Lighten Your Leaders Load
The higher in the organization the more responsibility.  Responsibility is heavy and weighs on the leader.  Most people think that a promotion just goes with greater benefits, but it does not, it goes with greater responsibility.

You as a follower can do 1 or 2 things; you can lighten your leaders load or increase it.

1. Lifting your Leader Lifts You
   If you lighten the leaders load then you help the leader to succeed.  When you lighten the load you allow the organization to succeed.  If the organization succeeds, then you as a follower have opportunities and you succeed.  You are lighten the leaders load to help you, help the leader, and help the organization.
2. Lifting Shows you are a Team Player
   I have had a few great followers that have lightened my load as a leader, and inevitability they are the ones carrying the heaviest loads themselves.  However, even when they were super busy, they would always ask – “what can I do to help “us” or help the team.
3. Lifting Shows Gratitude for being on the team
   Each member of the team plays a role in helping the team succeed.  By helping the leader you are helping your team and thus showing that you are grateful to be on the Khidmah team.
   We are getting a reputation for a good company to work for.  In order to keep this alive and true, we must be grateful to be on the team and do everything we can do make the team successful.
4. Lifting Makes you part of something bigger
   The vision of Khidmah is bigger than any one person, any one team, any one department, and any one division.  It will be seen, however the question is “do you want to be apart of something that is bigger than you?”
    
5. Lifting gets you noticed
   Let’s face it, you do not give yourself a promotion, a raise, or praise.  It is your leader who controls a lot of this.  If you are lightening their load, you will be most likely receive what you deserve. 
6. Lifting increases your value and influence

Many times, the people of influence with the leader are the ones that are lightening the leaders load.  They are not “Yes, Men” but they are helping the leader succeed.

How to do it?

• Do your own job well first – get your job done 
  Find out what exactly is important from your leader for you to get done.  Meet with them at least once a week and ask the question:  What do you need for me to be focused on and completed?
• When you find a problem, provide Solutions
  Bring solutions not problems.  Leaders deal with problems and value problem solvers. Leaders don’t have all of the answers, and good leaders listen to problem solving people.  It might not be your solution that will be finally executed, but your solution may lead to a solution. 
• Tell Leaders What they need to Hear, not What they want to hear
  Good Leaders want to be the first to hear bad news.  They hate hearing the bad news from someone outside their team and especially from their boss or a customer. But you must start small and don’t take a fire hose to your leader.  And especially make sure NOT to jump over your boss to your boss’s boss.
• Go the Second Mile
  Second Mile or Whatever it Takes team players stand out to the leader.  They quickly become the go to player on the team. 
• Stand up for your leader when you can
  Debate and communication with your leader is great, however when a decision has been made, the debate end and you must follow the leader.  Loyalty means executing the decision even if the decision was not your own. 
• Stand in for your leader whenever you Can
  You carry two buckets – one with water and one with gasoline.  As leaders, we continually come across small fires – you can either put water on them and take care of it for your leader, or put on gasoline and add something to your leaders plate. 

• Ask your leader how you can lift the load
  Think, and then anticipate what your leader needs and will need.  And then come out and ask your leader if you are doing your own job and doing it well.  Then ask them to tell you what you can help them with.
• Follow up with what your leaders asks
  Your leader will request for you to do a task or lead a function.  It is your responsibility to update the leader on what he/she has asked you to do on a weekly basis.  The leader should never have to ask the follower for an update.
• Set your leaders expectations and update on changes
  When your leader asks you to do a task or lead a function, you must do the following:

1. Confirm with email that you have gotten the information and accept the assignment.
2. In the confirmation, set a date that you think you can get the job done and request if that meets your Leaders expectation.
3. Then as things progress and the deliverable and deadline change – update your leader on the new expected completion date and what you will deliver.
4. When you finish the project, ask the Leader if you have met his/her expectation and how you can improve next time.

Lead On!
Sutton