On Checking Someone’s Work

​Checking someone’s work is both short-term and not scalable.  If you are in the middle of a “crisis” then it may be necessary. 
 
But first, is it really a crisis?  Do you really not have the time for someone to fail and find their own mistakes?  Because that is how they are going to get better the fastest.
 
Better to increase capability.  If you are spending time being a bottleneck then you are not spending enough time improving things or getting to the root cause of the error.
 
Checking is the worst resolution.  But this is not the same as not being in the detail. 
 
You should know the detail well enough that you know how long things should take, you know the right questions to ask, you know who should be accountable for which metrics. 
 
You should be in a position to help people fix the bureaucratic processes that drain them; fix the outdated systems that cause extra work; fix the expectations of the people they serve to cut out the noise and provide air cover.
 
Know.  Fix.  Don’t check.

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