Delegating is risky. Not delegating is riskier still
Delegation is an issue for many of the businesses we work with. Without it Sales leaders are unable to focus on the strategies and activities that drive growth. And yet most of them are too busy to delegate and feel that it’s more efficient to just do it themselves.
Accepting that you can’t do everything yourself is a critical first step to delegating. For it to work people have to learn and to learn they have to make mistakes. Acknowledging this frees you up to take a measured short term risk for a positive long-term outcome.
It takes two for delegation to work – your employee needs to fully understand what you’re asking them to do and have the desire & willingness to do it.
And you – what can you do to make it happen? How can you set it up to succeed?
Try The Rule of Three and let us know if it makes a difference.
1: Clear Brief
Explain what you want done not how to do it; clearly, with timelines as well as the final deadline. Checking they understand is as much a test of the clarity of your brief as their capability to do it. Cover it until it is 100% clear.
2: Offer Support
When giving your brief and checking understanding find out where they need additional training, resources and even reassurance. Enable them to do what you need them to do.
3: Follow up
Don’t wait for them to fail – follow up and see how they’re getting on. Offer more support, direction or reassurance. Recognising their efforts and what they’ve done well is a good way of finding the balance between micro management and laissez faire.
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” General George Smith Patton, Jr.Not hitting targets?
Finding it hard to keep ahead of the market?
Sales Leaders too busy?
Can’t afford for things to go wrong?