- RT @phawkins_cfs Freed from Paperwork, Nonprofit Employees Have More Time to Do Real Work http://t.co/czEzD8Dv via @intuitquickbase
Getting a Delegated Task Back on Track
That big report for the executive team is due next week and you just realized that one section you delegated to a team member is nowhere to be found. Checking in with him, you discover the team member hasn’t even started on it yet.
Ack. What do you do now?
Don’t Panic
Sit down with the team member and determine what needs to be done. Begin with the end in mind. Decide what you are trying to accomplish and determine who will do what, by when. Set up check ins to ensure it stays on track until completion and call in extra help if needed.
Delegation is a great leadership strategy, but done wrong it can end up in disaster.
The key to successful delegation is to remember it’s not abdication.
You don’t just give someone a task and forget about it.
You need to manage the risk, but not micromanage. Sometimes there can be a fine line between the two.
Here’s what you need to do to delegate successfully.
- Define tasks to delegate. Start by making a list of those activities that you would consider delegating to a team member.
- Determine best fit. Then decide which team member would be the best fit and could be most successful at accomplishing the task.
- Delegate the task. Next, meet with each team member you have identified, identify the objective and set out a plan to check in on a realistic basis to see how it’s going.
- Monitor for success. Make sure you communicate your expectations for “check ins” and what the team member should do if they run into a road block.
“Once the crisis is over, vow to never let it happen again.”
Delegation can help you become a better leader and help your team members learn new skills.
What suggestions do you have to help other team leaders delegate successfully?
About Denise O'Berry
Denise O’Berry — aka the Team Doc — has been working with teams and team leadership in the public, non profit and private sectors for over twenty years. Follow her @askteamdoc.
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Alison Green writes the popular Ask a Manager blog where she dispenses advice on career, job search, and management issues. She's also the co-author of Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Leader's Guide to Getting Results and former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management, hiring, firing, and employee development.
Anita Bruzzese is a syndicated columnist for Gannett/USA Today on workplace issues and the author of “45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy.” She has been on the Today show, and quoted in publications such as O, The Oprah Magazine, Glamour, Self.com and BusinessWeek.com. Her website, 45things.com, is listed on the Forbes top 100 websites for women.
Alexandra Levit’s goal is to help people find meaningful jobs - quickly and simply - and to succeed beyond measure once they get there. Follow her @alevit.
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