Ever felt frustrated by the lack of ownership and performance from those around you?
Today’s topic is DELEGATION for more accountability.
I’ve heard time and time again from leaders who are baffled by team members who can't seem to deliver things accurately, on time, or to the right level. Despite their best efforts to provide clarity and empower their people, they remain sorely disappointed at the results.
One of the best ways to achieve more accountability from your team is to consider what might be getting in the way (allergies), and some strategies to delegate differently (antidotes).
ALLERGIES
There are typically five reasons why leaders don't delegate:
Trust: It feels risky; I would do it better
Discomfort: I feel uneasy asking others to do things
Time: Explaining takes too long; it's quicker to do it myself
Skill: They don't know how, I may as well do it
Quick fix: It feels good to get stuff done(even if I should be doing other things)
Which of these resonates most for you?
ANTIDOTES
Let's rethink delegation as a teaching opportunity. Delegation isn’t a quick one-off activity. It’s a supported process and a worthy investment of your time.
It's natural to overestimate how capable and confident people are; however, even your best and brightest will hesitate or stumble when doing something new. The boat may need to slow down a little first, to go faster once rowing together.
Value your time differently. You simply cannot do everything yourself; the ship will tip. Time planning and training others is not lazy or unproductive, but it can feel that way when you're used to moving at speed. Shifting from doing to leading requires an adjustment to the cadence of your weeks. Your value is now less on the delivery and more about direction, which requires 'strategic space' every day and week to look at your priorities, plan, and delegate effectively.
Embrace the 80% rule. You are probably right that they will not do it as well or as fast as you. Once you expect that, you're less likely to be disappointed! If you aim for about 80% right as a great outcome, they you can help to tweak the output to 100% and develop the person in the process, so that next time the % of accuracy and quality will increase.
Plan development. By identifying and mapping out the individual development and training needs of your team, it follows that you will be able to delegate more in time. Do they need specific experience, exposure, or education? How can you skill them up to support you and help the cause? It's a win, win, win.
Enable ‘leap and catch’. People are often terrified of making mistakes or looking stupid. They resist taking risks or accountability to avoid this at all costs. If you want to empower your team and get them to take on more, make sure that they know that they can fail safely. Tell them that you have their back. Let them know that they will not always get it right and together you will be able to overcome any missteps (and mean it).
No strategies of hope. Don’t give someone a task and wait until the deadline with the hope that it will be fully completed, or done to the quality you expect. Delegate but don’t drop it altogether.
Delegate by design: Use ABCD A: Assess: What’s on your plate? What can you delegate, to whom, and when?B: Brief: Brief the person on the task, share specifics around outcomes, timelines, decision making, and examples of your expectations. Request a playback of their understanding.C: Control: Don’t leave it up to fate. Schedule check-ins, see drafts, and monitor progress so that you can manage risk and course correct.D: Debrief & Develop: Recap on what went well and what was learned, what you would both do differently. This is a powerful development opportunity to enhance future delegation outcomes.
Which antidote will you try?
I hope this is helpful. I’d love to hear how these strategies work for you in your leadership journey. If there’s a topic or challenge that you’d like me to cover, let me know!
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