We know that delegating work to others is important for the health of our companies. And for our own satisfaction. But we fear that they will drop the ball. We say that they don’t know as much, they lack the talents, they have too much on their plates already, this is too important, this is my expertise, they didn’t come through for me last time, or it’s faster if I just do it myself. So we hold on to the ball.
Instead, let’s drop the ball so they can pick it up. We re-direct a portion of the time and attention we would have used doing the work to helping them own and deliver it. Once we’ve turned it over to them, we help build their capacity by sharing our knowledge and know-how. As needed, we help them plan and re-prioritize. And, when they stumble, we provide organizational buffers, coaching, and reminders of our belief in them and their ability to own this.
In your corner,
Michael
PS: We are all susceptible to this. I see it the most experienced CEOs and the newest team leads.
PPS: We often hold on to the ball during times of very high risk. This can be appropriate. But drop the ball again as soon as possible.
PPPS: How to drop the ball? Say to them, “This is yours to own. How can I help?”
PPPPS: Now that you’ve dropped the ball, you can do the things that you haven’t been able to get to and that we especially need from you, good leader.