If you’re eyeing a promotion, one way to stand out is by delegating your own work effectively. In mid-sized companies, CEOs actually find it hard to promote a leader who is way too busy to take on special projects, long-term planning meetings or strategy sessions. It may appear as if such a person is “too busy” for the promotion. In fact, one of the articles by Robert Sher @ Forbes suggests leaders at every level should delegate 10-20% of their work to subordinates each year. Delegating work regularly not only opens up room in your schedule for more visionary projects, it also allows you as well as your team to learn new things and grow, which, in turn, helps the organization in the long-run. Furthermore, smart delegation indicates good managerial skills, sound decision-making and the ability to empower others – after all, a true leader is never a one-person-show. Here are 5 tips to help you delegate more effectively to stand out and bag your next promotion! –
1) Start Soon – The sooner you delegate tasks in the year, the less last-minute pressure you and the person you’ve delegated the task to, will feel. Also, if things go wrong, it allows enough buffer time to trouble-shoot and course-correct.
2) Select Wisely – The key ingredient to effective delegation is picking the right person for the job. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of each member of your team so you can intelligently pick and choose whom to assign each task/responsibility. Also, make sure that person has enough resources and training to get the job done.
3) Communicate Clearly – Make sure you break down each project into individual tasks with clear objectives and deadlines. Communicating the rationale of why you have assigned a particular assignment to a particular person helps them understand the importance of completing it more fully. It is recommended to ask the person to paraphrase the project’s tasks back to you so you can double-check if they fully comprehend all the details you’ve offered them – this reduces chances of miscommunication and slip-ups. Most importantly, document delegation through written communication, too, so everything is official, including commitment from your team member toward completing the task you’ve delegated.
4) Check-In Strategically – Rather than micro-managing, which is inefficient, set check-point intervals between the start to end of the project to make sure everything is going smoothly. Make the person you are delegating work to feel responsible and accountable, so they stay motivated and grow. Remember, you can delegate the work but you are still responsible for the task and need to make sure that it is delivered in time and with right quality.
5) Create A Feedback Chain – Always seek feedback regarding project delegation. This will showcase that you are good at managing professional relationships. Find out if you were good in communicating tasks, offering complete information, setting the right expectations and establishing reasonable timelines. In return, also offer your team member(s) project feedback and recognize good performance – everyone likes to feel acknowledged, and positive feedback about your leadership skills will soon spread through the company via word-of-mouth!
Remember, a leader who knows how to delegate properly ends up accomplishing much more than those who hoard too many assignments. By delegating tasks, you can show your CEO that you are capable of planning, organizing, communicating, coordinating, goal setting, prioritizing and trouble-shooting – these are all valuable skills that will make you stand tall!
Talk to Manbir about your next promotion right here.
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