The Art of Delegating Part 1 – Decisions, Decisions

A delegator is only as good as their ability to define the task to complete is.  Do you actually know what you want?

Decide on the task or project.  Consider every detail about it.  Leave nothing out.

Then, choose your worker.

Your employees can’t read your mind or deliver results if the task is not made clear.  If you have an idea of what you want, but cannot write down succinct steps as to what it is or how you need it to happen, you are not ready to delegate it to someone for completion.

“Just do what you think.”

That might be fine for a seasoned professional you trust implicitly.  But it is a dangerous game to play, especially if “what they think” isn’t anywhere near what you were hoping for.  It wastes your time, their time, and the company’s profitability.  Are you sure that you want that particular person to attempt to do the job?  Consider the task, and choose wisely the person to get it done.  Maybe it’s not an assignment appropriate for certain members your staff .

Once you’ve clearly defined the scope of the job and know what your employees strengths and limitations are, also be clear as to what you are willing to be flexible about BEFORE setting them loose on the task.  Nit picking details and endless corrections throughout an assignment will not only frustrate you, but will put your employee over the top with angst, lack of trust and respect for you.

“Counterproductive” is the polite word to describe an ever changing assignment.  Know what you are asking for and know who you want to do it before you ask for it.  Make sure you’ve left no important details out. You may want to even add a couple “what if” contingency plans for unexpected snags.  Then stick with your decision.  With clearly stated instructions and expectations, your employee will be able to hit the mark with ease instead of chase a moving target to exhaustion.

Have you experienced bad delegation as an employee? Have you struggled with delegation as a manager? We would love to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share this post with others who may find value and interest in exploring limitless possibilities with PR Brady AdVentures.