Why you might not want to teach a man to fish….

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a  lifetime.”

As much as I admire Maimonides’ quote, have you ever thought that it might be wrong? I have and here’s why.

We Are Not Experts At Everything

For those of you who know me, I constantly refer to my artistic capabilities as “arts and crap.” I was even fired as a kindergarten helper at my son’s school because I couldn’t cut straight. Really!

And, apparently, even with 20+ years of experience, I still haven’t mastered a simple cut and paste. Now let me ask you: will I ever get better? Or more pointedly, is it worth my time to even bother?

Sometimes Delegating Is A Great Answer!

Today, I need graphics from creating bios to one-sheets to name tags to downloadable icons. And, for every one of these tasks, I delegate it! Why should I get so frustrated trying to align a text box when I can just hire an expert?

It’s Hard to Teach Creative Skills

The “aha” moment of the realization that we all can’t learn a new skill was forced in my face by working with 2 brilliant clients. They have stellar credentials, killer gifts, and a cool quotient, but no matter how many times I show them, they just can’t write their own bio. Their writing lacks flair, fragrant phrases, and a fun factor.

By the same token, I can’t seem to carry a tune. (Trust me on this one; I’m not a member of the National Singers Association!) Regardless of the years listening to music or even lessons, I won’t ever give Beyoncé a run for her money.

So, what do you do? Are you mastering new skills? What are you delegating instead?

Please share in the comments below.