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“Creating Successful Leaders”

Tag Archives: benefits of delegation

October 16, 2024 Acknowledging Your Strengths (and knowing when to delegate)

As a licensed practitioner of Insights® Discovery, I know how vitally important it is to understand and tap into your personal strengths. Though you might have a sense of your skills and interests, naming them can be powerful. This helps to crystallize your self-awareness and give you a clearer picture of how you can best contribute.

Once you’ve identified your strengths, you can determine which tasks and responsibilities you’re uniquely suited for, and which ones might be better delegated to others. This allows you to focus your energy on your areas of excellence, while empowering your team members to shine in their own ways. Striking this balance is one of the keys to effective leadership and personal fulfillment.

However, many of us are hesitant to delegate for a variety of reasons. We might think we can do a task better or quicker than someone else, or we could be hesitant to give up that control, or we might simply not trust our team members to handle it properly. But when we hold on too tightly, we end up overworked and overwhelmed. Delegating frees up your time and energy to focus on your most important priorities. It also empowers your team, allowing them to develop new skills and take on greater responsibilities.

To get past hesitations or mental barriers related to delegation, I suggest the following:

Identify Tasks to Delegate

It is helpful to be crystal clear on which tasks you enjoy and have time to do versus the tasks that are better delegated to others. Make a list of the responsibilities you can hand off, considering your strengths and weaknesses, as well as your team’s capabilities. This will help you determine what to delegate and to whom.

Reach Out Intentionally

Not everyone is suited for every task. If you’re considering delegating something, make sure to reach out to the proper person. Ask yourself if that person has the skills, interest, and bandwidth to take on the task. If not, you may need to find someone else OR allow that person additional time to complete the job at hand.

Communicate Expectations Clearly

When delegating tasks, be sure to provide clear instructions and set expectations upfront. Explain the desired outcome, timeline, and any specific requirements. This ensures your team members understand exactly what is expected of them.

Provide Support

An effective leader makes sure to provide support and guidance as needed. Check in regularly, offer feedback, and be available to answer questions. This helps team members feel empowered and confident in their ability to complete the delegated tasks successfully. Though you may need to be available for questions and support quite a bit at first, your team member should gain more confidence and adeptness with repeat tasks over time.

Review Progress and Provide Feedback

Schedule regular check-ins to review the delegated work. Offer constructive feedback and be available to answer questions or provide guidance. This shows your team members that you trust them, while also maintaining quality control. Over time, you can reduce the level of oversight as they gain confidence and competence.

Express Appreciation

Do not underestimate the power of a thank you. If your team members have done a great job with the delegated tasks, be sure to express your sincere appreciation. This positive reinforcement will encourage them to continue taking on more responsibilities and growing in their roles. For especially impressive work, consider providing a hand-written thank you card or gift card to express your gratitude.

Effective delegation is a skill that takes practice, but the benefits are immense. By empowering your team, you free up your own time and energy to focus on your strengths and highest priorities. This, in turn, can lead to greater productivity, job satisfaction, and overall success for both you and your organization.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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December 20, 2023 The Power of Delegation (During the Holidays)

If you’re like many people I know, you tend to get bogged down and busy during the holiday season. You take on an array of tasks—planning holiday gatherings, meal prep, gift shopping, arranging to get yourself and your family to all those holiday activities. With so much on your plate (and I’m not just talking about the turkey!), it can seem difficult to slow down, catch your breath, and re-strategize. But that’s exactly what I encourage you to do.

One of the most powerful ways to lighten your workload is to delegate. Delegation does not mean you’re lazy or ineffective—far from it. Instead, it is a sign of competent leadership, and it shows you are self-aware enough to know when you’ve just about hit your limit.

Even though many of us know delegation is a good idea, we tend to put up barriers. We make up excuses, such as:

“No one else has the skills to do what I need. I have to do it myself.”

“Everyone else is busy, too. It wouldn’t be fair to delegate.”

“What if someone else takes a different approach than I would? I don’t think I’d like that.”

“Delegating doesn’t save all that much time. I would have to explain the entire process/task/etc. to someone else before they could do it.”

…And on and on.

Though these excuses may sound convincing, they are usually quite flimsy. Usually, someone else will have some free time to take on part of your to-do list. And even if a task is difficult and/or the other person does not have the same skills you do, you should be able to train them in (and once you do, they can continue to help in the future).

A lot of these excuses boil down to one key concept: Letting go. For those who like to be in control, it may be difficult to hand over a project to another person. But does it really matter if that person approaches it exactly how you would have? Does it matter if they use different resources or skills to get the job done? As long as the end result is what you were looking for, it shouldn’t matter at all. Besides, you may learn something by observing how someone else approaches a familiar task or project. These can be learning moments, if you let them.

If you’re currently stretched too thin, I challenge you to practice some delegation. Just make sure the delegation is appropriate (not all work tasks can or should be delegated) and that the other person has the time and necessary experience to do the job.

Keep in mind, delegation can be effective in your personal life, as well as your work life. Planning a holiday gathering? Ask someone else to make the pie or to pop by the store to buy paper plates and napkins. Running your kids around to after-school activities? See if you can partner with another parent for drop off/pick up.

All great leaders delegate, and you can embrace this attribute as well. When approached with tact and a little strategy, delegation can work out well for all parties involved.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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June 21, 2023 6 Tips to Boost Your Delegation Skills as a Leader

Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

If you’re like many leaders, you earned your position through hard work, resilience, and effectiveness. You know you have what it takes to get things done and forge ahead. These are great qualities, BUT they may make you reluctant to trust others with jobs that you could just do yourself. Here’s the reality: you cannot, and should not, do everything yourself. Doing so will make your leadership less effective, will convey that you do not trust your team, and will obligate you to continue working on detailed tasks when you should be looking at the bigger picture. So, delegate!

To become a more effective delegator, try these 6 tips:

1. Extend Trust

It can be challenging to let go and trust others to do a job as well as you could. However, it’s essential to extend trust to your team members. You hired them for their expertise, so let them use their skills to shine. When you trust your team, you’re not only empowering them, but you’re also freeing up your time to focus on tasks that require your attention and specialized skills.

2. Clearly Communicate Expectations

One of the primary reasons delegation fails is due to unclear or unrealistic expectations. It’s crucial to communicate what you want done, how you want it done, and by when. Be sure to provide context and instructions that detail the scope of work to minimize confusion. To learn more about clarity in communication, check out my video on the subject.

3. Provide Resources

To ensure your team can deliver on your expectations, provide them with the essential resources needed to complete the job. These could include financial support, equipment, tools, or software. Providing these resources ensures your team can effectively do their job and prevents them from feeling like they’ve been set up for failure. Remember: you can also be a resource! Be sure to emphasize to your team that they can approach you with any question, roadblock, or concern.

4. Allow for Different Approaches to a Problem

People have different styles and, therefore, different approaches to solving problems. As a leader, it’s essential to recognize and value these differences. Encourage your team to tackle problems in their own way, and you may find that they come up with innovative solutions you hadn’t even thought of. When I was a leader at 3M, I periodically let my team brainstorm solutions without me, and if they missed the mark, I gave them a little guidance and had them try again. I was always amazed at the creativity and innovation that bubbled up during those sessions!

5. Don’t Micromanage

Related to allowing for difference approaches, it’s also essential to not micromanage your team. Micromanaging sends the message that you don’t trust others to do the work. It’s also a waste of time and energy. Once you’ve given clear instructions, trust your team to execute the job in their way. Be available to offer guidance or answers to questions but avoid constantly checking in to see how things are progressing.

6. Provide Feedback

It’s easy to forget that delegating is a two-way street. Just as you expect your team to deliver on their expectations, they expect feedback on their performance. Provide constructive feedback that acknowledges their achievements and points out areas that could be improved upon. This will empower them to grow and take on more significant responsibilities in the future.

Delegation may seem challenging at first, but by implementing these six tips, you can become a better delegator, free up your time, and empower your team members. Remember, delegation is a leadership skill that you can develop and perfect over time. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks and responsibilities, as this will not only help you achieve your goals but also provide growth opportunities for your team members. So, start delegating today and see the positive impact it has on your team’s productivity and success!

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE. 

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