When things are going well, we don’t want to spend time on thinking about redundancy. We focus on leveraging processes, improving efficiencies, and doing more with less. Yet, when we are sick, we want to take a vacation, or we need to take take time off because of unexpected events and we need covered…what happens? Things fall through the cracks, activities directly related to driving business forward stop. They just stop. If you are focusing on taking care of yourself, or if you are reducing the risk in your organization, or even if you are planning for fast growth…what is needed is ready to pass on, hand off, and give employees a structure to work in that supports creating independence at every level. Jessica Dewell discusses this with co-host Tanya Bourque. Starting the conversation…

• Maya Angelo: I have my own back.
• It takes courage to not be needed.
• It takes planning to create redundancy, and it adds value to have coverage.

Transcript for Program 32: You're Covered.

Host:  Jessica Dewell

Co-Host:  Tanya Bourque

What You Will Hear:

The worst case scenario of when information is in one place…someone’s head.

Documented (that is current) processes beyond the how-to.

Buddy system for covering daily tasks.

Culture where employees interact with each other and proactively work with each other in busy times.

There can be too much planning.

Ask and receive the answer: when you ask for advice, be ready to hear it.

Judgement and bias.

Make a choice and stick to it.

Two fears about asking for help.

Asking for help is a skill.

There is a possibility that no one else wants to even touch what we do.

When people only want to do their own job and nothing more.

90% of people in the US do use their earned vacation.

Tips to assess and create a process for covering their work.

Notable & Quotable:

Tanya Bourque: When people approach me for advice, and they say uh huh - and they don’t really believe what you are saying.

Jessica Dewell: I recognize that there are inherent biases exist and we judge.

Jessica Dewell: We don’t know if what we have to say has value [to another] until it comes out of our mouth. But if we hold back, will it make us feel stifled.

Tanya Bourque: Be ok asking for help. It’s easier if there is a backup plan.

Jessica Dewell: When I’m home sick, and I’m in bed with my computer answering email. That is not my best work. I’ve stopped doing that.

Jessica Dewell: I love what I do.

Tanya Bourque: People may not want to help us because they worry their work will suffer.

Jessica Dewell: It starts with the leaders, us, that are responsible to create a space for how work is done.

Jessica Dewell: Acknowledge the unintended outcomes, and make a change.

Jessica Dewell: Amplify results by taking time off and having a plan to be covered.

Resources:

• 7 Things to Do if You’re Feeling Overwhelmed
• Handle Overwhelm
• 5 Unexpected Ways to Deal When You’re Overwhelmed at Work

Tags: worry, coverage, efficiency, plans, documentation, processes and procedures, communication, automatic behavior, value, fear, support, backup, overwhelm, quality work, responsibility, leader, action, priorities, change, result, burnout