Role clarity

• Does your success depend on technical or managerial skills?
  
• Tempted to fall back on what your technical know-how?
  
• Can you resist this pressure and focus on facilitation - getting things done through others? Managing rather than doing?
  
• Be clear about what all your key stakeholders expect and deliver to these - avoid guesswork - throwing darts in the dark.
  
• Facilitation is easier because you can get by with knowing less.
  
• Relying on knowledge is risky - others will know things you don't and you could try too hard to prove yourself.
  
• If you base your confidence on knowledge, you could feel more anxious than if you base it on your ability to influence others.
• How do you see yourself?
  • Expert - being up to date technically, a professional.
  • Broker - knowing someone else who can do it.
    
  • Manager - coordinator, controller, resource allocator.
    
  • Coach - help others to think differently.
    
  • Facilitator, catalyst - link people to other resources.
    
  • Leader - show others the way forward.
    
  • Mentor - help others learn to work smarter.
    
  • Trainer - show others how to help themselves.
• Being an expert and a leader require focus on content (WHAT).
• Other roles are process orientated (HOW).
• What is your focus? What does your role require? Is there a gap between what you like to do and what your role requires?
• How can you close this gap?