Be prepared

I work with some amazing young women who have set a high standard for covering all their bases. When they are going to be out of the office, such as for the birth of a child, detailed plans are written to prepare for their time off, noting who will pick up their various duties. They create detailed timelines to track what must be done by what date when they are in the office as well.

Today will be my last day in the office before Thursday's surgery, and I am trying to follow their lead but it is a challenge. As I started charting responsibilities of my department and noting who does what, the first thing I saw was my own irrelevance. Others are doing the daily work to put out newsletters, handle media calls, manage grants, take complaints and update databases. That will all continue while I am out.

This exercise reminds me that my job is more to ask and answer questions, provide input, clear obstacles, inspire professional growth, nurture a creative environment. It is a little harder to identify who will provide that input in my absence, or whether things might even operate more smoothly without my meddling! It also makes me appreciate what others do on a daily basis and makes me more committed to helping them succeed when I get back to work after my recuperation.