First a quote: ““Delegating means letting others become the experts and hence the best.” – Timothy Firnstahl
Good morning and happy Monday!
My experience suggests many people struggle with the transition from being an individual contributor to an effective, first-time manager. For most, it can be a challenging transition. To make matters even more difficult, many organizations offer very little skill training or support for the new role and expanded responsibilities.
Often, new managers are asked to wear multiple hats with both managerial and operational responsibilities. These conflicting priorities can be tricky for anyone to balance, let alone a newly minted manager.
“Delegation is giving others the opportunity to participate in the story. If you have a good story, people will line up to get involved to play a part in the story.”
– Eric Phillips
This includes becoming an effective delegator and developer of people.
While the skills involved in delegating aren’t that difficult to master, making the mental shift from “expert doer” to “manager/leader” may be. For most of their careers, indvidual contributors have been rewarded for their personal results, hard work, and accomplishments. Seeking results through teamwork and the work of others requires a significant mental shift. They must now seek satisfaction, not from their personal accomplishments, but from the team accomplishments of those they lead.
There are probably hundreds of reasons why new managers tend to resist delegating work to others. The list often includes:
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They have been “expert doers” in the past, it simply feels easier and quicker to “do it themselves.” After all, it takes time to train someone else to do what they could probably do in their sleep, and do it better and faster, at least initially.
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Having been an individual contributor themselves, they have a tremendous amount of empathy for the team’s heavy workload. They may resist “adding to the pile” and assume they will be seen as a better manager if they continue to share the workload as an “expert doer.”
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They’re anxious to “prove their metal” as new managers, they want everything done well and done correctly. It often feels too risky to let others make mistakes while growing and learning.
I offer two pieces of advice:
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Consider “reframing” how you think about delegation. Think of the work that might be delegated as an opportunity for learning, growth, and development for you and your team members. When your people grow, you grow. When you and your team grow, magic happens. Delegating with purpose allows all to expand their capacity for success.
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Delegating is not dumping! Simply assigning unpleasant tasks to others is not a wise strategy or a good use of the people you are leading. Think respect.
I recently learned a new word from one of my clients… that word is “Develogate!” (Thank you Bob!) When you delegate meaningful work to others, it can provide an opportunity for both of you to develop and expand your capacity for success. Isn’t that what leadership is all about; the success of others? When done well, it is possible to develop others through the power of delegation!
How will you love, live, or lead, differently, or better, this week?
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
208.376.1701
“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”
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Bonus Quotes:
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“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.” – John C. Maxwell
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“Delegation leads to elevation.” – Asad Meah
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“If you delegate tasks, you create followers. If you delegate authority, you create leaders.” – Craig Groeschel
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“Delegation requires the willingness to pay for short term failures in order to gain long term competency.” – Dave Ramsey
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“Sometimes you just have to be willing to delegate and not feel like you’re the only one with the answer.” – Ronald D. Moore
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“When you delegate work to the member of the team, your job is to clearly frame success and describe the objectives.” – Steven Sinofsky
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“If you want to work 160 hours a week, don’t delegate. But you are going to crash and burn.” – John Baldoni
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“Delegation is the passing on of actions, not the passing on of responsibility.” – Eric Edmeades
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“Nobody can do everything well, so learn how to delegate responsibility to other winners and then hold them accountable for their decisions.” – George Foreman
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“Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too.” – Robert Half
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“Imparting trust, the real meaning of delegation, is a powerful thing.” – Scott Berkun
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“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” – Ronald Reagan
