Blog from Maribeth Kuzmeski of Red Zone Marketing
Delegation is great. It allows us to accomplish so much more by handing off tasks to others so that we can achieve more in our own day. However, sometimes we forget that it is more than just telling someone what to do. What we are really doing is entrusting someone else with a task. When we entrust someone with something, we are doing something more than just throwing a project on their desk and demanding it be returned to us with corrections by 5:00. We are saying, “I trust that you have the understanding and knowledge to get this done for me.”
Just as important as getting the project done, is getting it done right. That’s where delegation may be difficult; you must be willing to relinquish control, philosophy and initial concept. In order for delegation to work, the people that are being delegated to need to have the same beliefs that you do, the same understanding of the situation, and the same goals in mind. Or it doesn’t work.
I hear so much frustration expressed by managers as well as the individuals that work for them. The reason for the frustration? A lack of connection from manager to individual on details and direction.
If I want you to carry out the tasks or ideas that I delegate to you – I have to first connect with you to make sure that you see it the way I see it. What does this mean?
Taking the time to look at the bigger picture. Why am I delegating this task to you? What do I want to achieve both immediately and in the long run? How will this individual task impact the bigger picture? Sometimes we fall short because we forget why we are doing something, and when that happens it makes room for errors, misunderstandings, and overall frustration.
In the book, The Connectors, I wrote an entire chapter on some of the specifics of being a better listener. On the surface delegating may seem to involve more speaking than listening, but that is not the case. It is your job as a delegator to make sure the other individual understands what you are asking of them. You accomplish this by asking the right questions and listening to make sure your requests were understood. In taking five more minutes you may have given them all of the information they needed, AND been able to make sure that you are on the same page. Sometimes I forgo the five minutes and waste an extra 20 minutes on frustration and another 60 minutes time cleaning up what wasn’t done right. And, it was my fault, not theirs. Taking the extra time is a critical connection between what you want and what you’re going to get!
As I mentioned earlier, delegating has to be more than just telling someone what to do because you need to make sure that they get it. When you leave gaps in what you would like to be done, you are allowing the other individual to fill in those gaps with their own interpretations, and that can lead to mistakes.
I see this happening with President Obama. He has certain legislation that he wants passed. The first was the stimulus bill. Just about everyone was in favor of economic stimulus of some sort. But when he put it to Congressional leaders it was diluted, filled with local pork projects, ear marks and all the rest. He let the whole thing get away from him. Whether you agree with his politics or not, delegation is not working between President Obama and the Democratic Congressional leaders. He clearly has not taken the time to explain the outcome, the path he envisions to get there and then work with them to get it done. He seems to give a little philosophy and turns it over, allowing them to fill in the gaps.
The healthcare initiative is another good example. Most people believe that healthcare needs some kind of reform. But when President Obama turns it over to congressional leaders to form the bill it turns out to be a completely partisan, trainwreck filled with townhall meetings of screaming people from coast to coast. Good leadership requires good delegation.
If we take the time to make the connection with others, to paint the bigger picture, and make sure they are on the same page, it pays off.
How do you make that connection with individuals you delegate to? Share your stories in the comments below.
www.redzonemarketing.comMaribeth Kuzmeski, is the author of the new book, The Connectors: How the World's Most Successful Businesspeople Build Relationships and Win Clients for Life
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