Delegating Responsibility and Work
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Properly delegating responsibility and work does a lot more than make your life as a leader or manager easier. It builds teamwork, increases efficiency, develops careers, raises morale and boosts productivity.
Properly delegating responsibility and work does a lot more than make your life as a leader or manager easier. It builds teamwork, increases efficiency, develops careers, raises morale and boosts productivity. But it is not always easy to do. However, the skills necessary to become better at delegating can be learned.
Think about the following philosophy from Mort Meyerson, former CEO, Perot Systems from the article titled "Everything I Thought I Knew About Leadership Is Wrong," Fast Company, April 1996:
"The … job of the leader is to pick the right people to be part of the organization and to create an environment where those people can succeed. That means encouraging others to help develop the strategy and grow the philosophy of the company. It means more collaboration and teamwork among people at every level of the company. I am now a coach, not an executive. When people ask me for a decision, I pick up a mirror, hold it up for them to look into, and tell them: Look to yourselves and look to the team, don't look to me." Far too many CEOs are reluctant to let go of day-to-day control of their businesses. Letting go can be very hard. The same character traits that led the CEO to found the organization or build it into its present-day success can work against the need to relinquish authority to other qualified individuals. What's the answer? Many leading business experts say the best way to become comfortable with delegating responsibility is surrounding yourself with the best people you can find - people whose abilities you value and respect. With a strong management team in place, it's foolish, even self-destructive, not to take full advantage of their skills and abilities. Make sure you employ people whose beliefs are aligned with yours. After that, the guiding principle is simple: hire the best and fire the rest. When people understand that great things are expected of them, they usually rise to the occasion. High expectations challenge people to live up to the best they can do - and they work hard to meet those expectations. Sometimes employees need to be coached into accepting responsibility. One way is cultivating their ownership of the organization - its goals, ideas, etc. Have them serve on a results-oriented team and participate in making key decisions. Give them a vision and sense of purpose that truly excites them.
Another technique is allowing others to fail in small ways, while they build the expertise needed for big victories. Don't expect perfection; instead, expect the individual to strive for perfection. Some element of risk-taking is involved whenever a leader delegates responsibility. Strong leaders applaud employees who fail constructively, understanding that this is a necessary step toward success. They also cheer on employees as they grow more capable of accepting responsibility.
Proper delegation creates a team spirit and helps you accomplish much more than if you try to work alone. Try the following tips adapted from “Time Tactics of Very Successful People,” by B. Eugene Greissman.
- Pick people who can accept responsibility. Surround yourself with the best.
- Try to match the person to the task. Try to delegate assignments that will capitalize on the person’s talents.
- Remember that the person performing the task may not do it as well as you do it. Don’t be tempted to take over the project. Weigh the time you might lose at first against the time you’ll save in the long run.
- Build the person’s confidence by first assigning low-risk projects.
- Let those who are delegated work put their own spin on the assignment. Their way may be better. Be sure to listen to their ideas.
- When communicating a task, use words that are easily understood. A good idea: Dictate the instructions on a cassette or write them out so the person can recheck the message.
- Keep tabs on what you delegate. As the deadline nears, check to make sure that everything is on target.
- Give a due date for the assignment and explain how this assignment relates to other priorities.
Most employees want more responsibility. Remember, new assignments should help staffers gain needed experience and add to their inventory of skills, not just result in more work. Take the time today and commit to becoming better at delegating responsibility and work. It’s a great way to develop your staff and free up some time in your schedule.
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