Norma Smith Davis asked:
Delegating successfully is one of those things we all know we should do. So why don’t we actually do it? Here are seven tips and techniques to help you get better, faster results when you delegate.
Managers and supervisors are paid to accomplish results through the work of other people. People who delegate well are more apt to be promoted and certainly able to have a less stressful work life. Yet so many managers and supervisors don’t do it. Here are seven tips that make delegating a successful endeavor that brings great results.
Delegate, Don’t Abdicate!
It’s important to give the employee the proper details, parameters, people to consult, where to find information, due date, and other details.
Provide a Mid-Course Check
Somewhere in between the day of the assignment and the due date, schedule a mid-course check (or two) to make sure the employee is headed in the right direction and on track.
Resist the Urge To Do It Yourself!
Taking the time to train a person to do the job will pay off down the line when they can relieve you of the task and you can feel confident that it will be done well.
Give the Right Job To The Right Person
Try to match the task to the right person’s strengths. Don’t give a big picture thinker a complex, tedious project
Set Clear Expectations
Tell your employee exactly and precisely what a good job will looks like. You may think that the assignment is just common sense, but time and again we learn that what is obvious to us is quite different to others.
Don’t Allow “Reverse” Delegation
Some employees are excellent at getting you to take the job back by asking a million questions, sighing deeply, acting put out, doing only half the job and other ploys. Resist taking it back! Tell the employee you have confidence they can do it and give it back.
Check Your Own Fear Factor
Many managers and supervisors do not delegate and the have a variety of reasons. Hidden beneath their “reasons are” fears and concerns, mostly unexamined. One of the biggies is the fear that the employee will do it wrong and that you will be blamed for it.
Some Other Fears: I’m afraid that others will think I just can’t handle my work. Or, I’m afraid I will look bad because I’m foisting my work on others.
Think of the reasons you have for not delegating. Is there a fear or concern connected to it? If so, is it a reasonable fear? What are the pros and cons? What might you gain from delegating some of your tasks? What might you loose? A little introspection in this area can free you up to be a better, more effective leader of your group, division, department or organization.
Delegating successfully is one of those things we all know we should do. So why don’t we actually do it? Here are seven tips and techniques to help you get better, faster results when you delegate.
Managers and supervisors are paid to accomplish results through the work of other people. People who delegate well are more apt to be promoted and certainly able to have a less stressful work life. Yet so many managers and supervisors don’t do it. Here are seven tips that make delegating a successful endeavor that brings great results.
Delegate, Don’t Abdicate!
It’s important to give the employee the proper details, parameters, people to consult, where to find information, due date, and other details.
Provide a Mid-Course Check
Somewhere in between the day of the assignment and the due date, schedule a mid-course check (or two) to make sure the employee is headed in the right direction and on track.
Resist the Urge To Do It Yourself!
Taking the time to train a person to do the job will pay off down the line when they can relieve you of the task and you can feel confident that it will be done well.
Give the Right Job To The Right Person
Try to match the task to the right person’s strengths. Don’t give a big picture thinker a complex, tedious project
Set Clear Expectations
Tell your employee exactly and precisely what a good job will looks like. You may think that the assignment is just common sense, but time and again we learn that what is obvious to us is quite different to others.
Don’t Allow “Reverse” Delegation
Some employees are excellent at getting you to take the job back by asking a million questions, sighing deeply, acting put out, doing only half the job and other ploys. Resist taking it back! Tell the employee you have confidence they can do it and give it back.
Check Your Own Fear Factor
Many managers and supervisors do not delegate and the have a variety of reasons. Hidden beneath their “reasons are” fears and concerns, mostly unexamined. One of the biggies is the fear that the employee will do it wrong and that you will be blamed for it.
Some Other Fears: I’m afraid that others will think I just can’t handle my work. Or, I’m afraid I will look bad because I’m foisting my work on others.
Think of the reasons you have for not delegating. Is there a fear or concern connected to it? If so, is it a reasonable fear? What are the pros and cons? What might you gain from delegating some of your tasks? What might you loose? A little introspection in this area can free you up to be a better, more effective leader of your group, division, department or organization.