Ever think about meaning of some of words we all use daily?
What about “delegation?” I wondered over to Wikipedia for definition.
“Delegation is the process of a leader or manager giving a task, duty, or power to another person. It helps share work, build trust, and let leaders focus on bigger goals, while the original person still stays responsible for the final result.”
Helpful??? Sure wasn’t to me. I asked wrong question.
Tom’s Tip: Ever ask a question, like headline above, and then discover it was wrong question? I’ve learned when writing to outline. Identify specifically what I am going to talk about. Before I start writing. Picking topics is easy. Identifying what you’re going to say about the topic can be more challenging. Start of this article I didn’t do that. Result. Had to back up.
How do leaders delegate to improve promotional opportunities.
The 7 steps leaders follow
-Start by identifying the right task/project.
-Start by identifying the right task/project.
-Selecting the employee(s) to delegate to.
-Writing out the desired outcome…specifically and clearly. Quantify.
-Describing the authority the employee(s) has/have in completing the task/project.
-Give employee(s) the tools and resources needed.
-Identify feedback you expect throughout the task/project.
-Tell employee feedback you will provide during the task/project
Just 7 simple steps. I asked long established leader last week: If steps are so clear why do so many projects get off-track?
“In my 28 years of experience? Majority (say 80%) of projects off track missed one or more steps above. Or failed to give them attention needed. Next 15%? Did not clearly specify desired outcome and how it would be measured. Last 5%? Task/project was thrown a curve requiring major modifications.”
“Projects that carefully followed 7 steps? Get completed successfully, on time and within budget. Me? Resulted in 5 major promotions.”
How about you? Share successful project you led or were involved in. We’d like to tell your story.
Tom Ferree is the founder of Ferree & Associates and SecureEmploy, organizations focused on helping companies find exceptional talent and helping professionals advance their careers. Since founding Ferree & Associates in 1977, Tom has worked extensively with hospitality companies, executives, and rising leaders across the industry. Through SecureEmploy, he shares practical career strategies, leadership insights, and real-world advice to help professionals grow their careers and help organizations build stronger teams.
