“You’re Toast!”
There’s a fun little idiom – “You’re Toast!” – that’s always tickled me. Not to be confused with ‘giving a toast’, like at a wedding or celebration – or bread that’s been cooked in a toaster – all of which are generally really good things, telling someone “You’re Toast’ is akin to saying that they’re in trouble…deep trouble.
So, in the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy’s, “Here’s your sign,” here are some examples of how “You’re Toast!” applies to being a leader:
- If your staff, coworkers, or boss wait until AFTER the last minute to tell you something important…You’re Toast!
- If the longer things take the more frustrated and impatient you get…You’re Toast!
- If you keep wishing your boss (or customer) would say, “Take your time on this; I’d rather this be done really well than really fast”…You’re Toast!
- If it seems like stress wants to be your BFF…You’re Toast!
- If it always feels like deadlines apply to you far more than anyone else…You’re Toast!
- If certain people want you to always solve their problems for them, and you do…You’re Toast!
- If you can’t state in 5-7 words the problem you’re trying to solve…You’re Toast!
- If your direct reports routinely answer different questions in response to the one’s you ask them…You’re Toast!
- If your think ‘leadership excellence’ is a synonym for ‘functional expertise’…You’re Toast!
- If you try to make yourself look better by making (or letting) others look worse…You’re Toast!
- If you don’t know the difference between being your ‘authentic’ self and being your Most Responsible Self…You’re Toast!
- If you think you’re never wrong while thinking your staff always is…You’re Toast!
- If you feel everything you assign to someone should be their Number One Priority…You’re Toast!
But if you realize that…
- …delegation is a way to get things done by NOT working on them….
- …effective time-management has less to do with time than prioritization…
- …work/life balance, that is life/work balance, is a verb rather than a noun…
- …perfectionism is wildly selfish when others are waiting on you for your deliverables…
- …getting things done is one thing, but getting the right things done is something entirely next-level…
- …people who respect you are more motivated than those who fear you…
- …providing insight, information, and opportunity are some of your biggest value-adds…
- …changing how you think changes how you lead…
…then, my friends, let me raise a glass and toast you!!
