Delegation does not mean simply handing over a task. Nor does it mean getting other people to do a task the way we would. It means setting up an environment where they can do it better then we can.
This includes setting the standards or measures of success (“Here’s how we’ll know you’ve done it well… “), letting them give it a try, regularly reviewing their progress against the standards, taking time for training, and encouraging them to become better and better.
Yes, this takes time. But the alternative is worse. The alternative is that we freak out when they do it wrong. We think, “It’s quicker if I do it.” Then we take back the task and continue to do it and all the other tasks ourselves. Don’t we already have enough on our plate?
In your corner,
Mike
PS: And how can we expect to grow if we keep doing all the tasks ourselves?
Today’s photo credit: Carsten Senkfeil cc