The Tribune

By Canon S Sebastian Campbell

Question your motives as to why you are involved in the things you are doing right now. This should include even your involvement in the church. This investigation might show us doing some good things for the wrong reason.

It's amazing how we believe that someone owes us something because we have been so good and loyal. At times we come to collect on our perceived investment only to discover that we are the only ones who even knew we had made such an investment. It is tragic when we do anything in life with strings attached and therefore our motive soon becomes crystal clear: we do the right things for the wrong reasons.

One of the sins of Bahamians is the fact that we do not delegate or share our ministry. True, many of us cannot project towards retirement mainly because we glorify in the fallacy that we are irreplaceable. Many of us 'kill' ourselves because we do not train persons to share our responsibility. The 'poor me" syndrome lives. Let's look at some reasons why some of us do not delegate or glorify ourselves as indispensable:

1. We have a worker bee mind-set and do not understand the real role of management in developing employees/peers and directing their efforts.

2. Our super egos have convinced us that we are the only ones who can do the job at the required level of perfection.

3. We want to retain all authority and understand that by empowering others we must give up some of our control.

4. We feel we just do not have the time to invest in the necessary hand-holding.

We fail to realise that if we make the upfront investment in the important things, we will eventually stop being victims of the urgent matters.

Some ideas for the way forward and for us to break our selfish hold on what we do include:

1. Identify someone with the capability (not just the willingness) to perform the task.

2. If the task is time sensitive, then be very clear on due dates.

3. Explain expectations.

4. Take time to write out procedures and do review them with the selected person.

5. Review progress on a periodic basis.

6. Stop being selfish and believe you are the CEO of the institution. You are dispensable.

Delegating should be a win-win situation. It makes others feel empowered and valued and it frees you up to focus on other issues and therefore you get more done for the right reasons.

Too many Bahamians do not feel empowered. They feel trampled on; they feel like as nobodies, all because of our own super egos.