Delegate Better Now – Four Ways to Perfect Your Skills
By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)
What’s one difference between a manager and a leader? Leadership is about looking outward at your organization, rather than only back at your team. It’s the same thing with delegation – to be really great at it, you need to do it with purpose, looking back at your team, and looking broadly at the organization. It’s not just about doling out work, but it means really thinking about why you’re delegating a task, how it can help you and your team grow, and how it can better position you to be more effective for your organization.
“Sometimes leaders hesitate when it comes to asking for help,” began Mary Edwards, Managing Director and Senior Executive, Health and Public Service at Accenture. “But I think it’s important for every leader to have effective delegation skills.”
For Edwards, delegation is not just a way to get through the day, it’s a way to help her team build skills and make sure she has time and energy left to do the work that can help her company grow. Here are her top four tips on how to become a great delegator – and a great leader.
1. Understand Why
The biggest piece of advice, she said, is to make sure you have the right delegation mindset. “I had to grow in my mental model to learn to ask for help over time,” Edwards said. “But it’s not whether you are capable of doing it, but it’s about being most effective to the organization.”
She continued, “I think a leader who doesn’t delegate becomes a bottleneck. That just frustrates your team. People want to do more – they want the opportunity to provide more value.
“Any woman or man in a leadership role has got to be thinking about three things – taking best advantage of the team’s capabilities, building a high performing team, and having the right reach within the organization, so you can impact the broadest set of opportunities.”
2. Plan Delegation Daily
Secondly, Edwards said, great delegation begins with planning. “As you get started every day, ask yourself three questions. ‘If I do this, what else won’t get done? Can I afford that?’ Second, ‘Is there someone on my team who has deeper skills?’ And third, ‘If not, is there someone on the team who could use the experience?’”
She continued, “It’s also important to remember that sometimes you’re going to delegate across a team of people. You don’t always delegate to one person.”
3. Be Explicit about Expectations
Edwards said that one key to making sure your delegation plan goes smoothly is to be sure that everyone is crystal clear on expectations up front. “Make a contract with the person you are delegating to. Be explicit in your understanding of what you are expecting.”
That means making sure the timeline is clear, and checking in periodically over time, so you stay on top of potential roadblocks.
4. Follow Up
“Being a good delegator also means closing the loop,” Edwards continued. “They’ve given something to you – you need to give back.”
If you’ve delegated work to someone so that they broaden their horizons or deepen their skills, go over what they did well and how they can do better next time.
Additionally, she explained, that’s how you make sure you have the team in place to take on the work next time and be capable of doing a great job. “You shouldn’t delegate and ignore or delegate and forget,” she explained.
