Six Essential Steps for Mastering Delegation & Avoiding the ‘Kittens’!
How many of us think ‘If you want a job done properly, do it yourself’? It’s very common! If we do it, we do it well, and quickly. We take on other people’s jobs, at the expense of our own, leading to long hours and frustration. In this blog we’ll look at how to delegate in a way that benefits you and your team member, and how to avoid taking on other people’s tasks!
What’s been your experience of delegation? Instead of stepping back we’ve perhaps ended up stepping in at the last minute to avoid a crisis. Delegating is really another word for training. Every manager is a trainer and a coach. So why is delegation important and how do we do it well?
🌟 Why Does Delegation Matter?
🌱 Boosts Team Development: By delegating, you provide team members with opportunities to grow, learn new skills, and gain confidence.
🚀 Enhances Productivity: Delegating tasks allows leaders to focus on strategic planning and high-level decision-making, increasing overall productivity.
🤝 Encourages Trust and Team Cohesion: It builds a culture of trust and collaboration, as team members feel valued and trusted with important responsibilities.
💡 Fosters Innovation: Giving team members autonomy can lead to innovative approaches and fresh perspectives.
Six Questions to Ask before Delegating Effectively
Identifying the Right Tasks: What tasks can you delegate that align with your team's strengths and interests?
Selecting the Right People: How can you match tasks with your team members' strengths and development needs, considering their current workload and expertise?
Providing Clear Instructions and Expectations: How can you communicate what needs to be done, the expected outcomes, and deadlines clearly and effectively?
Empowering, Not Micromanaging: How can you give your team the freedom to approach tasks in their way while offering the necessary support and guidance?
Offering Feedback and Recognition: How can you provide constructive feedback and recognize their efforts to encourage continuous learning and motivation?
Monitoring Progress: How can you keep track of progress effectively without interfering, and be available to provide assistance or clarification if needed?
Questions to consider:
What tasks could you delegate to your team?
When could you start?
What else do you need to do to set them up for success?
Managing the kittens
Do you often find yourself handling tasks that aren't yours? If so, you might be guilty of taking on other people's “kittens."
What are kittens? Imagine every task and responsibility as a kitten perched on your shoulder. When we do our job, we're managing our own kittens. But sometimes, we end up with someone else's.
This usually happens when we're too kind or helpful, accepting tasks that aren't ours and/or we struggle to delegate. But how can we avoid this and still ensure work gets done?
Consider this scenario: you've trained me to use the printer, and I can now handle it independently. One day, the printer malfunctions while I'm using it. If you immediately step in to fix it, you've just adopted my kitten, adding to your stress.
As a manager, our role is to ensure the task is completed, not necessarily to do it ourselves. Asking open questions encourages others to think and solve problems independently, rather than relying on you for solutions.
Questions to consider: How much do you take other people’s kittens?
What questions could you use to support them solving the problem, without doing it for them?
These topics are covered in our Leading Effectively Programme. Do contact me if you’d like further information.