Advice for new leaders
It’s commonly known, and studies show, that most people in leadership positions had little or no practical management experience or leadership training before taking on their current leadership role.
Stepping into a leadership role for the first time can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Given many new leaders are not afforded any training or development in preparation for the promotion, leaders can step up and develop core people management skills quickly.
One of the most effective skills every leader needs is knowing how to delegate. Being able to delegate not only ensures the work is discharged, but it can also be used to develop others; and, done well, can de-stress a hard working team and their leader!
Many leaders who struggle with delegating are denying themselves of the freedom to get on with other more important work, more strategic thinking time, and confidence in their staff.
Delegating is not just work execution, it also has the consequence of engaging and empowering your people.
Discharge:
There’s only one you, in a fast-changing environment you have to continually prioritise what you can actually achieve in a day, week, term or year. It’s impossible to do it on your own.
Develop:
With staff, stakeholders and teachers who may have the skills to tackle a task but maybe not the exact experience, you are poised for an excellent opportunity to develop them. You may have an exceptionally skilled and experienced person on your team who’s itching for more responsibility and opportunities, why not create a development opportunity with them. Together agree on a project or task they can lead while also helping to skill and develop others.
De-Stress:
You might feel as though it would be easier and quicker if you did the work yourself. You want to delegate but might not know how. You don’t know if you can trust the work will get done to the right standard: sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. These sentiments are shared with me time and time again by leaders who want to delegate but feel there’s something missing. Set the delegation up for success:
- have a plan,
- have an open discussion with the person you’re delegating to you
- agree outcomes
- follow up
- review lessons and celebrate success
Stephen R Covey, in his famous book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, said, “Efficiency with people is ineffective. With people, fast is low and slow is fast.” Take the time to set up the delegation successfully and the outcome will be more confidence and far less stress.
But it’s still quicker if I do it myself!
Yes, it is. It’s true, it is quicker if you do the task, the work, yourself. Depending on the urgency versus the importance of the work, it might simply be best that you do it. If, however, there’s even a hint of wiggle room, then consider delegating. Tasks that you find quicker to do yourself, will be tasks that you will always be doing yourself.
I’m not sure what I can delegate.
Delegating work, tasks, parts of projects to your staff empowers and engages those who are willing and able to take on the opportunity. There will be work you cannot delegate, for example, work that requires your level of responsibility or financial authority. To work out what you can follow the delegation decision chart:
Three Secret Essentials To Delegating Successfully
- Leaders who micromanage tend to have issues with trust and control. When leaders have open, quality, mutually respectful relationships with their team, trust is usually a by-product. Leaders show, and by default will receive, trust when they are consistent, reliable, sincere and committed. Trust needs to be in place so that delegating doesn’t get bogged down in micromanagement.
- As Covey said, slow is fast! Leaders who dump and run will inevitably be left with issues to resolve. Taking a little extra time to set up the delegation properly in the beginning will actually save time, money, energy and relationships in the long run. The task will be done once, properly.
- Bottlenecking happens when a leader won’t delegate the right level of authority and responsibility with the task or work. The leader will always have ultimate responsibility however if they do not hand over the responsibility and authority aligned with the task they simply create a bottleneck at the leaders door. Waiting for answers and decisions simply frustrates everyone involved.
When it comes to delegating, every leader needs to master this skill and process and have it handy in their leadership toolkit.
Elizabeth I said it best, “I don’t keep a dog and bark myself.”