A strong, effective leader knows how to delegate effectively. For many, it’s hard to let go and they often view a project as their baby – no one will do it as good as they will. This can be exhausting! Not letting go, can impede productivity, as you spend way too much time on the minor details, worrying about every little detail. Often these tasks can easily be handled by someone else. The stress of holding on tightly to a task can lead to health issues such as heart disease. Think about it, it will be even harder to lead your team from a hospital bed, won’t it?
Learn to entrust others with responsibilities. In order to establish trust and address concerns, you may have to start off small giving less important tasks to individuals to manage. Over time they will earn your trust and you will increase the responsibility given to them. You will also avoid burnout while giving others a chance to grow and learn. Here are five strategies to get you started.
1. Think about all you do on a given day. What are some small responsibilities you can give to others? Determine which tasks you need to do and which can be handed off to someone else to do.
2. Examine your strengths and weaknesses. Are there tasks that if you honestly admitted it to yourself you know someone could do better?
3. Now that you know what tasks you can hand off, you know where your weakness lies, consider the skills of those on your team. Members of your team may have the ability to complete some tasks better and faster than you. Consider what they excel at, what they like to do and assign tasks accordingly.
4. Make Time. As you start to let go of some responsibilities, the initial delegating process may take a little longer. When developing a timeline for due dates, allow some leeway so everyone can adjust to the increased responsibility. Soon you will see when you delegate tasks, it can save time in the long run.
5. Be flexible. Have you heard the saying there is more than one way to skin a cat? Keep this in mind when assigning tasks. You may have a certain way you perform a task but allow individuals the creative freedom to approach a task in their own way. Stay focused on the result, not the how. You may discover more efficient business practices which could also lead to increased morale.
These strategies can work both in the office and at home. When leaders delegate responsibilities, it can help build a stronger, cohesive team which in leads to overall increased productivity. And, as an added bonus, you stay out of the hospital!
This article can be found on the author, Carolyn R Owens’, Go Read page and is shared with the author’s permission.
