Delegation – A Critical Management Skill
My personal world works in parallels, Whilst I spend my time coaching, training and writing about my passion – getting the best out of people – like most of us, I have to walk the talk every day!
I have used virtual help for some time now – and for any manager who finds it hard to “let go” – who feels the need to “micro-manage” or try to be too prescriptive, it’s a great opportunity to test out just how well you delegate, how much you are willing to trust the people you hire, and how willing you are to admit you don’t know it all, and can’t do it all! If you can successfully manage and motivate a virtual team, I think you can motivate anyone!
I believe we all become our own bottleneck very quickly. We all should play, I believe, to our own talents and strengths, because it is then that our life becomes interesting; that we have more enthusiasm, that we work harder, and that we achieve more.
A business will never be a business if you’re a one man band. You HAVE to have people – to make a business. Gerber raised it in the “E-Myth” and Kiyosaki in “Rich Dad Poor Dad” says if you can’t leave your business for 12 months and come back to find it in as good, or better shape than when you left it, then you haven’t got a business, you’ve got a job!
If you already run a “virtual team”; whether that’s as freelancers as I do, or because they’re not all in the same office (as I was in the pharmaceutical industry), then the critical rules of delegation and teamwork management will resonate even more with you.
What are they?
Well – for me they are:
- Trust:
Set the “what” but not the “how” as much as you can.
If you’ve selected right, you’ve chosen people talented in the stuff you’re not. If you’ve been clear about what outcome you want, then just trust them to get on with it. - Humility:
Don’t get intimidated that they might do a far better job than you would have done had you been in their shoes, or that they come up with ideas you wish you’d had before you were manager! - Belief:
In their potential. Don’t get me started on this one! I taught, managed and been a parent long enough to know whatever expectations you set, people are likely to reach them – particularly if you’re good at inspiring them on the way. Sometimes, with the right belief from a leader, your followers will even surprise themselves! - Tolerance:
A biggie this one! You might have ideas about how you think others should be doing something – but just bite your lip! You WILL find they make mistakes, or it’s not quite what you wanted.
Mistakes are one more step to learning and success – I’ve made plenty of my own. To expect my team not to do so would be crazy – worse, it will teach them over-caution and playing safe. I’ve never known any successful team or business, which didn’t allow itself to take calculated risks.
As I head off out of the country for a shot in the arm with my coach/mastermind group, and to think about the big picture – I am SO grateful I leave in the knowledge I have some amazing people quietly going about my business and keeping the wheels turning.
Thank you guys! You know who you are!
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