Are you working on top of your license?

We often get caught up in tasks that feel urgent but aren't necessarily important - doing work that someone else on our team could, and perhaps should, be doing. I came across a great concept a while back that leads to this precise question: are you actually working at the top of your license?

The phrase, which originates in fields like medicine and law, is about ensuring that highly skilled professionals spend their time on the tasks that only they are qualified to do. These are the tasks that represent the pinnacles of their craft and occupation.

Some examples:

1. Surgeon: Performing complex operations that only they are qualified to execute, rather than managing appointment scheduling or ordering supplies.

2. Marketing Director: Developing high‑level brand strategy and campaign oversight, rather than creating social media graphics or doing data entry.

3. Software Architect: Designing scalable system infrastructure, rather than writing basic unit tests or responding to routine helpdesk tickets.

4. University Professor: Conducting ground‑breaking research and delivering expert‑level lectures, rather than photocopying handouts or grading introductory quizzes.

5. Executive Coach: Coaching clients through strategic challenges and unlocking their leadership potential, rather than handling administrative tasks or scheduling appointments.

That's the lightbulb moment for me. When you operate at the top of your license, you stop being the bottleneck. You consciously delegate tasks that are better suited for others, which not only frees you up for more strategic work but also empowers your team members to grow by taking on new responsibilities.

You shift your focus from "doing everything" to "doing what only I can do." This moves us from avoiding work to optimizing unique contribution.

Look at your to‑do list and how you spend your typical work week and ask yourself, "What are some tasks here that are NOT at the top of my license?" Identify them, and then think about what it would take to delegate or eliminate them altogether. It might be the most strategic decision you make all week!

Alternatively, if you're a manager, go into one of your next one-on-ones and explain the concept of "top of license." Ask them what they believe that is for them. It can be an illuminating conversation!

p.s. our own 'listening' courses: https://www.intellicoach.com/pro-leaders and https://www.intellicoach.com/pro-hrbp