It’s the common sense approach, right? When you’re charting out a project, you gather the team together, divide up the tasks, give each member a task or a set of tasks that match their core competencies and off they go. But as someone said, common sense is not very common. For too many team leaders, delegation becomes the biggest pitfall on the path to success. So, why does this happen?
There are certain personality types who just can’t delegate. They feel that they can do the job better, faster and smarter. So, they will ask the team members to pitch in, but not give them total authority to do the tasks effectively. The message to them is, please assist but do not take ownership of your tasks. The ownership lies solely with the boss. This is obviously doomed to fail. The team members find that they are hampered by a lack of authority. They cannot make decisions with complete autonomy, as the boss keeps the reins firmly in his hands. Other people outside the team whom the members may need to work with know this and don’t give adequate support or even respect to the team members. Everything must be approved by the boss, at every step.
This leads to tasks getting botched or remaining undone. So, the boss has to rush around at the last minute, trying to finish everything on time. This then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for the boss. He says, “See? I knew I could do everything better!” What he does not realise is that such a method – if it can be called a method! – is a complete failure in terms of enhancing productivity. The aim should be to develop team members into responsible professionals who are not only able to take decisions on their own, but have the authority to do so.
Know your team, respect their skills
For delegation to work well, the boss must first know each team member’s strengths and weaknesses, their special skills and competencies. Second, the boss must have adequate respect for his team members and signal this respect to other people outside the team. During the first team meetings, the boss should lead the discussion and mark out the goal posts, but everyone must contribute ideas and strategies. Some people may volunteer to take on some tasks, some are entrusted with tasks by the leader, while some decide to work in sub-groups or pairs and so on.
It may not flow as smoothly as it sounds, there are likely to be disagreements and even ego battles, but the boss must make it clear that he is delegating and he expects each team member to deliver. He never says that he is there to mop up later if the jobs don’t get done. He doesn’t say that the team members must keep checking back with him for his permission. He doesn’t say that he will be watching them like a hawk. His message is, you are responsible for your set of jobs, I have vested full authority in you and I have complete confidence that you will be successful. He empowers his team to succeed.
In such a case, delegation leads to higher productivity. Like the different parts of a car that work independently, yet each contributes to the other components, the team members move ahead with their designated objectives and the gears mesh and click.
Supervision or needless interference?
Once the job begins to roll and it’s “all systems go”, the boss may find himself wondering how much to look over his team members’ shoulders. He knows that some team members need more supervision, some need less. The simplest path is regular meetings in which each team member presents a status report. The boss must then decide where he needs to step in and keep a closer watch to see if targets are being met. And where he can just let them get on with it. The levels of supervision required are likely to vary from person to person. One size will not fit all.
The team must never feel that “big brother is watching”. This is not kindergarten, where teacher is omnipresent. The team must be treated like responsible adults, who are aware of their responsibilities and know how to fulfil them. They must also be made to feel that the boss is available when there is an obstacle or something has got stymied. But at no point must the boss be seen to be interfering needlessly, micro-managing each step or wading in to do the job himself. That is not only counter-productive, it also damages team morale.
Lack of competence or lack of understanding?
In some cases, the boss may find a team member faltering or not meeting targets on time. He has to find out the reason for this lack of progress before he takes any steps. He must speak to the team member and find out whether there is incompetence or disinterest or just a comprehension deficit. A team member may simply not have understood the full ramifications of the task assigned to him. Or he may be floundering in the process. The boss has to step in here and make sure the team member gains complete understanding of the “what, why, when and how” of the task assigned to him. Just a brief one-on-one chat should do the trick. The boss must be empathetic and not critical. Of course, if the team member continues to under-perform, then a certain amount of censure would be fully justified.
Effective delegation has multiple benefits
When a boss delegates successfully, the first benefit is obviously higher productivity. More gets done in less time. Targets are met, costs are saved and so on. But there are some other benefits, too. Team members grow personally and professionally. When they find an atmosphere of autonomy, a work culture where they are given respect and authority, they become better professionals and get ready to climb the next rung of the corporate ladder. The boss finds sharper minds and more able hands to depend on. This naturally leads to better team morale and the willingness to do more. An inspiring team leader, who delegates smartly, can truly find success.
The post The finest leaders know how to delegate
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