The Useful Man

FOR THE USEFUL MAN @ WORK OPPORTUNITY FOR COACHING Jack is at a crossroads because the very qualities that made him valuable—his reliability, expertise, and willingness to step in—are beginning to create dependency around him. Colleagues turn to him to resolve complex people issues, close difficult negotiations, and stabilise challenging situations, which means too much of the system still runs through him. While he has the capability and judgment to handle these demands, the next step in his development is not doing more, but enabling more. Coaching will help Jack shift from being the person who fixes problems to the leader who builds systems and capability so others can solve them. By strengthening delegation, clarifying decision rights, and accelerating the transfer of his knowledge into playbooks and frameworks, he can move from indispensable operator to multiplier of performance—improving both his impact and the resilience of the organisation. Jack: “My goal is to move from being the one who solves the problems to the one who builds the systems and develops the people so problems are handled without needing to come to me.” SET THE COURSE - Clarify the direction for People & Culture by defining the principles, frameworks, and playbooks that guide decisions. Ensure the team understands the intent behind policies and practices so they can act with confidence without relying on Jack to interpret every situation. GAURD THE HOUSE - Strengthen governance by establishing clear decision rights, boundaries, and standards for employee relations, performance management, and organisational change. Ensure legal integrity and cultural consistency while building the judgment in others to uphold these standards independently. MAKE IT WORK - Build practical capability in the team by coaching judgment, mentoring emerging leaders, and embedding tools that support consistent execution. Focus on developing people and systems so complex issues can be handled effectively at the right level without escalating back to Jack. C H A L L E N G E S A N D O P P O R T U N I T I E S T O B E B E T T E R CODE NAME: Jack Better The Deck REFER TO COACHING ROUND ONE INSTRUCTIONS