What Limitations Do

I came across a great quote this morning and thought it worth a few words of my own. Hat tip to Leadership Development pro, Kristen Hadeed. She’s an author, TEDx Presenter, and an inspiring person I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and following for years.

“Our limitations make space for the gifts of other people.”

Jay Shetty

When you get really good at something it’s often hard to hand it off and let someone else on the team take a crack at it. No doubt they’ll at first be slower and make some mistakes along the way. But then… the magic happens.

Now two people have experience with the thing. Two different backgrounds, skill sets, hobbies, intellects, passions, and interests – they both bring to bear the full weight of their gifts. The possibilities have now doubled.

I had this experience months back when I handed off a project I’d been solely responsible for over several years. Within weeks our new specialist, who had no prior experience with it, unlocked several other abilities and applications within the thing that I was unfamiliar with.

It was an exhilarating moment and one I promised myself I’d pursue more often. Taking advantage of “the gifts of other people” is the best way to unify a team and get to where we want to be.