You can’t be a leader if you don’t
delegate. Effective leaders delegate! It
is often hard to switch from “doing” to
delegating because when you
delegate you not only are handing off
responsibility, you are also handing off
control and authority. What’s the
difference? Responsibility is the
assignment that you are delegating.
Authority is giving them the power to
make decisions.
Sometimes it is hard to know if a
person is ready to take on a task. Here
are some questions to consider:
Can they do the job? In other words,
are they competent? Have they been
properly trained? Have they done
something similar before?
Do they have time? When is it due?
What else is on their plate? Is there
someone else who is less busy?
Do they want to do the job? Will they
feel successful doing it? Is there
someone else who better enjoys the
type of work the assignment requires?
How will this help them? Is this a
stretch for them and will it help them
grow? Can you invest the time to train
them and give them the skills they
need? Is this a skill that they can use in
the future?
What will you take as a measure of
success? What do you want the finished
task to look like? How can I be sure that
their picture of completion matches
mine?
By answering these questions, you
will pick the right person for the job and
increase both your and their chances
for being successful.
To learn more about delegation,
contact drmimi@hullonline.com