IntroductionWelcome| 00:04 | Throughout your life, you'll have many tasks
assigned to you, and you'll hand off tasks to others.
| | 00:09 | Whether it's that new project at work, or asking your
partner to grab milk at the store, delegation is everywhere.
| | 00:15 | While I'm going to speak to you as if you
are the delegator, everything I say can help
| | 00:19 | you when you're on the
receiving end of delegation as well.
| | 00:22 | In this course I'm going to introduce
you to the four-phase model of delegation.
| | 00:26 | I'll start by demonstrating how to evaluate
your workload and identify projects to delegate.
| | 00:33 | I'll then show you how to assess your staff to
help develop them to their fullest potential.
| | 00:37 | Next, we'll look at handing the task over in
a way that sets the employee up for success.
| | 00:44 | And finally, we'll discuss how to
maximize your learning from each delegation.
| | 00:49 | You'll get tips and strategies, and by the end
of the course you'll have identified several
| | 00:53 | projects to delegate and staff who
can grow from those opportunities.
| | 00:58 | And we'll even discuss how to
avoid the pitfalls of micromanagement.
| | 01:02 | Join me in discovering the
many benefits of delegation.
| | 01:05 | Let's get started.
See you in my course.
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| Using the exercise files| 00:00 | Throughout this course I will have handouts for
you to use as you hone your skills at delegation.
| | 00:06 | These handouts have been provided in the
Exercise Files tab on the Course Details page for all
| | 00:11 | lynda.com subscribers, or if you're watching this course
on a DVD-ROM, the exercise files are included there.
| | 00:18 | I recommend that you download these materials and print
them out in advance so that they're ready for you to use,
| | 00:24 | that way you can access them easily
when I reference them during the course.
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1. Why Delegate?What is delegation?| 00:01 | In this course we're going to look
at a key management skill: Delegation.
| | 00:05 | Delegation is the process of asking another person to do
a task while still maintaining responsibility for that task.
| | 00:12 | Delegation occurs every day in
organizations around the world.
| | 00:15 | In your professional life, you've probably had something
entrusted to you, and you may have also given tasks to others.
| | 00:22 | Delegation can range from giving someone a
simple everyday task to appointing someone
| | 00:26 | as the leader of a complex project.
| | 00:29 | Appointments can be short-term, from minutes to a
couple of weeks, or long-term, from a few weeks to months.
| | 00:36 | No matter the size of your organization or the industry
you work in, delegation is at the heart of its functioning.
| | 00:42 | In fact, a typical org chart is actually a
visual representation of delegated authority.
| | 00:48 | And even if you work for yourself, you may
still delegate tasks to others that you hire,
| | 00:53 | like printers or marketers or other professional
services. And we delegate at home too.
| | 00:58 | I just delegated the task of making
her bed to my 5-year-old daughter.
| | 01:02 | So you see, delegation is everywhere, and by
becoming an effective delegator, you can become
| | 01:07 | more efficient in several areas of your life.
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| Understanding the benefits of delegating effectively| 00:01 | Delegation is a very important interaction
that lies at the intersection of three things,
| | 00:06 | the delegator, you; the delegate, the person
you're handing a task to; and the organization
| | 00:11 | that the interaction is housed within.
| | 00:13 | For the sake of simplicity we're going to
talk about the typical example of a manager
| | 00:17 | and an employee, but these
principles can be applied to any setting.
| | 00:22 | As the delegator, you are instrumental
in making the process go smoothly.
| | 00:26 | Most people think there's only one phase, you
ask the employee to do a task and they do it.
| | 00:31 | But actually, successful
delegation is more complex than that.
| | 00:35 | It requires you to be savvy with both
project management as well as people skills.
| | 00:40 | If you want to brush up on project management,
check out those courses at lynda.com.
| | 00:46 | Becoming an effective delegator has several
benefits for you, your employees, and the organization.
| | 00:53 | Delegating effectively can
make you a better supervisor.
| | 00:56 | By improving your skills in this area, you can create
better, more effective relationships with your employees.
| | 01:02 | And this can increase their
respect of you as a leader.
| | 01:05 | Studies have shown that the number one reason people leave
a job is because they don't like or respect their boss.
| | 01:11 | So being an effective delegator has the
possibility of increasing retention among your staff.
| | 01:16 | In addition, studies show that employees who feel a
sense of achievement have the most job satisfaction.
| | 01:21 | This also contributes to
retaining your best people.
| | 01:25 | Did you know that the cost for replacing an employee
is 50% to 100% of their annual salary?
| | 01:30 | So retaining good people can
also lead to significant savings.
| | 01:34 | Next, as you delegate more proficiently, your team can
become more effective and efficient in completing its tasks.
| | 01:41 | This can help your department
increase its productivity.
| | 01:44 | Finally, your workload can become more
manageable as you pass some things to others.
| | 01:49 | And you'll be able to focus your time and energy on
the projects that require your knowledge and experience.
| | 01:55 | Hopefully this will lead to reduction in your stress
level as well. I know it's made a big difference in mine.
| | 02:00 | Now that you know the benefits of delegating
more effectively, let's talk about how to do it.
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2. Phase 1: EvaluateEvaluating tasks| 00:01 | Delegation is an important skill that all managers use
frequently and is at the heart of any organization's success.
| | 00:07 | However, sometimes delegation does not go
smoothly, because the manager and the employee
| | 00:12 | don't share the same
understanding of the process.
| | 00:15 | There are lot of ways to look at delegation,
but one that works well in many US companies
| | 00:19 | is what I call the four-phase model of delegation.
| | 00:23 | The four phases are called:
Evaluation, Handover, Support, and Debrief.
| | 00:29 | The phases are linear, meaning that you need
to complete one before you go on to the next.
| | 00:34 | The first phase in the four-phase
process is called Evaluation.
| | 00:38 | In this phase you assess aspects of the
organization, your workload, and your employees.
| | 00:44 | This will help you determine what can and should be
delegated and to whom various projects should be given.
| | 00:50 | Evaluation has two parts: evaluating
the task, and evaluating the people.
| | 00:54 | Each part is important and will
ultimately guide what you delegate and to whom.
| | 00:59 | Unfortunately, evaluation is the phase that most
managers skip, because they feel pressed for time.
| | 01:04 | This can set up a pattern where managers try
to do too many things themselves, and then
| | 01:08 | when the workload gets to be too much,
dump tasks on others at the last minute.
| | 01:13 | This not only affects the success of the tasks
being done well, but can also harm the relationship
| | 01:18 | between the manager and employees.
| | 01:21 | So take the time to do this phase because
it will set you and your team up for success.
| | 01:25 | It will take a little time up front, but consider
it an investment that will pay off down the road.
| | 01:31 | When evaluating the task you should start with assessing
the organization and your responsibilities as a manager.
| | 01:38 | It's important to get a thorough look at the
big picture because that will guide several
| | 01:42 | of your delegation decisions for months to come.
| | 01:45 | Plan to take at least one week to do
a thorough evaluation process.
| | 01:49 | This will help you get a sense of
how you really spend your time.
| | 01:53 | In the exercise files, you'll find
Evaluation packet to help you do this.
| | 01:57 | You will want to analyze your workload first, take
notes about what you spend your time on each day,
| | 02:04 | use the schedule grid page of the handout, and fill in
what a couple of typical weeks look like for you.
| | 02:09 | In addition to time you spend on projects,
in meetings, and coaching employees, be sure
| | 02:15 | to include time you spend on mental tasks,
like thinking, analyzing, and strategizing.
| | 02:20 | Once you have your 2-week sample of
your workload, think more long term.
| | 02:25 | Use the looking ahead page to predict any
projects coming your way in the next year.
| | 02:29 | I like to look at 3-month segments or quarters.
| | 02:32 | Now that you've got a sense of what is really on your
plate, you're ready to start analyzing tasks to delegate.
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| Determining which tasks to delegate| 00:01 | Now you are ready to analyze the
tasks you previously identified.
| | 00:04 | We want to not only find things to take off
your plate, but use this as an opportunity
| | 00:09 | to simultaneously help your employees grow.
| | 00:12 | On the Task Analysis page, summarize your
observations by creating a master list of
| | 00:18 | what you do in your role.
| | 00:20 | On the Task Analysis page, you can make
notes on key attributes of each responsibility.
| | 00:26 | Specifically we want to analyze the
skill, time, and importance of each one.
| | 00:32 | Rating each item as low, medium,
or high indicate the following:
| | 00:37 | What skill level is needed to do this task?
How much time does it take?
| | 00:42 | And how important is it in
accomplishing the organization's goals?
| | 00:47 | Take a look at the results, tasks with low
to medium skill levels are good candidates
| | 00:52 | for delegation, especially if
they are also time consuming.
| | 00:56 | As a manager, your time is valuable.
| | 00:59 | You want to keep tasks that require your expertise and
experience, and delegate tasks that can be done by others.
| | 01:06 | Certain tasks and responsibilities cannot
be delegated, such as personnel decisions,
| | 01:11 | budget oversight, and
strategizing for the future.
| | 01:13 | But you'll be surprised how many things you're
currently doing that should be moved off your plate.
| | 01:19 | Next, look at how important tasks
are to the organization's goals.
| | 01:23 | If something is low importance, consider whether
it should be on anyone's plate, let alone yours.
| | 01:29 | Here's a funny story for you: In 1803 during
Napoleon's reign, England created a civil service job.
| | 01:37 | This person was to stand guard on the Cliffs of
Dover and look for any approach of the French military.
| | 01:42 | Now this is actually true. This position remained
funded and staffed throughout history until 1945,
| | 01:50 | nearly 150 years after it was no longer needed.
| | 01:53 | This is an example of how organizations
make choices that are appropriate at the time
| | 01:58 | but may not have good mechanisms for
changing those choices down the road.
| | 02:03 | How is your organization waiting for Napoleon?
| | 02:07 | Consider what position, procedures, or projects
are no longer useful. You may find that there
| | 02:12 | are a few things on your plate
that don't need to be there at all.
| | 02:16 | In your notes section, identify anything that
can be eliminated; don't hesitate to propose
| | 02:21 | eliminations as they can
help improve your company.
| | 02:24 | This is what I love about the evaluation phase.
| | 02:27 | Each time I've done it, we have found some
items that can be eliminated altogether.
| | 02:31 | It can really help keep the
organization current and streamlined.
| | 02:35 | But before we can decide who to delegate tasks to, we need to
assess our team strengths and weaknesses, which we'll discuss next.
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| Evaluating your team| 00:01 | Now that you've evaluated the potential
projects or tasks, it's time to evaluate your people.
| | 00:05 | We're going to focus on how
to assign these delegations.
| | 00:09 | Knowing each person's strengths and weaknesses
will help you make the most of each delegation opportunity.
| | 00:13 | And that's just what delegation is, an opportunity.
| | 00:17 | Each task has the potential to build the
skills and abilities of each person on your team.
| | 00:22 | By making strategic assignments, you can really
shape the professional development of your staff.
| | 00:27 | In order to choose the right person for each project
or task, you must first assess all of your employees.
| | 00:34 | You will want to use the Evaluating People page.
You need to make one copy for each person on your team.
| | 00:40 | Set some time aside to reflect on each person.
| | 00:43 | You may wish to review their most
recent performance evaluation as well.
| | 00:47 | First, think about when this person had a
peak performance, a time when they really shined.
| | 00:53 | What skills or abilities did they demonstrate?
And what set that situation apart?
| | 00:58 | How can you learn from that to help
your employee do well in the future?
| | 01:02 | The reason you do this first is
because of the recency effect.
| | 01:06 | Physiologist have known for a long time that
our perception is most tinted by recent events.
| | 01:10 | So in order to counteract that effect, you'll want to
think back several months and focus on peak performances.
| | 01:16 | Next, take time to assess their
skill level in specific areas.
| | 01:20 | There are four broad categories or skills
to examine, task skills, people skills,
| | 01:27 | management skills, and leadership skills.
Let's look at each one in detail.
| | 01:31 | Feel free to add industry- or company-specific
distinctions so that it's as relevant as possible.
| | 01:38 | Task Skills are directly
related to projects or positions.
| | 01:42 | They can include a range of specific technical
abilities like computer programming, illustration, or accounting.
| | 01:48 | Also consider broader skills, like project management,
time management, and attention to detail.
| | 01:53 | Don't reinvent the wheel here. From your
task evaluation process you already have a list
| | 01:58 | of potential tasks and projects, it's okay to just
focus on those for now as you evaluate each person.
| | 02:04 | People skills have to do
with interacting with others.
| | 02:07 | This would include things like communication, building rapport,
resolving conflicts, and customer service, to name a few.
| | 02:15 | Management skills are about creating a safe and stable
structure within which employees can do their best work.
| | 02:21 | Managers supervise, evaluate performance, prioritize
and delegate, and implement policies among other things.
| | 02:29 | Leadership skills are about having a longer-range vision
and being willing to challenge the status quo to innovate.
| | 02:34 | While creating change, they
inspire others with their vision.
| | 02:39 | Using the form provided, write notes about the
employee's performance in each of the four areas.
| | 02:43 | Pay attention to whether your assessment is
based on recent data or something from the past.
| | 02:47 | They may have improved
since your last observation.
| | 02:51 | Now that you've refreshed your memory, rate
their skills from weak to strong in the four areas.
| | 02:56 | Use a scale of one to five with
one being weak and five being strong.
| | 03:00 | Finally, jot down notes about developmental
goals for this person. Some of these may come
| | 03:05 | from their last performance review
and some may come from this assessment.
| | 03:09 | In what areas can and
should the person grow this year?
| | 03:13 | Set aside these forms for now
as we'll come back to them later.
| | 03:17 | Now that you have a sense of your employee's skills
and abilities, next you can start to think about assignments.
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| Assigning tasks to people| 00:01 | We're now going to look at
how you make assignments.
| | 00:03 | We'll be using everything you've done so far.
| | 00:06 | So first, take your task analysis form where
you identified projects or tasks to be delegated.
| | 00:11 | Next, you'll want to transfer these items onto
the potential delegations form in your packet.
| | 00:17 | List the skills needed to do each
task or project in the column provided.
| | 00:21 | For example, perhaps the project requires accurately
editing text, working quickly, or designing graphics.
| | 00:28 | Now compare your list to
your evaluating people forms.
| | 00:31 | You'll want to start by looking for any
obvious matches based on skills or experience.
| | 00:36 | For example, if Anil is the only one who knows
graphic design, then he should get the design assignment.
| | 00:42 | But if more than one person can do it,
use other criteria to make the assignment.
| | 00:47 | It's best to assign someone who can
learn and grow from the opportunity.
| | 00:50 | In fact, intentionally look for opportunities to develop
their weaknesses, instead of just playing to their strengths.
| | 00:57 | When making assignments, it's not
just about getting the job done.
| | 01:01 | You'll want to think strategically about
how to cultivate each of your employees.
| | 01:05 | Down the line this process builds your staff's
skills and increases the productivity of your entire team.
| | 01:11 | As they grow, this also can
create new opportunities for you.
| | 01:16 | You may even want to share the options with
your team and seek their input about which
| | 01:19 | projects they would like and why.
| | 01:22 | This would not only bring great transparency
to the process, but would allow you to gain
| | 01:26 | even more information about
what motivates your staff.
| | 01:30 | As you identify people for each task, write
their names on the potential delegations form.
| | 01:34 | You can also consider delegating
a task to more than one person.
| | 01:38 | The team approach can help you balance
individual strengths and weaknesses, but it requires
| | 01:43 | good teamwork and
communication among the members.
| | 01:46 | If you have a more complex project to delegate,
consider different ways to assign the work.
| | 01:52 | Option one is to give a delegate a complex project that
they oversee all the parts to from beginning to end.
| | 01:58 | This option allows an employee to gain a wide
range of skills over the longer process
| | 02:02 | of the project but can also create
challenges if that employee is weak in an area.
| | 02:09 | Option two is to cluster similar tasks together,
even if they're related to different projects.
| | 02:14 | This option allows each employee to develop
deeper expertise by working in the same area
| | 02:19 | again and again, but
this can also breed boredom.
| | 02:22 | However, they get to work together as a team,
and this can also create opportunities to
| | 02:26 | cross-train to learn other areas.
| | 02:29 | Next, turn to the delegation
assignments page of the handout.
| | 02:34 | This is where you finalize your decisions.
| | 02:37 | Note the person who is getting the task, when the project
will occur, and any notes that you want to address later.
| | 02:43 | There is no right or wrong way to make
assignments, but you do want to think through the pros
| | 02:47 | and cons of each potential delegation.
| | 02:50 | One final and very important consideration is to look
at the overall pattern of assignments once you've made them.
| | 02:56 | Make sure that each employee gets
a similar balance of assignments.
| | 03:00 | They should each get some that are easy or even boring,
as well as those that will challenge them to grow.
| | 03:05 | Make sure that each employee has at least one
task that helps them develop professionally.
| | 03:10 | You'll want to build a
multi-skilled team over time.
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3. Phase 2: HandoverPreparing for the handover| 00:01 | The second phase in the four-phase
process is called the handover.
| | 00:05 | In this phase, the focus is to communicate
expectations about goals, resources, and timeline.
| | 00:10 | You want to set them up for success,
not just hand off your tasks.
| | 00:14 | This phase includes three separate parts.
| | 00:17 | The first is where you prepare for your meeting,
the second is where you meet to discuss the
| | 00:21 | the details of the possible delegation, and should
you both agree to it, then you have the third
| | 00:25 | interaction where the task
is formally handed over.
| | 00:29 | Let's start with preparing for the meeting.
| | 00:31 | When you give a delegation, you want to
approach each person in the best way possible.
| | 00:36 | It's important to reflect on the relationship
you already have with the person because
| | 00:40 | it will guide how you interact
with them for this delegation.
| | 00:43 | For each person, ask yourself the following questions:
what is the nature of my relationship with this employee?
| | 00:50 | Do we have a history of positive
interactions that have built trust?
| | 00:54 | How willing has this employee been to
learn new things or take on more tasks and why?
| | 00:59 | Are there any other considerations
that might affect this delegation?
| | 01:02 | For example, if an employee is going on their
honeymoon during a crucial time for this project,
| | 01:07 | you'll want to figure how to cover that time.
| | 01:09 | Use these answers to help you
prepare for the hand over phase.
| | 01:13 | Think about information that will best
prepare this person to be successful.
| | 01:17 | Also consider the best
way to approach this person.
| | 01:20 | Should you pop by their workspace,
send an email, or call them?
| | 01:24 | Should you meet in your
office or conference room?
| | 01:27 | All of these decisions should be driven by
your evaluation process and what will set
| | 01:31 | this particular employee up for success.
| | 01:33 | Next, ask yourself key
questions about the project itself.
| | 01:38 | What are the goals of this project?
| | 01:40 | What resources would this
person need to be successful?
| | 01:43 | What is the final deadline, and are
there any milestones along the way?
| | 01:47 | How do I want to be updated
on the progress of the task?
| | 01:51 | What kind of support will
this person need from me?
| | 01:54 | How do we want to handle challenges?
| | 01:57 | And what else might affect
the success of this task?
| | 02:00 | How much autonomy and
authority are you granting?
| | 02:04 | It's always a good idea to create a one-page
brief that includes the information so that
| | 02:08 | you and the employee have
something to review together.
| | 02:11 | See the delegation brief form in
the exercise files for this course.
| | 02:15 | You'll notice that there are multiple
levels of autonomy you can give an employee.
| | 02:19 | We'll cover the levels in the next video.
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| Discovering the eight levels of autonomy| 00:01 | During the handover phase, you'll want to
get clear about how much autonomy you're giving
| | 00:04 | the employee to do this task.
| | 00:06 | Make sure that they share
the same understanding as you.
| | 00:09 | Autonomy is the level of
independence a person has to complete a task.
| | 00:14 | One of the most frequent problems that
happens in delegation is lack of clarity about
| | 00:18 | the level of autonomy being given.
| | 00:20 | I cannot emphasize enough how important
this aspect is to successful delegation.
| | 00:26 | There are actually eight different levels
of autonomy you can give your employee,
| | 00:29 | with level one being the least amount of
autonomy and level eight being the most.
| | 00:34 | These were identified by Ross Webber,
who's authored several books on management,
| | 00:37 | and I'm expanding on his idea.
| | 00:39 | I know that for myself, learning about the eight
levels changed the way I delegated for the better.
| | 00:44 | I was much more clear with both myself and my delegate,
which made the whole process better for everyone.
| | 00:50 | These levels are differentiated by four things,
the level of analysis the delegate provides,
| | 00:55 | who makes the decision, who takes action, and
the amount of communication that takes place.
| | 01:01 | You'll find the levels of autonomy handout
in the exercise files for this course.
| | 01:06 | Let's discuss each level.
In level one, the delegate has no autonomy.
| | 01:11 | The delegate looks into the problem, gathers the information,
and gives it to the manager who makes the decision.
| | 01:17 | The manager also takes the action.
| | 01:20 | In level two, the delegate explores the alternatives
available, noting the pros and cons of each option.
| | 01:26 | The delegate presents this analysis to the manager
who still makes the decision and takes the action.
| | 01:32 | In level three, the delegate explores the
options and makes the decision, recommending
| | 01:37 | a course of action to the manager.
| | 01:39 | The manager approves the decision,
but the manager still takes the action.
| | 01:44 | In level four, the delegate explores the option
and makes the decision about a course of action.
| | 01:49 | But the delegate cannot implement the action
until the manager approves it at which time
| | 01:53 | the delegate takes the action.
| | 01:56 | In level five, the delegate informs the
manager of his or her plans and can take the action
| | 02:00 | unless the manager vetoes it.
| | 02:03 | In level six, the delegate takes the action
and informs the manager after the fact,
| | 02:08 | what was done and how it turned out.
| | 02:11 | In level seven, the delegate takes the
action and only communicates with the manager
| | 02:15 | if the action was not successful.
| | 02:18 | In level eight, the
delegate has complete autonomy.
| | 02:21 | The delegate takes the action and does not
need to communicate anything to the manager.
| | 02:26 | As you can see, there's more
complexity than you might imagine.
| | 02:29 | Lack of clarity about autonomy is the source of
almost all problems that occur during delegation.
| | 02:35 | Be sure that you take the time to decide what
level you are granting the delegate and then
| | 02:38 | communicate that level to him or her.
It's important that you're both in agreement.
| | 02:43 | One final note about autonomy: a lot of exciting
research has been done lately on what motivates employees.
| | 02:49 | Study after study is showing that motivation is driven
by three key factors: autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
| | 02:56 | To learn more, read the book DRiVE
by Dan Pink, or watch his TED Talk.
| | 03:01 | In addition to determining the level of
autonomy you give the delegate, you also need
| | 03:05 | to give the corresponding authority.
| | 03:08 | Authority is the access and decision-making
power the delegate will need to accomplish the task.
| | 03:12 | When you are deciding how much authority to give,
grant the delegate plenty, rather than too little.
| | 03:17 | If you don't give enough authority, the delegate may
have to keep coming back to you, making the task take longer.
| | 03:23 | You need to communicate this granted authority to the key
players the delegate will interact with during the task.
| | 03:29 | This can be as simple as a brief email,
or as elaborate as a formal meeting.
| | 03:33 | But the bottom line is that appropriate people
should know that this delegation has occurred
| | 03:37 | so that they can support your employees' success.
| | 03:39 | You'll see that there is a place to note
autonomy and authority on the delegation brief form.
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| Having the first meeting| 00:01 | Now that you are prepared for the meeting, it's
time for the second part of the handover phase.
| | 00:06 | This is where you need to discuss
the details of the possible delegation.
| | 00:10 | In this first meeting, review the brief,
asking any questions you have.
| | 00:15 | You may want to share your
reasons for this delegation.
| | 00:18 | Is it because she or he has some skill in the area, or that
this could provide an opportunity to develop and grow?
| | 00:25 | Ask them about their current workload and
how available they feel to take this on.
| | 00:30 | This is also a great time to invite them to add
their ideas and suggestions to the brief as well.
| | 00:35 | This demonstrates that you
respect them and value their input.
| | 00:39 | Address questions and then see if
they're willing to receive this delegation.
| | 00:44 | If they can't take this on, that's okay.
Just move on to the next person you identified.
| | 00:48 | It might be helpful to give the employees
some time to think about what you've discussed.
| | 00:53 | Be sure you haven't agreed-upon
date for their decision.
| | 00:56 | If they choose to accept the delegation, then schedule
the next meeting to officially hand over the task.
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| Finalizing the delegation| 00:01 | After the delegate has accepted the delegation, you
can move on to the second meeting in the handover phase.
| | 00:07 | In this meeting, you
formally hand over the task.
| | 00:10 | This meeting will finalize five key components:
relevant material, milestones and the deadline,
| | 00:16 | autonomy and authority, progress reports,
and support you will provide.
| | 00:21 | There should be no surprises here, just confirming that
you're both on the same page about all of the key items.
| | 00:27 | If you are delegating a task to more than
one person, this meeting occurs with
| | 00:32 | all of you in the room at the same time.
| | 00:34 | You'll want to be sure each person is clear about
his or her role and how it relates to the others.
| | 00:40 | You'll want to go over relevant
material you've brought the employee.
| | 00:43 | This might include reports, data,
physical or electronic files, notes, et cetera.
| | 00:49 | You want to make sure that you both know what
the material is and what it means for the task.
| | 00:54 | Another area to explore in this meeting is the
autonomy and authority you are granting the delegate.
| | 01:00 | It's vitally important that you're in
agreement before you leave this meeting.
| | 01:04 | As for resources and authority, be sure you
tell the delegate what you've arranged and why.
| | 01:08 | Is everything set up now or does the employee need
to take an action or wait for something to be finalized?
| | 01:15 | Be sure they're clear about these items.
| | 01:16 | Finally, have a discussion with the delegate
about how much support and guidance they would like.
| | 01:23 | It's common that with a new appointment or
with a complex task, the delegate may request
| | 01:27 | more frequent meetings early on, but as they grow in
confidence and competence, these meetings may be more spaced out.
| | 01:35 | What's most important here is that the delegate
drives the decisions based on his or her needs.
| | 01:40 | Part of this discussion is also talking
about how and when you, the manager,
| | 01:44 | want to be consulted, should challenges arise.
| | 01:47 | This should be mirrored by the decisions
you've made about autonomy and progress reports.
| | 01:52 | But it's always a good idea to review how
each of you defines challenge or crisis.
| | 01:57 | Delegation is about the intersection of the
organization's needs and the employee's abilities.
| | 02:02 | You want to create success for both.
| | 02:04 | You and the employee should walk away with a shared
understanding of what is to be done, how, and by when.
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|
|
4. Phase 3: SupportProviding support for your team| 00:01 | The third phase of delegation is called support.
| | 00:04 | In this phase, you deliver any
resources or support promised in phase two.
| | 00:09 | Doing so builds trust and respect with your employees,
and again, contributes to the successful completion of the task.
| | 00:15 | You will also monitor the progress of the employee
in the ways you agreed upon during the handover.
| | 00:21 | Review the support phase handout in
the exercise files for this course.
| | 00:26 | In this phase, you
should consider the following.
| | 00:28 | Did I deliver the
resources and authority promised?
| | 00:32 | Have I communicated this
delegation to all the stakeholders?
| | 00:36 | Are there any issues developing in the
organization that could affect this delegation?
| | 00:42 | How do I build the employee's confidence?
| | 00:45 | And how do I address
concerns and coach the employee?
| | 00:48 | I think this is the trickiest phase for managers, because
we often want to ensure that the project gets done right.
| | 00:55 | This is the time when micromanagement can take
over, which we'll cover later in this chapter.
| | 01:00 | But if you have done phases one and two
thoroughly, you'll have set the employee up for success.
| | 01:05 | It's also important to remember
that employees learn best by doing.
| | 01:08 | Should things not be going according to plan, try to find
ways to support the delegate without taking over the task.
| | 01:15 | Remember, the best learning and professional growth will
occur as the delegate has to work through those challenges.
| | 01:21 | It's important to resist any urges you
have to rescue the employee and/or the task.
| | 01:27 | In this support phase, you want to
serve as a coach to the delegate.
| | 01:30 | In the next video, we'll
explore what coaching looks like.
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| Coaching your team| 00:01 | As we've discussed, delegation is an incredible
opportunity to help your employees grow and develop.
| | 00:07 | But that growth can only occur if they
get to engage in their own learning process.
| | 00:11 | Coaching is a skill that you can
use to maximize their learning.
| | 00:15 | Coaching is different from managing.
| | 00:17 | Instead of directing, you help the person
tap into their own knowledge and wisdom.
| | 00:21 | By asking the right questions, you help
the employee reflect on their experiences,
| | 00:25 | and this leads to important ah-ha moments.
| | 00:28 | When you coach, an in-person meeting is
usually best so that you can have a discussion.
| | 00:33 | During this meeting, ask key questions that
help the delegate access their own learning.
| | 00:38 | It's best to start by having the
employee reflect on their successes.
| | 00:42 | This is intentional.
| | 00:44 | Thinking of success actually shifts the brain
to a higher functioning state, allowing critical
| | 00:48 | and creative thinking
skills to be at their prime.
| | 00:51 | This is part of a process
known as appreciative inquiry.
| | 00:55 | You can follow along with the sample
coaching script in your support phase handout.
| | 00:59 | These are actually my go-to
questions when I support my employees.
| | 01:04 | Tell me how things are going
so far, what's working well?
| | 01:07 | What aspects of this project
are you happy about or proud of?
| | 01:11 | What are the challenges you've identified?
| | 01:13 | Let the delegate list all the issues
before moving on to the next question.
| | 01:17 | You may need to prompt with "What else?" until
the delegate feels that the list is complete.
| | 01:22 | Now the next question I would ask would be
something like, let's take each issue one at a time.
| | 01:28 | What are some steps you can
take to bring things back on track?
| | 01:31 | Again, do this with each item
until the delegate feels complete.
| | 01:35 | If you feel the delegate has a good grasp
of the situation and appropriate ideas for
| | 01:39 | solutions, move on to helping them create an
action plan of what steps they'll take and when.
| | 01:44 | End the meeting with an agreement about any new support they
need, changes to the progress reports, or delegation brief.
| | 01:51 | However, if you feel the delegate is missing
some key understandings or potential solutions,
| | 01:56 | provide some more coaching.
| | 01:58 | Rather than just telling them what you see,
pose questions that will elicit the answer.
| | 02:03 | This is coaching at its best.
| | 02:04 | The employee will learn far more if
they can reach their own ah-ha moment.
| | 02:09 | Try not to be frustrated. If you have to pose
a question two to three ways, your skill at coaching
| | 02:13 | will improve as you do this.
| | 02:16 | Some possible questions to ask are: If you
were to step back and look at the bigger picture
| | 02:21 | of how this project or task fits into the
work we do here, what new insights might you see?
| | 02:26 | Are there any other less obvious issues that
might be affecting this situation,
| | 02:31 | like department politics,
communication, trust, or budget?
| | 02:35 | You would customize this
list based on your organization.
| | 02:39 | Based on what you've witnessed of my management in the
past, how do you imagine I would handle this situation?
| | 02:44 | What steps would I take and why?
| | 02:46 | Again, by engaging in this form of coaching, you
are actually building the delegate's competency
| | 02:51 | for not only this task, but
those in the future as well.
| | 02:55 | If the delegate requests your advice or assistance, you
can certainly provide it, but wait until it is requested.
| | 03:02 | There's lots of ways to coach, but focus on
helping the delegate use their own critical
| | 03:05 | thinking and creative skills,
rather than sharing yours.
| | 03:09 | When I do this with my delegates, I'm often
surprised by how many things I learn from them.
| | 03:13 | Their fresh perspective is always very valuable.
| | 03:16 | Through coaching, you'll also gain new
insight about your staff's knowledge of the company
| | 03:21 | and problem-solving skills.
| | 03:23 | This will allow you to identify
topics for future training sessions.
| | 03:27 | In summary, it's really important to honor the level
of autonomy that was arranged in the handover phase.
| | 03:32 | Not doing so leads to the dreaded
concept called micromanaging.
| | 03:37 | If you check in, hover, or interfere too much,
you won't be showing trust in your employee.
| | 03:41 | In the next video, we'll cover common
causes of micromanagement and how to avoid them.
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| Avoiding micromanaging| 00:00 | In my professional life, I've conducted hundreds of job
interviews, and during each one we talk about supervision.
| | 00:07 | First, we ask how the person likes to be supervised and
not once has anyone ever said, "I love to be micromanaged."
| | 00:14 | Every single person said something like,
"I like to be given the parameters of my work
| | 00:17 | and then allowed the freedom to do my job."
| | 00:20 | In addition, we always ask candidates who will be
managing others what their management style is,
| | 00:24 | and again, not once has anyone
ever said, "I'm a micromanager."
| | 00:28 | In fact, most people make a point of saying that they're not,
and yet in reality micromanagement happens all of the time.
| | 00:35 | You've probably been micromanaged, I certainly
have, and you may have actually micromanaged
| | 00:39 | someone else, I've done that too.
| | 00:42 | So with all the good intentions,
how is this happening so much?
| | 00:46 | Well, it's usually due to one of three things.
| | 00:49 | The first cause is an
incomplete evaluation process.
| | 00:53 | As I mentioned earlier, the evaluation
phase is the phase that most people skip because
| | 00:57 | they're often delegating under pressure.
| | 00:59 | They are in a hurry to offload something
during a stressful time, and that never ends well.
| | 01:04 | By using the tips from this course and by
committing to doing the evaluation phase,
| | 01:08 | you will automatically
eliminate the source of micromanagement.
| | 01:13 | The second cause is lack of
clarity about the level of autonomy.
| | 01:17 | When an employee feels micromanaged, it's
because she or he thought they would be getting
| | 01:21 | a higher level of autonomy than they are.
| | 01:24 | It's the manager's responsibility
to make the level clear.
| | 01:27 | When that doesn't happen, it usually stems
from skipping the evaluation process or from
| | 01:31 | simply not knowing about the different levels.
| | 01:34 | Now that you know about the multiple levels
of autonomy, you can make an informed decision
| | 01:38 | about what you're giving a delegate and why.
| | 01:42 | When you communicate the level you're giving,
you eliminate any confusion or mistaken assumptions
| | 01:46 | that either of you may have had.
| | 01:48 | Now over time if you always give low levels
of autonomy, you will demonstrate that you
| | 01:52 | have a pattern of not trusting your employees,
so be sure to push yourself to grow as well.
| | 01:58 | Keep an eye on delegation briefs over time.
| | 02:01 | If you team is performing well, you should be
giving higher and higher levels of autonomy.
| | 02:06 | The third cause of micromanagement is the
manager violating the agreed-upon level of autonomy.
| | 02:12 | When it's unnecessary, it will feel
like micromanagement to the delegate.
| | 02:16 | That's different from the situations where
it is necessary for the manager to step in.
| | 02:21 | This would be because the stakes are high or
because the delegate truly cannot accomplish the task.
| | 02:26 | This type of involvement by the manager would come as
a result of discussions between the manager and the delegate.
| | 02:32 | Everyone should be on the same page about
what's happening and why, and in fact, the delegate
| | 02:36 | may have even requested the assistance or at
least can certainly see why it needed to happen.
| | 02:41 | But when true micromanagement happens, it's because the
manager has unnecessarily violated the level of autonomy.
| | 02:47 | In other words, the delegate was capable of completing
the task successfully, but the manager stepped in anyway.
| | 02:53 | This not only frustrates the delegate but
shortchanges their opportunity to learn and grow.
| | 02:58 | This sometimes occurs because of poor communication,
the involvement was necessary but the manager
| | 03:03 | did not adequately communicate what's happening
and why, but most often this issue is a result
| | 03:08 | of the manager's discomfort with letting go.
| | 03:11 | While the manager may have had good
intentions to honor the level of autonomy,
| | 03:15 | he or she may not be able to manage their
personal reaction to the letting go process.
| | 03:20 | As a result, they
undermine the delegate's autonomy.
| | 03:23 | In the next video, we'll cover common causes and
strategies for overcoming this fear of letting go.
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| Dealing with the fear of letting go| 00:01 | As I mentioned in the previous video, the
reason a manager violates the agreed-upon autonomy
| | 00:06 | is usually due to a fear of letting go.
| | 00:08 | This is quite common and something that most
managers struggle with at some point or another.
| | 00:12 | I know I certainly have
over the course of my career.
| | 00:15 | Sometimes it's not even conscious.
| | 00:17 | The manager truly believes that she or he is
just helping out and doesn't see the bigger
| | 00:21 | ramifications of what's happening.
| | 00:23 | There are a few common sources
that I want to highlight for you.
| | 00:28 | Number one, thinking that it's
easier or faster to do it yourself.
| | 00:32 | This one is tricky because it usually
is easier and faster to do it yourself.
| | 00:36 | It takes a lot of work to do the proper phases of
delegation and then support another person's learning process.
| | 00:42 | But this time is an investment
that will pay off later.
| | 00:45 | As a manager, your time should be spent
on higher-level thinking and projects.
| | 00:50 | In order to use your time effectively, you
have to delegate some mid- to low-level items.
| | 00:55 | This will make your workload more
appropriate for your experience and credentials.
| | 01:00 | The second cause is worrying that your staff are
already overburdened and cannot take on anything more.
| | 01:06 | I have struggled with this myself, but it
has helped me to remember that employees are
| | 01:09 | most satisfied and motivated
when they get opportunities to grow.
| | 01:14 | If your staff is busy, my guess is that they
are also doing things they should not be going
| | 01:18 | or that could be delegated.
| | 01:20 | If they need to free up space in their
workload to take on new delegations, have them engage
| | 01:25 | in the same analysis process you did.
| | 01:28 | If some of this work can be delegated, you maybe
able to hire entry-level staff or even student interns.
| | 01:34 | Sometimes teams respond to an overburden
of work by just taking on more and more.
| | 01:39 | This is not sustainable, and it
leads to burning out your best people.
| | 01:43 | If there is too much work for the number of
people you have, find a way to quantify that.
| | 01:48 | You want to be able to either
request more staff or eliminate some tasks.
| | 01:53 | The third reason people struggle with
micromanagement is fear of losing control or importance.
| | 02:00 | Delegation involves the loss of direct control,
and this may cause some managers great discomfort.
| | 02:04 | I know that I have struggled with this one
because I have high standards for professionalism,
| | 02:08 | and I worried that another
person's efforts just won't be up to par.
| | 02:12 | This is especially challenging when the
quality of their work will reflect on me.
| | 02:16 | The problem with this mind-set is that it keeps me
buried in tasks that others could and should be doing.
| | 02:22 | For me, I have worked on this by focusing
on the goal and reminding myself that there
| | 02:26 | are several viable paths
for a satisfying outcome.
| | 02:29 | As long as I know the person can deliver
the results, it helps me to let go of needing
| | 02:33 | to control the way that they get there.
| | 02:37 | Another aspect of this for some managers is
that they worry that letting go of some tasks
| | 02:41 | will endanger their own
security in the organization.
| | 02:45 | In reality the opposite is true.
| | 02:47 | The more you can delegate to others, the more you
are open to take on new responsibilities and projects.
| | 02:53 | In addition, you demonstrate your great
management skills by helping your team grow professionally.
| | 02:59 | The final source is lacking
trust in your team to do good work.
| | 03:03 | This one is probably the most important, because
if you don't trust your staff, there are bigger
| | 03:08 | problems that need to be addressed.
| | 03:10 | If you don't trust an
employee, explore this further.
| | 03:14 | If it's about ethics or judgment, consider
whether this person is the best fit your team.
| | 03:19 | If you don't trust their skill level,
you can certainly build trust by using
| | 03:22 | the four-phase model of delegation.
| | 03:25 | This process will help you gather more information about
their skill and then you can help them grow in that area.
| | 03:31 | If trust is lacking, I recommend that you make
this the focus of your work over the next few months.
| | 03:36 | Trust between managers and employees is one of
the key ingredients to successful work environments.
| | 03:42 | As you can see, shifting your micromanagement will
help your employees grow to their maximum potential.
| | 03:47 | Look for some of the causes
and implement those solutions.
| | 03:51 | If you find that you continue to struggle
with micromanagement, don't hesitate to seek
| | 03:54 | the support of a career
coach or personal counselor.
| | 03:58 | Remember that the growth of your team
depends on your ability to let them try.
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| Support scenario| 00:01 | Now that you're familiar with the
difference between directing and coaching,
| | 00:04 | let's see how those two approaches look.
| | 00:07 | Natalie is a sales manager and is
working with her direct report Michael.
| | 00:11 | The company sells a green product that helps
capture and recycle lost heat from buildings.
| | 00:15 | Michael has done well in the past and recently
received delegations of new territories, college campuses.
| | 00:21 | Natalie has given Michael
a high level of autonomy.
| | 00:24 | He takes action and only
communicates if the action is not successful.
| | 00:28 | In other words, he can come to Natalie
if he's having trouble making the sale.
| | 00:32 | Natalie has already given Michael her contacts,
sales notes, and other promised materials,
| | 00:37 | and he's been supported with ample sales training.
| | 00:40 | So Natalie's role is really to provide guidance
if Michael's having challenges, which he currently is.
| | 00:44 | He's having trouble making the sale.
| | 00:48 | In order to demonstrate the difference between
directing and coaching, let's first see what
| | 00:52 | it looks like when Natalie directs Michael.
| | 00:54 | (Michael: I'm having trouble
with the campus administrators.
| | 00:58 | The biggest concern is that they're worried that our
installation will damage their roof, causing costly leaks.)
| | 01:03 | (Natalie: Did you already tell
them about our workmanship guarantee?)
| | 01:06 | (Michael: Yes, but that
didn't seem to convince them.)
| | 01:10 | (Natalie: Have you given them
the data from our customer survey?)
| | 01:13 | (Michael: No, I wasn't sure how that
would be more persuasive than our guarantee.)
| | 01:17 | (Natalie: Well, contact them again, tell
them about how high our customer satisfaction is,
| | 01:22 | share the survey results, be
sure to email it before you call.
| | 01:26 | Then tell them about our insurance coverage.
That will do the trick.)
| | 01:29 | (Michael: Okay.)
| | 01:30 | So, as you can see, Natalie
has just directed Michael.
| | 01:34 | She gave him her opinions and
ideas for what to do differently.
| | 01:38 | While Michael may have left with clear directives,
neither he nor Natalie gained new information
| | 01:43 | from his past experiences.
| | 01:46 | As a coach Natalie would be focused
on bringing out Michael's own insights.
| | 01:50 | Now let's look at an example of coaching.
| | 01:53 | (Michael: I'm having trouble
with the campus administrators.
| | 01:56 | The biggest concern is that they're worried that our
installation will damage their roof, causing costly leaks.)
| | 02:01 | (Natalie: Well, what successes can you think of?
Tell me about a sale that closed really easily?)
| | 02:07 | (Michael: Well, Samoca was very easy.
| | 02:10 | I told them about the product,
and they were very interested.
| | 02:14 | They mentioned that their campus had green
initiative goals and that this would help meet them.)
| | 02:18 | (Natalie: That's good, any other successes?)
(Michael: Yes, Roux Academy bought five units.
| | 02:24 | They said they were re-roofing five buildings
and could add our product as part of that project.
| | 02:28 | That actually created some installation savings.)
| | 02:31 | (Natalie: So it looks like green initiatives and installation
savings have figured high into your successful sales.
| | 02:38 | What does that mean to you?
Or how do you think that can help you?)
| | 02:40 | (Michael: Well, it seems like other campuses
might have green initiative goals,
| | 02:45 | so maybe I ask that first as a possible lead-in,
and I could also mention that they could build
| | 02:50 | this into regular maintenance schedules that
they have for their buildings over time,
| | 02:53 | which could result in savings.)
| | 02:55 | (Natalie: These are really great ideas.
Now let's go back to their concern with leaks.
| | 03:01 | What if you were in their shoes, and this
was your house, how would you feel about that?)
| | 03:04 | (Michael: I would be concerned about leaks.
Budgets are tight on campuses, and anything
| | 03:09 | that I'm going to add to it, I
don't want it to create more problems.
| | 03:13 | So I could acknowledge that as a problem and
then segue into our guarantee and why we assume
| | 03:19 | all responsibility and then I could back that up with our
customer survey as a way to prove our great track record.)
| | 03:26 | What do you notice about
these different approaches?
| | 03:29 | Which one took the most time?
| | 03:32 | Which approach gave Michael the most
strategies to use for solving future problems?
| | 03:37 | In the coaching example, Natalie coached
Michael to bring out all the things he had learned
| | 03:41 | so far, and together that information
yielded several strategies and approaches.
| | 03:46 | In addition, Michael probably has more confidence in his
abilities to reflect on the problem and create solutions.
| | 03:52 | In contrast, when a manager directs an employee, they
inadvertently create dependence rather than independence.
| | 03:59 | When Michael gets stuck in the future, his only
option is to go back to Natalie for more answers,
| | 04:02 | which he may do again and again.
| | 04:06 | From Natalie's perspective, in which
example is Michael taking work off her plate?
| | 04:11 | Yes, it's the coaching example, because the
delegate is learning to solve his own problems,
| | 04:16 | which he can recreate in the future for himself.
This scenario illustrates the value of coaching.
| | 04:22 | You invest time and the interaction, but it yields
a lot of results, both in solutions and skill building.
| | 04:28 | Consider how you might use coaching to
support your delegates in their success.
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|
|
5. Phase 4: DebriefClosing the task| 00:01 | The final phase in the
delegation process is called the debrief.
| | 00:05 | This phase occurs once the task is
completed that's ending the delegation.
| | 00:09 | You and the employee should meet to discuss the
outcome of the task as well as the process of delegation.
| | 00:15 | You may want to use the delegation debrief
handout in the exercise files for this course.
| | 00:20 | It's a list of questions for
both you and the delegate to answer.
| | 00:23 | Spend time discussing both the
task and the delegation process.
| | 00:28 | Consider things like what issues arose, lessons
learned, and ideas for improving for the future.
| | 00:35 | As the manager you want to create a culture
that rewards success and avoids blame for failure.
| | 00:40 | A manager should never scapegoat
a delegate if things went wrong.
| | 00:44 | This will only damage trust between the
two of you and make your other stuff hesitant
| | 00:47 | to step up in the future.
| | 00:50 | Be sure to highlight what worked well,
bringing attention to both effort, as well as results.
| | 00:55 | Using the coaching method we discussed earlier,
help the delegate see what could have been improved.
| | 01:00 | Further support your delegate
by recognizing his or her work.
| | 01:04 | This might be a handwritten note, complementing
the delegate to your superiors, or if appropriate,
| | 01:09 | acknowledging success in a public forum.
| | 01:12 | Also make sure that part of the debrief
includes feedback about how you managed each phase
| | 01:16 | of the delegation process.
| | 01:18 | Discuss the evaluation,
handover, and support phases.
| | 01:21 | Pay special attention to the accuracy of the handover brief,
if autonomy was honored, and how support was given.
| | 01:28 | By seeking feedback and being open to hearing it,
you'll further strengthen the trust and respect
| | 01:32 | you have with your staff.
| | 01:34 | It will also give you valuable
information for improving your delegation skills.
| | 01:39 | Be sure to type up some notes about both the
project and the delegation process, including
| | 01:43 | them in reports as appropriate.
| | 01:46 | From this debrief, you and employee should
gain some valuable insights to help you and
| | 01:50 | the organization in the future.
| | 01:53 | As you continue to delegate, the process will get easier
with time as you learn to work together effectively.
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|
|
ConclusionAccepting delegation from your boss| 00:01 | Until everyone is using the four-phase model, it's
likely that you'll receive poorly-planned delegations.
| | 00:07 | If you have a positive, open relationship
with your manager, you can tell them about this
| | 00:10 | model and ask if they're
willing to give it a try.
| | 00:13 | You would be surprised how
receptive managers are for new tools.
| | 00:16 | But if your boss is not open, don't despair.
| | 00:20 | Knowing how delegation should go can
help you guide the process as the delegate.
| | 00:24 | You should still use the four-phase process, you
are just going to approach it from the receiving end.
| | 00:30 | For each phase ask the questions
that normally guide the manager.
| | 00:33 | By doing so, you'll create
more clarity between you.
| | 00:36 | You also empower yourself and
increase your chances for success.
| | 00:41 | Your attitude and approach is very important here.
You want to genuinely ask questions
| | 00:45 | and not come from a place of
trying to teach your boss a lesson.
| | 00:49 | I know lots of organizations where employees
have shifted the delegation process,
| | 00:53 | simply by driving it from the receiving end.
Let's see what that looks like.
| | 00:57 | Your boss will be coming to
you in phase two, the handover.
| | 01:01 | While the manager may have done an evaluation process
prior to meeting with you, let's assume they didn't.
| | 01:05 | In phase two you can use the delegation
brief for asking questions and taking notes.
| | 01:11 | Feel free to give a blank copy to your
boss and tell them that this form helps you.
| | 01:15 | Be sure to work from the
questions in the handover phase handout.
| | 01:19 | During this meeting you may have the
opportunity to explain some pieces to your manager,
| | 01:23 | like what the levels of autonomy are,
but again, be careful of your tone.
| | 01:27 | You want to come from a place of
sharing something that you found helpful.
| | 01:31 | If you sound like you're judging your boss for not
knowing it, you're going to trigger defensiveness.
| | 01:35 | By the end of the meeting, you should have
some clear details about the project and process.
| | 01:41 | If you have a good working relationship with
your manager, you can even encourage him
| | 01:44 | or her to do the evaluation phase.
| | 01:47 | Talking about how overwhelmed they
must be will create a nice opening.
| | 01:51 | You can also mention that you think
people on the team would be happy to help.
| | 01:55 | Encourage your manager to take time to review
their plate and identify projects to delegate.
| | 02:00 | If they seem receptive, you can openly share
the model and the handouts in the exercise files.
| | 02:05 | If they don't seem open, you can still drive
the evaluation process a little.
| | 02:08 | You can initiate conversations about your
performance review and goals for development.
| | 02:14 | You can talk about your strengths and
weaknesses and how you want to grow.
| | 02:17 | You could even suggest potential projects or tasks that
could help you grow while simultaneously helping your manager.
| | 02:24 | Speaking as a manager myself, sometimes I've
been so overwhelmed with my tasks and sense
| | 02:28 | of responsibility that I can't even breathe.
| | 02:31 | Having an employee suggest a
delegation can seem like a lifeline.
| | 02:35 | As you move into phase three, gently remind
your manager for any resources or authority
| | 02:40 | that you agreed upon, and be sure you are
meeting milestones and delivering progress reports.
| | 02:47 | Now, it's hard to teach someone how to coach, but
you can use the coaching script to coach yourself.
| | 02:52 | Go through the questions and write your answers or
have a colleague or friend ask you the questions.
| | 02:57 | The focus here is, again, on
empowering yourself to be successful.
| | 03:01 | When the task is finished, schedule
a debriefing meeting with your manager.
| | 03:05 | Use the debrief handout to guide the discussion.
| | 03:08 | If you feel comfortable, fill
out the form with your supervisor.
| | 03:11 | But if that seems risky, just use the
questions to guide your discussion.
| | 03:15 | You can ascertain your manager's views by
listening to what they say and fill that in later.
| | 03:21 | Over time your notes will help you learn more
about your manager and the delegation process.
| | 03:26 | Consistent success will also build trust between
you and create openings for future conversations.
| | 03:31 | Finally, if you have a training and development department
in your company, you can recommend this course to them.
| | 03:38 | Some managers are more receptive when
something is endorsed by human resources.
| | 03:41 | In the meantime, you can create great success
by implementing the four-phase model yourself.
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| Next steps| 00:01 | As you utilize the four phases of delegation,
you'll get better at each phase.
| | 00:05 | Over time, you'll experience a shift in your
workload that reduces your stress and makes
| | 00:10 | better use of your experience and expertise.
This was certainly true for me.
| | 00:15 | As you continue to hone your delegation skills,
you may experience some common patterns.
| | 00:20 | I've written a handout that describes typical
problems and includes recommended solutions.
| | 00:25 | You'll find this common problems handout
in the exercise files for this course.
| | 00:29 | And if you want to learn more about delegation,
also review the Recommended Resources handout.
| | 00:35 | Being good at delegation will not only
increase your effectiveness as a manager,
| | 00:39 | but you'll also help your employees achieve success.
| | 00:42 | A sense of achievement is key to any employee's
job satisfaction, which will lead
| | 00:46 | to higher retention of your best people.
| | 00:48 | Finally, the organization also benefits
from increased productivity from everyone.
| | 00:54 | Clearly, effective delegation
creates a win-win situation for all.
| | 00:58 | So go forth, my friend, and delegate.
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