The Ups and Downs of Delegating

Do you rub your hands together in glee when you’re given the green light to delegate a project? Or do you guard responsibility for your task list like a junkyard dog? Either way, most of us run into the challenge of delegating work to others — others who work for us, with us and even our superiors.

The very reasons for delegation go against our natural business instincts:

  • No one likes to be told what to do.

  • No one likes to relinquish control.

  • No one likes to admit they need help.

What we don't realize is that we delegate things every day — why doesn't it bother us to drop off our dry cleaning or call the plumber to fix our clogged sink? If you apply the same thinking to aspects of your job, you can identify projects that are perfect to delegate and get great results. Karla Robertson, founder and CEO of Shifting Gears® Business Coaching and Consulting*, is very familiar with the challenges of delegation. She offers the following insights to help you overcome your hesitation to delegate:

1. Explore how YOU feel about it.

What are your beliefs about delegating that may be holding you back from doing it? Common misconceptions are:

  • "I don't have anyone I can trust with the work I am responsible for."
  • "Like I have any time to organize my work so I could decide what I have to delegate."
  • "If I delegate too much, maybe people will think I'm not needed."
  • "No one can do tasks the way I do them. I'm a perfectionist."

2. Shift your perspective.

See what you come up with when you consider delegating as serving others rather than serving yourself? What possibilities open up for you?

3. Know your resources.

Who does what best? Keep your eyes and ears open. Look at the quality of people's work and what they seem to be drawn to naturally. Give them more of that kind of work.

Knowing what to delegate and to whom says much about your decisiveness, understanding and trust in your personnel resources and your ability to prioritize tasks.

*Karla Robertson may be reached at 1-732-845-4833 or on her web site www.ShiftingGears.biz.

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