You Must Delegate to Elevate Your Productivity

I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I had a big presentation coming up I needed to finalize. But it wasn't only the presentation but the sampling and all of the other goodies we were going to bring to make the presentation more interactive. I was in full firefighting mode and was starting to get overwhelmed. My colleague saw what was happening and asked “What can I help you with?” I looked at her, half-frazzled and I said “Nothing. I got this.” Does that sound familiar? She looked back at me and I could hear her thoughts: “You don’t look like you got this, but OK…”

What in the world was I trying to prove? I clearly could have used the help, but my ego got in the way. Even though the presentation went very well, I ended up a little worse for wear. Had I had a better plan, I would have been able to complete it all with the support of others and in the process, built better team dynamics. But I was young and felt like I needed to prove myself. I learned a hard lesson and began to see the benefits of delegating the right tasks to the right people, rather than wanting to be superwoman and doing it all on my own. 

Delegating effectively not only let you be more productive at work, but it does the same at home and the same principles apply! Let’s dive into the topic and see what effective delegation looks like.

Overcome Your Resistance to Delegation

In order for delegation to work, the first step is acknowledging that you need to let go of the need to control everything. I know it can be uncomfortable, but it is worth it in the end. However, it does require a change in mindset. Instead of thinking “I have to do this because no one else can do it as well as I can,” shift your thinking to “I get to do this because I get to help someone else grow and develop their skills.” At home, it might sound like this “I need to delegate this because 1. I can't do it all and 2. I am teaching my kids, valuable life skills.” When you look at delegation from this perspective, it becomes an opportunity rather than a chore.

Whether at work or at home, there are three main reasons why people have a hard time delegating:

1. They don’t trust that the other person will do it right or as well as they would.
2. They’re afraid of losing control.
3. They think it will take longer to explain the task than to just do it themselves.

If any of these resonate with you, don’t worry, you’re not alone. The good news is that there are ways to overcome this resistance.

Identify the Tasks You Can Delegate to Others

Once you've made peace with your resistance to delegate, you must figure out what you are willing and able to delegate. At work, I love using the Eisenhower Matrix for this exercise. What the matrix says is that if a task is Urgent, but not Important, it is the perfect task to delegate to someone else. Since you should be focusing on the tasks that fall in the Important and Urgent category, you have the opportunity to enlist others to help you do the Urgent and less important tasks.

At home, the matrix can help you prioritize between must-dos and nice-to-dos. Once you have that, enlist support from your partner and children, so you don't run yourself ragged all weekend and end up just as exhausted on Sunday night than you were on Friday night!

But before you can start delegating, you need to be crystal clear as to what is in your wheelhouse and what is important for you to keep for yourself.

At work, the type of tasks you would normally delegate are the routine tasks; the things that need to get done which are both time-consuming and give you a feeling of wasting your time because they do not allow you to tap into your zone of genius.

It is also important for you to be clear if you are delegating tasks or responsibilities as these require a different level of engagement on your part. For today, we’ll focus on delegating tasks.

Choose the Right Person to Delegate to

Now that you’ve identified the task you want to delegate, it’s time to choose the right person for the job. This is where a lot of people get tripped up because they either try to delegate to someone who is not qualified or they don’t delegate at all because they can’t find the perfect person.

For you, delegation can help to avoid overwhelm and be more productive. When you delegate tasks, you’re able to focus on the things that are most important to you and free up your time for other things. It is also an opportunity to show trust in the other person and build a stronger relationship.

For the person you’re delegating to, delegation can be a great opportunity for growth. When you delegate tasks, you’re giving the other person a chance to learn new skills and grow in their role.

When you delegate to the right people, you can trust that the task will be done well and it is something you can put out of your mind.

Here are a few tips to help you choose the right person:

• Look for someone who has the skills, knowledge, time and capacity to take on the task.
• Choose someone who is interested in the task and has the potential to be good at it.
• Delegate to someone who will be able to learn from the experience.

Then, it’s important to set clear expectations. This means being very specific about what you want from the person you are delegating to, giving them clear timelines for completion and the right information so they can complete the task successfully.

At home, what and how you delegate will be driven more by age and maturity level. What you ask your 5-year old to take on and what you ask your partner will be different. For your partner, it's about sharing responsibilities, whereas for the kids, it's learning about responsibility. So, don't be afraid to "put your kids to work"! 

Train and Guide

This is one of the reasons a lot of people avoid delegating. It can take time and effort on your part before the other party is fully operational. It IS a process, but doing it effectively is worth the effort!

Be Proactive

In times of less urgency, identify some of the tasks you are doing which are taking up time, but do not allow you to contribute at your fullest. This will help you to see what you can start delegating to others and give you a window to train them, so they are ready to take on the challenge when you need them to step up.

Delegate tasks that you know the other person can handle and that aren't too critical. This way, if there are any hiccups, they won’t be too damaging and because you're not in the pressure cooker, you'll have time to debrief and make any changes necessary in the execution.

At home, have a conversation with your peeps, especially if you've been doing it all yourself. Explain why you need to change things so they have context! Having that conversation might take you out of your comfort zone and require you step into your courage. Prepare ahead of time, so you have clarity. Engage in the conversation openly and convey what you need help with. 

Create Systems and Procedures For Delegation

This will help you to let go of the need to control every little detail because you have a system in place to ensure that things are done correctly.

This also allows you to avoid training each person from scratch every time you need to delegate a task. Having standard operating procedures not only makes your life easier, but it eases things for the person who is taking on the task as it removes uncertainty and ambiguity.

At home, figuring out a schedule ahead of time will take a lot of the complexity out of things. Everyone knows ahead of time what they are responsible for and by when it needs to be completed. The good thing is, once they're done, they can play!

The Importance of Communication When Delegating

Keep the lines of communication open. If you are delegating to someone new, it is important to make sure you are available to answer any questions or clear up any doubts.

People need to know that you are available as it helps them to relax into the task. If you cannot be available, is there someone that you can designate in your stead, so there is a lifeline?

Make sure to clearly communicate what is expected of them, when the task is due and why the task must be done well and on time. Often, the job is part of a bigger picture and having that visibility helps to understand why someone is doing the required task.

It’s also important to provide feedback along the way so the person knows if they’re on track.

Don't expect things to go smoothly at first. You may face some resistance. You may get peppered with questions, but don't step in and take back the task. they'll figure it out. It will take some adjusting for everyone, so be patient.

How to Manage Delegated Tasks

Whether at work or at home, there are three keys to managing delegated tasks effectively for yourself, but also for the person who is doing the work.

1. Follow up with them regularly to ensure quality and timely completion of delegated tasks. Your "job" doesn't end when you've delegated the task to someone. If you have a long enough runway, touch base from time to time. This allows people to ask questions and clear any lingering obstacles to doing the job well. And once the task is completed, take some time to check in and see how it went. This will give you an opportunity to provide and get feedback and help both of you improve for the next time.
   At home, this is especially important when you're trying to instill a new routine or you're just starting to ask for support
   
   
2. Be open to process improvements. When we give a task to someone who hasn't done it before, they may have ideas for simplifying or doing it in a way that is more intuitive and less restrictive. Sometimes processes have been there for so long that there are redundancies. A fresh pair of eyes can spot those redundancies and find more efficient ways of doing things, so don't close yourself off to things being done differently. In many cases, the outcome is more important than the how.
   Be open at home too. Sometimes we get in a habit and we think it's the most efficient, but maybe it isn't! Maybe there are different and better ways (although I would not consider red socks with white towels a process improvement!
   
   
3. Don’t micromanage. It’s important to give clear instructions, but also trust that the person is capable of completing the task. If you micromanage, it will only serve to frustrate both you and the other person and it makes them extremely inefficient and fosters doubts in their own abilities. As mentioned above, if you're going to hand it over, don't be attached to the how, but be clear on the outcome you desire.
   This is one I'm guilty of at home: filling the dishwasher. I'm very methodical. My honey isn't. He "throws" things in there haphazardly. But I've learned to let him do his thing and focus on being appreciative for the effort and for not having had to do it. It's not 100% there yet, but I'm getting close! 

The Bottom Line

Delegation can be difficult, but it’s important to delegate tasks effectively in order to avoid overwhelm and be more productive. When delegating tasks, make sure to give clear instructions, set deadlines, and follow up. By following these tips, you can be sure that you’re delegating tasks effectively, helping everyone involved have a positive and productive experience. And don't be shy about flexing your delegation muscle at home too! There are just as many benefits there as at work!

If you would like some support becoming more influential with people around you, reach out! Coaching is a wonderful way to develop that muscle and help you become more effective in your communication!