I love to eat!  And, because of this, I also love to cook.  My cooking adventures started after my home economics class in the seventh grade (yes, I home economics instead of wood shop to support my habit).  That summer was a flurry of trying new recipes while my parents worked and eating the products prior to them getting home (thus, destroying the evidence).  One day, a GIANT zucchini appeared in the kitchen.  I had never seen a vegetable of this size.  I stared at it for a long time and contemplated what fat kid delight  could be concocted from it.  I scoured through my fat boy handbook (the Betty Crocker cookbook), found a recipe for zucchini bread and immediately went to work peeling, slicing and shredding this large, bulbous vegetable.

I sifted, floured, mixed and baked.  When complete, I stood powerfully above my creation and admired it.  It’s golden brown exterior beckoned me to slice it and partake of its sweet, moist goodness.  As I succumbed to its tempting ways and bit in, I thought,   “Amazing!  This bread is too fantastic, too wonderful to just keep to myself….I must let others taste and benefit from my efforts!”  This feeling of generosity spurred me to wrap this loaf up and go on the road with it.  I pedaled my my bike all over town, visiting my aunt, uncle, grandparents and a few other well deserving people…explaining to each how it had been made and sharing a slice with them.  Yes, just one slice.  At the end of the day, I had two heels left.  Enough for one for me and my Dad.  When my father got home from work, I told him all about my adventure as I brought him his share of my zucchini delight.  I waited with heightened anticipation as he bit in…fully expecting him to tell me it was the best thing he had ever tasted.  Instead, he said, “You know…normally you don’t just travel and give someone a slice.  You give them a whole loaf.”

As an adult, I find it funny that I pedaled my bike (as fast as my chubby legs would take me), all over town sharing pieces of my creation.  I was so proud of what I had done that I had to share it with others!  It also reminds me of how we, as leaders, do the same thing.

How many times have you put your time and effort into a huge project to only parcel out pieces of it to your team?  Wanting to keep control of who gets what and how much of what they get?  We’re proud of what we’ve done but have trouble giving it away to those who could benefit.  It could be part control, part ego or maybe we just wanting to keep the best parts for ourselves.  I get it.  I’ve been there, done that, and have the failed projects to prove it.

This is at the heart of delegation.  If we want a project to be successful, we must give the whole “loaf” away to the team if we want momentum.  Let them decide on how it gets parceled.  It’s hard thing to do, especially when it’s personal.  It’s personal because we’ve invested our time, effort (and a piece of ourselves) in creating it (whatever “it” is).   But, if we want it to be successful, we have to give it all up because momentum builds success.

If you’ve been holding on to the whole loaf, stop!  Give it away to the team.  You’ll free up your time and they’ll know how to distribute it….who needs what and how much of what they need.