Public Safety Insights Newsletter: Lighten Your Load by Leading by Example

Lighten Your Load by Leading by Example
Public Safety Insight:	Every time you refuse an offer of assistance, you lose an opportunity not just to lighten your load, but also to lead by example.

How often do you refuse help from well-meaning, caring, and/or concerned individuals? The would-be helpers may be your peers, subordinates, friends, family members, or even strangers. They may offer to complete a report or task for you, pick up lunch because you’re busy, or do something that would make your life just a little easier. Whatever the offer, however, you respond, “It’s okay, I’ve got this,” or “I’ll be fine.”

I understand people look to public safety professionals as the ultimate helpers in every imaginable situation (and some that are unimaginable), and I know you take that responsibility very seriously. As professionals, you shoulder a very heavy load, even before we take into account the personal baggage that every human being carries. So it may go against your professional DNA, your training, and your culture to say “yes” when someone offers to help you, even in very small ways.

Regardless of the reason for your refusal, consider this point: every time you rebuff an offer of assistance, you lose an opportunity not just to lighten your own load, but also to lead by example. Why? People take their cues from their leaders. If you refuse to accept others’ offers of assistance, you are sending the message to your members that it’s not okay for them to do it either. Even when you tell them that it’s okay for them to receive help, unless they see you doing it, they won’t follow. You lose the opportunity to make your life a little easier, you deny the other person the chance to feel good about helping you, and you lose credibility as a leader because you’re not walking the proverbial talk. Perhaps you can live with denying yourself a little easier path in life; can you really afford to create or maintain an environment in which the lesson learned is that no one is permitted to receive help? You’ve all seen such environments: they range from dysfunctional to dangerous.

The next time someone offers to do something for you, take a minute to ask yourself this question: “Am I the only person in the world who can do [this task]?” Unless the answer is “no,” or there is another compelling reason why you absolutely must do the task yourself, graciously accept the offer of assistance. You will free up your time to do something else, possibly provide a growth opportunity for others, and definitely give the gift of allowing that person to feel good about him/herself. Importantly, you also will be setting the example for others to follow.

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To find articles and resources that may be of value to you, I invite you to visit my web site at www.PublicSafetyInsights.net.

As a reminder, I will be conducting an IAFC-sponsored webinar on February 12th called “How to Write a Compelling Annual Report.” Click here to obtain the details and register on the IAFC website. 

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©2015 Pat Lynch | Public Safety Insights