Dads are often cast in the role of King of the Grill, flames licking up around charred hunks of meat, “ooh’s” and “ah’s” erupting as they place their masterpiece on the table.
But that ten minutes of hot, sweaty glory pales in comparison to the time and effort that go in to…
…figuring out what to cook.
…going to the store.
…planning the meal.
…chopping up the ingredients.
…preparing the marinade 8 hours in advance.
…making the sides.
…setting the table.
…welcoming the guests in a way that makes them feel welcome and at home.
To be sure, there are some jobs that really are unique in the value they create: the ability to open or close a sale, to get the best out of team members, to make key strategic decisions in uncertain times.
But lots of the time we get distracted by the flourish at the end, communicating, both explicitly and implicitly, that a few small, visible steps are more valuable than the heavy lift that happened along the way to make it all possible.
