Industry Perspective
Delegate! Why We Don’t, Why We Should
By Andy Masters
Whenever I present a program on delegation or time management, I always ask the audience if they have ever said this to themselves: “If it’s going to get done right, and if it’s going to get done on time — I might as well do it myself!” What’s amazing is that approximately 99 percent of all attendees raise their hand. Everyone has said this to themselves before. Why? Because that’s the way we’re wired! We all have a default
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 Andy Masters is a member of the National Speakers Association. He is president of Masters Performance Improvement, which helps individuals and organizations become better at what they do. Visit andy-masters.com or e-mail andy@andy-masters.com for schedule availability.
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mechanism which causes us to fall back on doing everything ourselves, often subconsciously. This issue always strikes a cord with meeting planners in my programs who feel they have to take on the responsibility of every minute detail of an event they are planning.
Here are the top four reasons we rationalize not delegating:
1.“I don’t have anyone to delegate to.”
Certainly, if you don’t have employees or a personal assistant, you may have stopped reading already. However, don’t fret. Delegation, at its most basic level, is simply having someone help you. Help can also come from peers, other departments, friends or interns. There are even examples of those who have mastered the art of delegation enough that they can even delegate to their boss. The concept of “managing your boss” has picked up steam in the last decade or so. It could be asking for personal help with something they have more experience with, requesting additional resources, or at least managing expectations in relation to other projects you also have on your plate.
2. “I’ve tried to delegate and it doesn’t work. I’ve been burned before.”
You’re right. It’s happened to all of us.
Here is a reality check: Will delegation always work? No, it won’t. The key here is that, as a leader, you are still on top of what is happening with those tasks. Don’t get burned. What, perhaps, could you have done more effectively? Were you clear in exactly what was to be performed, and by when? Did the person have the time, training and resources to perform the task? Was it the right person? Did you follow up before the deadline to double-check in case they got off track? Delegation is a process, and the organized “delegator” shouldn’t get burned.
3. “By the time I explained it to someone, I could have done it myself.”
Quite possibly, there are things that could take just a bit more time to explain to someone else — the first time. However, if you think that way all the time, you will be the only person who knows how to do everything, and you will stay in the trap of having to do everything yourself. But if you invest the time to delegate the first time, and that same or related item arises again, voila! It’s a time-saver from then on.
The key to this method is the word “habit.” Using the above excuse rationalizes and enhances the habit of doing everything yourself. Avoiding this excuse creates the habit of delegating. Establish the pattern of delegating, especially on smaller or quicker tasks, to create a habit.
4. “I don’t want to ‘bother’ someone else. They already have enough on their plate.”
I liken this “bothering someone” mentality to asking someone to buy something if you are in sales, or even asking someone out on a date. Psychologically, there is a certain uncomfortable side to delegating. We don’t want to seem as if we are pawning work off on others. We don’t like giving people more work, especially if they, too, seem busy. However, if we are truly overwhelmed, who do we really have to blame if we never even ask for help in the first place? Who do we have to blame if we don’t have time for the important projects that we should be focusing our time on? Delegation often has to do with pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone, rather than “not feeling like asking” for help and continuing the pattern of taking it all on ourselves.
The “Disservice” Theory
The next time you start a project where you think to yourself, “this is a pretty big project,” or “this is really important — I need to do this one myself,” consider this: You are actually doing someone a disservice by not including them, by not allowing them to share in the responsibility, and not allowing them to grow and develop so that they are a step closer to taking on more responsibility in the future.
Perhaps it is a new or younger member in your organization, or an employee wanting to learn for future advancement, or even an intern. If you at least “take them along for the ride” with you, next time, they can do more. We’ve all had mentors who took us along for the ride. That is
| Being a leader isn’t the person running around doing everything. A leader is someone who inspires others to achieve the goals of the organization as a team — first and foremost. |
how people learn. That is how people grow. Don’t deny someone the opportunity to learn and grow because the responsibility seemed “too important.” Take the time to include someone and share.
Like anything else, these tips may not work every time, but give them a shot:
1. “Can you help me? I really need your help.” The number one reason people don’t get enough help is because they don’t ask. Period. If you sincerely need help, and sincerely ask someone using these magic words — nine times out of 10 you will get a response.
2. “When do you think you can get this done by?” Instead of setting deadlines or imposing an order, ask colleagues when they can commit to getting the task done. First of all, they will appreciate the gesture. They know their schedule and other commitments better than you. But, if they are the ones who set their own deadline, there is an extra level of accountability, and they are much more likely to adhere to the deadline.
3. The first thing you should do each morning is identify the three, five or seven items on your to-do list where at least some progress can be made by someone else. Ship those items off to sea either in person or via e-mail by asking for help right away. Then get on with your day. A couple will get done, a couple more will at least make some progress, and a couple others may not progress at all. Fine. That is much more progress than if you never delegated any of those tasks. The key is that you are now making progress during the day/week on four of those items while you spent no time on them at all, allowing you to make progress on more important items on your list simultaneously.
Keep The Big Picture In Mind
I had an important life lesson I learned early in my career. I was definitely a control freak. I ran around doing everything myself, maybe trying to impress, maybe not trusting others or maybe not realizing the damage that it caused, until it was almost too late. I nearly reached a point of total burnout and exhaustion. I also wasn’t performing well to the big picture of my responsibilities. I then had the revelation that being a leader isn’t the person running around doing everything. A leader is someone who inspires others to achieve the goals of the organization as a team — first and foremost.
Like anything else, delegation takes focus and a concerted, conscious effort every day, or we revert to our old habits. So bring someone along on that next big project. Look at your to-do list and delegate three, four or five items before you do anything else. Then devote your time to your big-picture goals and achieve more in less time, with higher quality and less stress. You will be amazed at what you and your organization can accomplish. C&IT