Delegation: The Forgotten Management Tool
Delegation: The Forgotten Management Tool
Sound familiar? Is this what you find yourself saying (or thinking) these days? You’ve tried all the time management techniques. You’ve even upgraded your software and tried (unsuccessfully) to renegotiate your job objectives with your boss. And you have some talented people that are demotivated by doing the same duties month-after-month.
Maybe it’s time to consider delegating an element or two of your job.
Why We Don’t Like to Delegate
But wait a minute! We managers are not natural delegators. We’re programmed to exercise our authority. We got to this exalted level in the organization by successfully solving problems, not passing them off to others.
There are at least six reasons why we resist delegating a task or decision to our staff. Here they are below, along with our “selftalk” that accompanies them:
What you heard above is the view purely from the manager’s perspective. Now consider things from the manager-as-leader’s perspective. Here are three excellent reasons in favor of delegating:
First of all, select what to delegate. Pick a task or new responsibility that is perhaps less challenging to you but will stretch and develop the employee(s) in question. Then, stipulate the goal–the result you are looking for–and how it will be measured. But take a caution from no less a leader than General George Patton: “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
Secondly, decide on how much authority you will give them. Clarify which decisions they (1) can make totally on their own, (2) can make but keep you informed, (3) must run by you first for approval, (4) will be making jointly with you, or (5) must have you make for them. The best practice is to hand off as much as you personally can tolerate and the situation will allow.
Next, clearly communicate precisely what you are delegating. Cover what is to be done, by when, why (the background and reasons), allowable resources, any limits on their authority for decision-making and, of course, the benefits to them for taking on this responsibility. As you strive for mutual understanding and agreement, allow them to push back, to negotiate around the parameters...this is what independent people who take on full accountability for their commitments typically do before they make a commitment that they intend to keep!
Then, check for mutual understanding around what was agreed. Sometimes employees are reluctant to disagree directly with you. They may not agree or understand but they say “yes” to you anyway because they don’t want to come across as dumb or difficult.
Provide support, as appropriate. This may mean just being available if they need you or you might go so far as to schedule periodic progress update meetings. Nevertheless, this is your opportunity to coach, guide, challenge and encourage your protégé employee(s).
Finally, follow up, evaluate and recognize work well done.
Recent research from the Gallup organization indicates that the most prominent practice of “great managers” is finding the right fit between employees’ skills and the work to be done. Delegating is a great way to create that “right fit.”
Too many managers overlook the power of delegation as a development tool. Former CEO of AES, Dennis Bakke, had his “80/20 rule.” It said that AES people should spend 80% of their time on their primary roles (i.e. their job description duties) and 20% on special tasks, giving advice, learning new skills, and projects not necessarily related to their official job. This ensured that work was challenging, motivating and, yes, even fun.
What can you delegate and to whom? Why not create some opportunities? Even if you don’t do it for staff development, do it to free yourself up for that part of your job that really justifies the big bucks they pay you.
Delegation The Forgotten Management Tool - To learn more about this author, visit Ian Cook's Website.
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“I never get to the truly managerial parts of my own job.”
“I’m staying too late at night and working too many weekends.”
“_________ is really ready to advance but I have no job to promote him/her to right now”
“If I don’t give my best people some new challenges soon, I may lose them.”
Sound familiar? Is this what you find yourself saying (or thinking) these days? You’ve tried all the time management techniques. You’ve even upgraded your software and tried (unsuccessfully) to renegotiate your job objectives with your boss. And you have some talented people that are demotivated by doing the same duties month-after-month.
Maybe it’s time to consider delegating an element or two of your job.
Why We Don’t Like to Delegate
But wait a minute! We managers are not natural delegators. We’re programmed to exercise our authority. We got to this exalted level in the organization by successfully solving problems, not passing them off to others.
There are at least six reasons why we resist delegating a task or decision to our staff. Here they are below, along with our “selftalk” that accompanies them:
- Power
If I hold on to the task or at least retain the final say over it, I maintain control. They must continue to rely on me. No, thank you. I’ll do it myself and stay the “boss.” - Trust
I just don’t trust them to do the job properly (i.e. to my satisfaction and standards). They’re not ready yet, anyway. They lack the experience. Besides, if they blow the job or make a bad decision, it could be costly...and you-know-who will have to answer for that. No, it’s safer to do it myself. - Self-Confidence
If I hand off a basic duty or decision like this one, what will I do? Truth be told, I’m not sure how to do some of those higher level, strategic type tasks in my “manager” job description. No, it’s easier for me to look busy and on-the- ball by doing lower-level tasks that I know I can handle. - Fear
My staff is already overloaded and they don’t hesitate to remind me of the fact. If I approach them with something new to do, they’ll be really angry. I can just hear them now, “Oh yeah, and just which part of my job do you expect me to drop in order to do this extra work for you?” No, it’s just less confrontational to do it myself. - Time
It will take too long to show them how to do this. Besides, I can have it done in the time it takes just to explain it to them. And this way I won’t have to spend time coaching and checking up on them. No, it’s less hassle to do it myself. - Feels Good!
Man, I love that sense of accomplishment when I complete a task, make a decision, and solve a problem. I can check it off. I can tell others about it. Why would I want to give up this great feeling? No, I’ll hang on to the task, thank you very much.
What you heard above is the view purely from the manager’s perspective. Now consider things from the manager-as-leader’s perspective. Here are three excellent reasons in favor of delegating:
- It frees you up to do the value-added work you are paid for. This work typically involves higher-level issues around strategic direction, resources, system problems, coaching, and interfacing with the wider organization and beyond. These challenges may put you on a steep learning curve but it is by performing this part of your job that you will ultimately succeed as a manager.
- It offers an opportunity to develop, motivate and assess employees. Many–not all–employees will be highly motivated by an assignment or new responsibility that invites them to grow, learn some new skills, enrich their job, and perhaps gain a higher profile.
- It builds accountability and independence in your staff. Management philosopher Peter Koestenbaum says that if a leader is not developing and supporting the accountability of his or her staff, he/she is, abandoning them (to dependency and stagnation).
First of all, select what to delegate. Pick a task or new responsibility that is perhaps less challenging to you but will stretch and develop the employee(s) in question. Then, stipulate the goal–the result you are looking for–and how it will be measured. But take a caution from no less a leader than General George Patton: “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
Secondly, decide on how much authority you will give them. Clarify which decisions they (1) can make totally on their own, (2) can make but keep you informed, (3) must run by you first for approval, (4) will be making jointly with you, or (5) must have you make for them. The best practice is to hand off as much as you personally can tolerate and the situation will allow.
Next, clearly communicate precisely what you are delegating. Cover what is to be done, by when, why (the background and reasons), allowable resources, any limits on their authority for decision-making and, of course, the benefits to them for taking on this responsibility. As you strive for mutual understanding and agreement, allow them to push back, to negotiate around the parameters...this is what independent people who take on full accountability for their commitments typically do before they make a commitment that they intend to keep!
Then, check for mutual understanding around what was agreed. Sometimes employees are reluctant to disagree directly with you. They may not agree or understand but they say “yes” to you anyway because they don’t want to come across as dumb or difficult.
Provide support, as appropriate. This may mean just being available if they need you or you might go so far as to schedule periodic progress update meetings. Nevertheless, this is your opportunity to coach, guide, challenge and encourage your protégé employee(s).
Finally, follow up, evaluate and recognize work well done.
Recent research from the Gallup organization indicates that the most prominent practice of “great managers” is finding the right fit between employees’ skills and the work to be done. Delegating is a great way to create that “right fit.”
Too many managers overlook the power of delegation as a development tool. Former CEO of AES, Dennis Bakke, had his “80/20 rule.” It said that AES people should spend 80% of their time on their primary roles (i.e. their job description duties) and 20% on special tasks, giving advice, learning new skills, and projects not necessarily related to their official job. This ensured that work was challenging, motivating and, yes, even fun.
What can you delegate and to whom? Why not create some opportunities? Even if you don’t do it for staff development, do it to free yourself up for that part of your job that really justifies the big bucks they pay you.
Delegation The Forgotten Management Tool - To learn more about this author, visit Ian Cook's Website.
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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