If you have a task greater than you can handle on your own, then you need to delegate. Not a choice many of us choose to make, but one we can all learn. This article is a compilation of a series on delegation and how to best accomplish it. There are 4 parts in total, but this is the first and covers Why, that is, the Benefits, Preparation and Choosing the right people for the job.
So let's start with the Whys.
The first is obvious. The task if too big for one person. Or maybe is beyond the skills of that one person.
The second is that there is more chance of success because using other people brings in extra skill-sets, and added enthusiasm.
The third WHY is that delegation gives the leaders in an organisation the chance to develop the latent strengths and talents of their members, giving the organisation a greater pool of skill and potential leaders.
Be prepared before you Delegate
Ensure that you have your vision articulated very precisely. This is the vision that you will use to motivate and enthuse your members. Be very familiar with the place of this particular job in the organisation's plans and objectives.
Run the idea past other members of the Board, or trusted friends, so that they can find any difficulties or flaws. They can refine the idea for you, until it is stronger and more authentic than your original.
Check out the resources available for the job to be delegated.
Understand the whole scenario. Look for the fears that your members may feel, anticipate the problems that might occur, and think through how you will deal with those, what you will say. Look for flaws that might exist in the way you will communicate your plan, and the ways you might be misunderstood. Then you will be prepared enough to present a confident persona when you are motivating those who will share the work.
Match the Job to the Person
How many people will you need?
What kind of history does that person have on previous jobs?
Does this person show enthusiasm and interest in this appointment?
Does this person have the basic intelligence, knowledge and willingness to learn, necessary for the job?
Look for latent skills, strengths, and especially enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
Communicating the Vision
If the project is to succeed, everyone needs to see the broader aims of the whole project and the vision involved. Information is vital, but so is communicating the enthusiasm and value of the vision. Communicate the value of the project’s success – its value to the organisation and to the people taking on the various tasks. It is also necessary to make the members feel that the vision is theirs as well, that they can contribute to it, and feed it with their own creativity, enthusiasm and hard work.
Motivation
Communicating the vision involves the use of positive, encouraging language. Use words like believe, confidence in abilities, success. The language needs to communicate strength and positivity both in the enthusiasm for the project and in the faith in the people involved and their ability to achieve their goals.
Each person needs to be given the responsibility to achieve the task delegated to them. It will encourage them to contribute wholeheartedly to the job and its success. If the person does not want the responsibility, then perhaps it was not a good decision to delegate to them.
And those who are happy to work with responsibility, will also be motivated by the knowledge that you have the faith that they can achieve the job they have been given.
Expect high standards.
Make sure each person has the resources and the moral support to achieve their tasks.
Albert
Schweitzer said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It
is the only thing. So lead by
example. Take your place on the
ground floor and “at the coal face.”
And if you have middle level managers, give them direct experience of
the work and the workplace.
Building the Members of your Team
Bill Gates said, “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”
We need to look to the individuals in
our teams. There’s an old
saying that a rising tide lifts all boats.
If we invest time to raise the level of each team member’s
performance and feeling of self worth then it will increase the level of the
team as well.
This involves looking at each
individual, to see what he or she could become.
What are the attributes and skills that they possess, possibly
without knowing it, and certainly that they do not use.
Then it may be necessary to convince them that they can become the
person you see within them. It
may involve giving them tasks that use the skill or attribute and then
pointing out how they used it to succeed.
Obviously this means assigning achievable tasks, and certainly ones
that do not encourage fear of failure.
When we are looking at people to whom we
can delegate tasks, or who could be part of the team you need, it helps to
see them in a positive light - as achievers, good friends, and worthy
teammates. It will make it easier to bring out the best in them, rather
than thinking of them as losers, and unworthy of our time and friendship.
Treat all team members differently
because they are all different. Each
has their own motivation, strengths and weaknesses and emotional
intelligence, and will respond to different kinds of treatment.
They will also bring the different skills and levels of ability that
are needed in any project.
Build strengths and the feeling of strength.
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Building a Team
If the task requires a team, then the
best way to organize the team is to produce a group that, as a whole, will
be stronger and more successful as a single entity than as the combined
efforts of individuals. It
means building individuals as we have seen above, but it also involves
creating an image of the team as an entity – a valuable entity, one of
which the members can be proud. Give
each member the words and concepts to use, if necessary, so that they can
express that value and that pride.
And encourage each member to encourage,
assist and praise the other members of the team.
The atmosphere needs to be one of constructive assistance.
If it is absolutely necessary to look at errors, or failures or
matters of discontent, then they must be examined always in the light of
improvement for the future. Face
the future always. Constructively.
You will need to know how your project is progressing, so will need to establish some way of keeping up to date with that progress. The culture of your organisation and the task at hand will determine whether this is a formal process of reporting or conducting meetings, or something less formal. And you will need some way of ensuring that the progress occurs in the ways you envisioned.
But you will also need to provide feedback in the other direction to keep your members motivated, on track and to continue their growth and the growth of the organisation.
If you do not show any interest in that progress, then the members may lose interest. So find ways to comment on their progress.
Keep in mind that there are not always a right and wrong way to do things. The vision is the end product, subject to various other factors that affect how that vision is achieved.
Try to make the feedback as positive as possible but also realistic. The control systems that you put into place must make sure that any deviation from the goals is monitored and corrected. You will have established a measurement of success, a definable outcome, and everyone should have been made aware of that from the outset. Hopefully each member of the team will keep watch on progress towards that definable outcome.
As the leader, your best contribution will be to give everyone the feeling that, as a team, they are working toward the vision.
© 2005 Bronwyn Ritchie All rights reserved. If you would like to use this article, you have permission to use it only in full, and with the following Resource box attached.
| Bronwyn Ritchie is a librarian, an award-winning public speaker and ITC-certified trainer - Bringing you resources and training in public speaking, management of self and of your community organisation, resources for teachers, and new and news from the internet. |