Have you ever had a long conversation with someone, and then in the midst of your social intercourse there is a nugget of pure gold?

Something is said that stops you right in your tracks. And that little something has far more weight to it than you initially understood it to have. But somehow, someway in the midst of the moment of potential, you realize you have to remember what was said and marinate in it in order to suck all the life and wisdom out of it.

It’s a life changer.

Have you had a moment like that lately?

I had one this week. I was chatting with the owner of a Speakers Bureau in regard to my speaking on Wholehearted Leadership. She said this,

“You must let go of what you can do, in order to embrace what you are meant to do.”

Just marinate in that for a moment…read it again and drink it in…

When I heard her say that I knew it was significant, and realized I needed to unpack it further to discover its true wisdom.

Here is my interpretation so far: In my situation she was simply stating that I need to focus on my true message, the message that truly differentiates me from everyone else, the message I carry that can change the world. I need to put aside the topics I can speak on in order to focus on what is uniquely me.

Ok, I get that.

However, there is a broader lesson in this for every leader. First of all, we all need to believe and understand there is something unique we all bring. Something that is uniquely us: a perspective, a passion, a skill, an attitude, a talent, an ability, an experience, a giftedness, or a unique combination of all of these. We can refer to this as our Unique Ability.

What do you do better than many others?

Organizations work best when people are working in their Unique Ability. I know it is unrealistic to think we can spend all our work time doing that which is uniquely us. We all have to do many tasks and duties that simply need to get done – tasks we can do, but we aren’t necessarily passionate about, and aren’t our unique contribution to the world. But stay with me here…

In order to create significant impact, in order to maximize our potential as leaders and provide the greatest good to our sphere of influence and authority, we must seek to increasingly let go of what we can do, in order to embrace what we are meant to do. We must learn to, whenever possible, divest ourselves of duties and tasks we can do so that we can focus on our Unique Abilities – the contributions unique to us.

We need to learn that we can’t do everything. It does not serve us well, nor those we lead, to attempt to do everything. It is unsustainable and robs those we lead from discovering their Unique Ability. Leaders must be Chief Priority Officers who prioritize the responsibilities they carry and the tasks they perform in order to focus on their Unique Abilities.

What are you doing simply because you can do it, not because it is your Unique Ability? Whenever and wherever possible you need to divest yourself of those things in order to focus on your strengths. Delegate, hire, and subcontract in order to lead and live in your sweet spot. Perhaps some of what you are doing can actually be done much better by someone else for whom that is their Unique Ability?!

What really makes you tick? What is your sweet spot? What is your unique contribution to this world? What makes you come alive?

If you know, great – step into it. If you don’t know, it’s worth doing the heavy lifting to discover it. And I’ll bet it will require you to let some things go, in order to discover and embrace what makes you come alive.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Gil Bailie

Yes, let go of what you can do, to embrace what you are meant to do.