Every successful leader must learn to delegate. Yet all too often, we hear stories of how leaders work 100-hour weeks, taking on all the work by themselves. Here’s how to break free of the cycle.
Delegating can feel scary. We want to make sure things are done “right” so we hold on to the adage, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” As the Harvard Business Review says, leaders have great difficulty making the transition from doing to leading. But in order to create a strong team, encourage creative problem-solving and allow employees to grow and become leaders themselves — while also safeguarding your own time — delegation is essential.
The first step toward doing so is to hire the right people. To ensure you interview intelligently, have the most appropriate people review resumes and fill needs based on thoughtful job descriptions. That way, when the time comes to rely on your team, you can choose the person most suited to the work without worrying they won’t be up to the task.
Another initial barrier to delegation is fear. You are ultimately accountable for your team’s accomplishments and this can keep you from letting go of anything, causing you to be overwhelmed and ultimately leading to slower workflow and the opposite of what you thought you were doing. Trusting your team creates work satisfaction, loyalty and a team that believes in themselves. Neuroscience actually shows that when we feel trusted to do a task, we are much more likely to enjoy it and to complete it successfully.
Once you have the right team in place and the desire to help them function optimally, you can use the following guidelines to keep yourself managing your team without micromanaging them. Though it may seem illogical, and you may already be stressed, you need to spend time with your employees to have more time in the end. Empower them by explaining the changes in the process, and how by handing more off to them, you are hoping to allow them to grow.
Start by explaining that each assignment, no matter how trivial, is part of the bigger picture. Understanding the context of a task means you know why it’s important and the goal is not open to interpretation or misunderstanding. You also need to communicate and agree upon the expected outcome of the assigned task, when it is due and when the employee should check in with you. Part of this process is also understanding what work is best to do yourself.
Next, make sure your employees have everything they need to get the work done. Your team may be worried about asking questions, so foster an environment that encourages productive communication and teamwork. Address their fears about not having enough time of their own, or not enough experience to do something that may be new to them or that’s not in their job description. Your employees may even worry because someone else wanted this particular responsibility. After you have explained the task and its place in the overall project, the timing and expected outcome, what is needed to get started, and addressed their concerns, step back and allow work to happen. This can inspire creative thinking and out-of-the-box problem solving.
When the assignment you’ve delegated is complete, make sure to follow up with your team and provide constructive feedback. Again, this will take time, but if you don’t discuss how employees did well and where there is room for growth, they will end up repeating past mistakes. Don’t fear making yourself obsolete by teaching your team what you know — you will only open yourself up to more professional growth by being ready for it.
Remember that in the end your team’s success is your success and the time you spend teaching your employees will ultimately come back to you in time saved, employee growth and overall work-life balance. Delegating is a learned skill, one that may take some time to master, but it’s part of becoming a true leader.