How to tell if you’re failing to delegate and one tip for making the most of your time training others.
I’ve used this phrase before when coaching a company whose leaders were not delegating enough. This can happen in an organization when a certain group of people, usually leaders, fail to spread the workload. One thing is common across all people and organizations: there is more to do than we have the time and resources to do it. Why can’t we divvy out some of our work to the talented people we lead?
You may be struggling with poor delegation, especially if you find yourself saying the following:
“I feel guilty dumping more work on my people.” While this is honorable the billpayer for this approach is the organization writ large. On a dry-erase board list out all the tasks you and your team must accomplish. Then see where the imbalance is and ask for their help.
“I’ll just do it myself.” This can happen because you know exactly how you want something done, but you fail to grow your people. Put some energy into crafting your intent for what needs to be done. Intent follows this framework:
- Purpose (the why of what needs to be done)
- Key Tasks (vital steps which must be accomplished to ensure success)
- End State (what it looks/smell/tastes like when it is complete)
“I’m afraid it won’t get done.” This represents a deeper problem. If there is lack of trust between the leader and the team, it will be hard to get anything done. It creates an unhealthy work environment. Trust is a foundational element of delegation. Leaders must spend time getting to know their people on a deeper level; what makes them tick, what motivates/demotivates them, what is their family situation, etc. I worked on building trust with my people and then trusted them to accomplish tasks, seek help, and overcome obstacles.
“I have not trained my people.” While it is our duty to prepare our people properly for what needs to be done, we simply do not have the time to do that. Think about it. Nobody told you how to do much of what you now do. You problem solved, sought help, read, watched videos and figured it out. Your people can do that as well. Here’s my tip for making the most of the time you spend training others:
