How do you delegate and empower your team as an executive?

As an executive, think of yourself as the guide on a team hike. You chart the path, give everyone a map, and let them explore. Your role is to provide support, ensure they have what they need, and cheer them on as they conquer the trails. It's about trust, empowerment, and helping your team reach new heights. Don't go on the hike alone ??

By understanding your team mate's capabilities and polishing them to the level where they know what's next and what should be done, at first you need to guide them what to do and train them to that level where they tell you what should be done in the respective situation. And in all this process you need to put your trust in them by boosting their motivation and enthusiasm.

The brain is like a monkey. If we don’t give it something to do it will be very unpredictable. Visioning and goal setting and all the conversation that go with it give each person’s brain a place to go. Given the right direction and equal opportunity to participate in the goal is inspiring to anyone breathing. It is hard wired into all of us to want to belong. Remove the shackles of “judgment or criticism” and watch what can happen to a group of people.

If you're wondering where to start explore the vision of the company and then combine your own purpose for showing up to work each day, and then what you are focused on creating in the future. Then discuss how each person on your team impacts that vision and ask them their own motivation for showing up to work.

Obviously, you shouldn't be expecting the expert level results from the intern level, delegation is something where the task is assigned according to the team member expertise and capability. Consistent and effective training sessions will increase their productivity and enthusiasm to upgrade their level to the point where they'll be able to do things on their own.

Delegation is about recognizing when others on your team are better suited to take on a particular task or challenge and trusting them to do well. The key with successful delegation is about you releasing the power and you displaying that trust in your team.

Yes, you need to recognize the strengths of others when you delegate, but more importantly recognize their interests. Use delegation, especially for projects that have extended deadlines to help engage and grow your team members. Delegation is not just about getting work done.

Simple questions to the group like: Let’s explore what a successful outcome would look like. Then invite the conversation. Translate that into what day to day activities and checkins look like. Include in that conversation how to handle conflict. Practice it if you know there are some personality issues on the team so they get an experience before they are under stressed and taken by surprise. Above all of this is ongoing conversations about learning models and taking responsibility for effective learning to happen.

Delegation requires more details and communication then if you did the work yourself. Especially for new projects, take the time to fully explain the expectations for the work, and create a project plan and timeline that you will check-in on during weekly 1:1s.

Empowerment can’t be lip service. We can’t say we empower the team but micro-manage or over-ride them. The delegates must have true authority to make decisions and act on them without needing approval every step of the way, course-correcting as necessary. Communication and clear expectations must be set already for check-ins, and how and when the delegates recognize they need counsel or escalation. They need to be coached on how far to push the limits of their abilities to allow for growth but not jeopardize the project. Empowerment is a delegate task but enables both leader and delegates to grow.

Define the authority an employee has for the project. What types of decisions can they make and which do they need to bring to you? What updates do you need to be aware of, but don't need to be a part of? Most importantly, do not get angry at an employee for doing something that wasn't discussed. Especially when it comes to making decisions or needing to improve communication during the project.

One of the most challenging aspects about empowering others is managing our own expectations. People will make mistakes. It's important to lead by example and reflect on the lesson learned vs dwelling on the mistake itself. We each have our own experiences and perspectives. When we delegate to others, we should not expect they would make the same decisions we would. Rather, we should aim to help them be the best version of themselves they can be.

Weekly 1:1s are a must when you are delegating major projects, and asked to be copied on emails to senior leadership or directors. The goal is to be informed, but not to micro-manage, and to be the champion of the project for your employees.

Remember, delegation is not telling someone to do something. It's coaching, guiding, teaching, and communicating about a project so that you can engage and develop your team.

Consider that different team members often have different work styles that can present challenges when getting work done. For instance, one person may thrive on pushing against deadlines while another plans in advance. Or one excels in inductive logic while another deductive. As the leader, encourage the team to consider how best to collaborate with these differences and come to their own agreement on the best way to work together while meeting the larger agreement with us. Then we stay out of their way and let them work through the how themselves.