Many a business book has been written about how the best Managers are the ones who know how to delegate. But what does “delegate” mean and what does it actually involve?
To delegate means, “to entrust a task or a responsibility to another person.”
It’s a shifting of authority over to another individual and not necessarily just the tasks you don’t want to do but rather, it’s a chance to empower another individual to assume a greater role in the organization, to learn new tasks and to gain valuable new skills.
The best managers know they cannot, nor shouldn’t, do everything themselves and that delegating leads to development.
OR you’re managing a busy household.
The true key to success in delegating however lies in knowing you need help, trusting whom to outsource to, and in articulating your needs clearly.A good manager – at home, at work or both – knows how to delegate and an even better one knows they can trust thE Concierge!
Often, being forced to delegate is the result of feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
When you find yourself saying things like, “I don’t even know where to start,” chances are you need to start by delegating some tasks. If only it were that simple.
Perhaps you’ve been called a “perfectionist” and like things done a certain way?
Maybe you feel like in the time it would take you to explain a task you could simply do it yourself.
It could even be that you don’t have anyone to whom you think you can delegate; that no one will truly understand what you need, or that you’ve tried before and it hasn’t worked out well.
We understand.
Delegating is an invaluable tool for getting the support you need
but only if you know, “The Who, How and When” of delegating.
Make a List!
Sit down, take a deep breath, grab pen and paper or open your laptop and start writing down everything that needs to get done. This rule applies equally in the workplace and at home. If you “don’t even know where to start,” you start by making a list that helps to clearly define the “what” so you can then start to think about the “who, how and when.”
Who Can Help?
Now that you know what needs to be done, start thinking about who can help you.
A good delegator identifies the best people for the job, what supports they might need to get it done and then lets them loose to do it! Trust is a big factor here. If you’ve correctly identified who can help you, now you need to trust them to get the job done.
In the workplace this likely means you’ve invested some time in training staff while at home, you’ve given the kids age-appropriate chores allowing them to build up the skill sets they need to take on more challenging tasks.
It might even mean that you’re considering outsourcing a list of “To Do’s” to a service like thE Concierge who specializes in getting things done. With professional expertise in a variety of areas, we’ve been helping businesses and families succeed at finding balance in their lives by giving you the right support, when and where you need it most.
How & When Should I Delegate?
There is an upfront commitment to delegating that begins with you.
It can be hard but you need to know that it’s ok to ask for support and you need to articulate your requirements clearly. Great communication is key.
Being able to clearly state what you need and how you would like tasks completed helps to ensure they are done to your exacting specifications.
That list you made will help, as will an investment of your time in training.
Your team members (or your family) will feel empowered, confidant and trusted when you give them the skills they need to succeed and then allow them to get the job done. Ideally, when it comes to the “when,” you haven’t waited until you are overwhelmed and you’ve had the time to make this investment.
If you haven’t – there’s still hope! Think about alternatives that will get you out of this short-term bind you find yourself in:
Can you trade tasks with a friend or colleague?
Can you barter with someone for needed support?
Is there a service you can use – someone you can delegate to with trusted results?
Chances are the answer to all of these questions is “Yes,” and certainly when it comes to a service, we know just who you can call – thE Concierge!
At home or at work, a good manager knows how to delegate and more importantly, knows that asking for help is OK.
We could all use a little support know and again.
If you’ve made a list and you think it’s time to delegate tasks so you can focus on other things – like finding some balance in your life – you can trust thE Concierge to help.
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