Suze Bragg

When you're having trouble delegating...
August 18, 2008

There is more to delegating than handing over the tasks you'd rather not do yourself.  It's a combination of giving specific tasks to your team that have a goal, as well as encouraging then to learn new skills, reach beyond what they think they have the knowledge to complete, and staying ahead of what's happening in their job space.

As entrepreneurs and managers, it's hard to let go of control, especially for projects we know we can do well ourselves.  But being a good, effective manager goes beyond checking tasks off a goal list; you need to help propel the people on your team toward greatness.  After all, you're only as good as the people who surround you.

What keeps your from delegating?  There are a couple reasons:
1. It's easier to complete the task yourself then to explain it to someone else, and then have correct their mistakes.

2. The person will make a mess of the project and you'll have to take extra time to fix it.  Possibly on a weekend or at night.

3. You don't feel they have the talent or necessary skills to complete the task to your satisfaction.

4.  Your ego is tied to it and you're afraid that by giving the employee more control, he/she will become the go-to person for the rest of the organization.

5.  They may find an easier way to do it then the way you've been approaching it, and you'll feel smarted (see #4).

6.  You lack confidence in your own abilities, and if problems arise when you delegate the task, then you'll doubt your own abilities.

7.  You're not sure how to approach the task yourself, so you're not sure how to tell the employee to begin to tackle it themselves.

8.  You delegate responsibility without delegating authority for them to receive the support they need to perform the job.

9.  You expect your employees to do things exactly like you do.  Each person has their own style and ways to approach projects.  You don't want a bunch of Mini-Mes walking around mimicking your style, and the best teams are the ones where people approach projects from multiple angles.  It breeds objectivity and creativity.

10. You're a procrastinator and you're scared that others will find out exactly how far behind you really are.

So now what do you do?  Delegating effectively is an important part of your job as a manager and as a leader.  If it's done well, you can devote time to the projects that need your attention.  You'll be able to tackle more interesting projects, and make key decisions when the time comes.  The goal of good delegation is to make your team more effective and efficient.  Where do you start, or if you've been delegating, how do you know you're doing it properly?

Step 1:
Look at your team from a project manager's prospective:  what are people spending the most time doing, what could they do better, and what areas do they need to learn to enhance their skills?

Step 2: 
Look at your own task list and pick the top 10 things that directly effect your company's performance (otherwise known as goal alignment).  Take everything else, especially the administrative tasks, and delegate them to someone else.  Find the little, inconsequential tasks that are time killers (like going through hordes of emails each day) and find a better way to manage it (have your admin manage it, create filters or folders, prioritize etc.).

Step 3:
Delegate projects that help your employee grow and one you know they will succeed when they tackle it.  This will give them the confidence to take on more challenges (do not delegate an impossible tasks that you know will fail. This is a classic example of bad leadership).

Step 4:
Spread out the tasks to as many of your employees as possible to even out the workload.  Therefore, nobody feels like someone else is getting preferential treatment or choice projects.

Step 5:
Maintain a positive attitude.  You'll stumble from time to time, but remain positive and others will follow suit.  You're all in this together, so make it enjoyable.

Step 6:
Discuss the tasks / projects and expectations when you delegate.  Get everything out on the table so they'll know what's expected, what the due date is, what you're looking for, and where they'll find the tools they'll need to get the job done.  

Step 7:
Once they've completed the task, give them praise.  Sounds simple, but many managers forget this step and the enormous benefit it offers.  You're dealing with humans with complex emotions.  Yes, it's business, but successful businesses are run by people, not machines or products.   Employees take the time to excel at new projects when they feel valued.  If you want someone to fail, don't praise them and you'll see how quickly your team disintegrates.

Posted by Suze Bragg on August 18, 2008 | Comments (0)