From teams of three to three hundred, delegation takes skill and finesse. Hardened by failure, knowledgeable through experience, and proven with results — masters of management are undeniable assets in the office and true artists of delegation.
Being an effective delegator requires three key components: trust, quality communication, and some flexibility.
Anyone who has visited the YMC office has probably heard the term “task saturation”. It is a battle we are constantly fighting both internally and when helping our clients. To put it simply, task saturation means a long to-do list with little hope of seeing the end. Combine this with the surprise dime-sized daily tasks that eat up too much time, and you’ve got yourself a full schedule and then some.
Delegation requires an initial buy-in of time to teach the team the task(s) at hand. Clearly define your standards and determine your path. Here are a few tips to help you get moving toward a more calm and productive work environment:
- List out your daily tasks and determine which ones are truly within your scope and what tasks could be moved down the chain.
- Identify the strengths of your team as a group and as individuals.
- Make clear the expected outcome.
- Ensure everyone is on the same page and working toward one goal.
- Listen to concerns and address them with respect and honest consideration.
- Do not get comfortable in the backseat. Even though the tasks have been passed along, they are not done. Be diligent but not overbearing while monitoring project progress.
One of the biggest pitfalls of delegation is taking back tasks when they were not done how you would have done it. Be flexible with small differences and take the time to talk through the missing links between expectations and outcome. Investing this time will pay off by streamlining your editing process and opening more time for larger-scale tasks.
Intentional delegation is just one of a larger skillset being developed through our Future Leaders of YMC program. The ultimate goal for our project in 2019 is to create a healthier work-life balance at YMC. In today’s fast-paced one-click-away culture, it can be a real challenge to carve out personal time. We are working to solve that. Stay tuned for more updates on our project and more growth at YMC.
