Comments on: Doing vs. Enabling Doers http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/ development (tech and personal) thoughts of Alex Hillman Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:23:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Alex Hillman http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40623 Alex Hillman Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:18:07 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40623 Todd, you make an excellent point. This technique seems to be early-stage preparation for making sure whatever project you have has the ability to have a life beyond your involvement. You don't need an uncomfortable "handoff" (as I've experienced many) when everyone's always felt empowered enough to step into the "mentor" role themselves if necessary. Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. Todd, you make an excellent point. This technique seems to be early-stage preparation for making sure whatever project you have has the ability to have a life beyond your involvement. You don’t need an uncomfortable “handoff” (as I’ve experienced many) when everyone’s always felt empowered enough to step into the “mentor” role themselves if necessary.

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone.

]]> By: Todd Sundsted http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40620 Todd Sundsted Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:28:17 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40620 Alex, I'm not going to add any value to the discussion of doers and doer-enablers except to say that the group I dislike are the doer-managers--the people who keep the doers inside the lines and in their pens. For my own benefit, I've framed my experience this way: mentor vs. manager. There are times when I am the guy who is calling the shots. Maybe because I have the most experience or because I have the vision or whatever... This isn't the case in every project I'm part of (the book, for example, is an even split) but when it is the case, I try to frame myself up as a mentor rather than a manager. Specifically, I take an active role in ensuring that what I am doing is in some way passed on to the rest of the team--even if all I have is the vision. Because it's "active" it becomes another kind of doing. I also seek out opportunities to work with people who are willing to take the same mentoring attitude with me. So life becomes a braid in which I move in and out of these roles at different times. Sometimes doing and receiving, sometimes doer-enabling and giving. As long as there is "doing" ;-) Todd Alex, I’m not going to add any value to the discussion of doers and doer-enablers except to say that the group I dislike are the doer-managers–the people who keep the doers inside the lines and in their pens.

For my own benefit, I’ve framed my experience this way: mentor vs. manager. There are times when I am the guy who is calling the shots. Maybe because I have the most experience or because I have the vision or whatever… This isn’t the case in every project I’m part of (the book, for example, is an even split) but when it is the case, I try to frame myself up as a mentor rather than a manager.

Specifically, I take an active role in ensuring that what I am doing is in some way passed on to the rest of the team–even if all I have is the vision. Because it’s “active” it becomes another kind of doing.

I also seek out opportunities to work with people who are willing to take the same mentoring attitude with me. So life becomes a braid in which I move in and out of these roles at different times. Sometimes doing and receiving, sometimes doer-enabling and giving.

As long as there is “doing” ;-)

Todd

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40616 Jeremy Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:40:38 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40616 This is definitely a battle we all face. Finding the appropriate balance is key, though. I have come to the 20% done syndrome myself at times, but usually that 20% is where the most innovation occurs. It's definitely OK to hand over the keys (or maybe, a duplicate set of keys, while still maintaining the originals). Don't be afraid to enable. The results may not be yours alone, but they could conquer the world no less. This is definitely a battle we all face. Finding the appropriate balance is key, though.

I have come to the 20% done syndrome myself at times, but usually that 20% is where the most innovation occurs.

It’s definitely OK to hand over the keys (or maybe, a duplicate set of keys, while still maintaining the originals).

Don’t be afraid to enable. The results may not be yours alone, but they could conquer the world no less.

]]> By: annie heckenberger http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40603 annie heckenberger Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:56:52 +0000 http://www.dangerouslyawesome.com/2008/03/24/doing-vs-enabling-doers/#comment-40603 Great entry. I often feel torn between the doing and the doer-enabling but now I see there's value in both. Great entry. I often feel torn between the doing and the doer-enabling but now I see there’s value in both.

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