How to Be Clear on Delegating Tasks so that they are Heard & Well Received
Leaders face two challenges when it comes to delegating work to others:
- Perfectionism and the fear that the results won’t be as good as if the leader did it.
- Delegating expectations in a way that ensures the team fully understands the task and the view of success is clear.
For the latter delegation challenge, I liken it to driving down the highway at 100 km/hour and delegating while driving.
In this situation, the leader is the driver. With so many things to do, they have a heavy foot and are flying down the road, focused on getting to their next meeting.
Seeing their direct report en route, they roll down their window and yell out a few things they would like them to focus on and work on. Confident that the individual heard them, they return to the road and carry on.
Meanwhile, the direct report was sitting at a bus stop and wasn’t expecting an exchange with their leader. From their lens, they think, “Was that my boss?” as they witness a car speeding by. This failure in delegation happens all too often, resulting in a disappointed leader and a confused direct report.
How to Communicate in Delegation
Being able to delegate well requires fully articulating what success looks like and how you would like things done.
This level of clarity often requires the leader to pull over, park the car, and sit down with the direct report for at least 10-15 minutes. This is the ideal solution, but it is unrealistic for the leader-manager whose calendar is jam-packed with meetings.
The other option is for the leader to delegate in time rather than in tasks. Most leaders are good at knowing what they don’t like or want rather than being able to clearly share what they are looking for.
Delegating While Driving Fast
To effectively delegate while driving fast, one must make a short initial ask, give the individual a short timeframe to work on the task, and then check in for further clarification.
For example, please spend 30 minutes on this and then check in with me.
With this technique, the leader-manager doesn’t have to spend excessive time clearly articulating the ask and the direct report isn’t resentful for spending hours on a task that doesn’t meet expectations.
Key Takeaways
- Reflect on whether you are an effective delegator and what might be getting in your way.
- Work on delegating more effectively by delegating in time (e.g., 30 minutes) and then having your direct report check-in.
- Ask your direct reports to reflect on your delegation style and suggest what you might do differently to make the handoffs more effective.
