It’s late in the evening and you are still in the office fixing problems. Or, you took your mobile phone on holiday, even though your partner said ‘no work this time darling or I’ll leave you / go on my own next time / drop your phone in the swimming pool (you choose)’.
You may like to think that you are the only person who can sort out the end of month figures or code that little fix. You haven’t shared the way to do things because, let’s face it; no one can do quite like you do.
Sounds familiar?
For most of your career, you are praised and rewarded for being a supreme expert. You work hard, accumulating experience, and become totally confident in your ability to solve problems. Over time, you find that you are being passed over for promotion because you are so good at what you do; no one can imagine you doing anything else.
YOU need to delegate!
To delegate effectively:
- Set some Goals and share them with your tem. Better yet, get them involved in setting the goals. Focus on the goals not the tasks.
- Accept that people will not do it the same way you would. It will be maddening for you at first, but provided they deliver the goals, does it really matter how they do it?
- Trust, but verify!
- Give people authority as well as responsibility. Be clear where their authority begins and ends. However, do not limit it too much.
- Mentor rather than control.
- Recognise people’s achievements and say thankyou sincerely when they do well.
- Remember people have to learn to become competent. You were not born fully functional! Also, help people learn from failure as well as success.
- Give people more time if they are not as experienced as you are. Be prepared to stretch people – and give them support.
- Give people the information they need (or indicate where to get it)
- Do not make assumptions about people’s potential without looking closely. But, look for competence and potential not just experience.
I have been mentoring existing managers and high value individuals to become managers for over 20 years, mostly in technology and engineering.
Almost anyone can be trained and/or mentoring to become a good manager. Some just take longer than others!
For help with delegating better, email Jacqui Hogan or call 01494 680997 (but not over the bank holiday weekend!)
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