. Now the last type of time is self imposed time, which is what you control. Some of this time is taken up by subordinates because that's what leadership is. You have to spend time with your team. But your discretionary time is all you what you choose to take on or not. So be careful not to let your direct report to give you back a task even by mistake. So be watchful, guard your time. And don't take on any more task monkeys, especially ones that are not yours. Now here is an example you ask your team member to conduct an analysis and develop a recommended solution. You issue guidance, a timeline, the problem parameters and a deadline. A day later, your team member comes back to say there is a problem, and they can't come up with a solution. Don't take back that task. You can do a quick coaching session and send them right back to work. Don't say I'll take a look at it later. Because now you have taken on the subordinate role. And you now owe an answer to them. So be careful not to take back the task monkey who is wanting and waiting to jump on someone else. You may even have a team member who does this often to you so be watching and careful. So you stop taking on their tasks. Be a leader and a coach and watch your own discretionary time. Now again, that article is from Harvard Business School. It was published in 1999. And it was called management time who's got the monkey. Now when you get a chance, please check out finance leader Academy I offer a course called advance your career. I added a link in the show notes so you can preview this course. Season 14 will debut on April 18. Thank you