Most of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to get their work done.

When men, women, and children are honest with God and pay their tithes and offerings, the Lord gives them wisdom whereby they can do as much or more with the remainder than they could if they had not been honest with the Lord. Many times they are blessed and prospered in various ways—spiritually, physically, and mentally, as well as materially.

High Wages And The Capacity To Assume Responsibility Are Two Things That Belong Together.

It’s been said that a leader’s job is to inspire others to high levels of achievement, while a manager’s job is to protect the assets of investors. The most successful people are those who recognize the similarities and differences between leadership and management responsibilities, fulfilling both with equal skill and aplomb. When they do, they realize the rewards that are commensurate with their efforts. When you cheerfully accept responsibility for your own actions and do your job in a way that protects the interests of your employer, you will soon be entrusted with more and more responsibilities. And those who have the capacity to assume responsibility-for the success of the project or organization-will always be paid the highest salaries.

So shrink your time. Keep breaking down timeframes into smaller chunks. Instead of a 12 week project, think of it as 12 weeklong projects. Instead of guesstimating at tasks that take 30 hours, break them down into more realistic 6-10 hour chunks. Then proceed one step at a time.

The same theory applies to other problems too. Are you facing an issue that's too big to wrap your mind around? Break it down. Keep dividing problems into smaller and smaller pieces until you're able to digest them.

So, what used to be “Sure, I’ll do your web site” is now more often “Sure, I’ll give you 10 hours and 3 calls over the next month to use however you want.” If nothing else, it helps everyone understand that time is a precious commodity, but it also gets me out of being the de facto manager for every aspect of a project I touch. So far, it seems to be working swell.

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.