The Eight-fold Path to Effective Delegation – Part 2 (Practical tips)

In case you have not yet read Part 1 of this article -up, please cut and paste this link on another window in your browser https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/eight-fold-path-effective-delegation-part-1-raju-venkataraman

In Part 1 of this article, we looked at the importance of effective delegation for both new managers and for tenured managers, oft-quoted objections / resistance factors to delegation and introduced an 8-fold path / framework to enable managers to delegate more effectively. I also shared 3 cases briefly about how my coaching clients had benefited from using this framework. Continuing from Part 1

?E.??????????8 key practical tips - CPQ QTR DF - to keep in mind as you delegate:

?Context?

Here, the Manager describes the “world” in which this problem must be solved or this task must be completed. It’s the “big picture” description.

Why is solving this problem important? To the Organisation’s strategy? To me? To my boss? Where does it fit in with other work being done by my team and others? What other things might affect this work?

If you give your team members the context about what’s at stake, how 'what they are asked to do' fits into the big picture, then you increase personal relevance and enable them to make better decisions around the task.

Simon Sinek says, “If you only delegate tasks, you may get what you ask for, but won't get the value of any ideas beyond your own.?If you delegate responsibility (with full context), you will get more than you ask for and you'll be given ideas beyond your own… Delegating responsibility lets people feel like they are a part of something bigger. They are more likely to take accountability for their actions and will work harder, not to perform their tasks, but to advance the context.”.

The truth of what Simon Sinek says came home to me & reminded me of the several times many of my bosses delegated brilliantly to me and trusted me to perform. I gave it my everything since they had taken pains to and trusted me by laying out the context and purpose.

Example of how you might do it : “Can you write a letter to our suppliers about our new purchasing & vendor policies? I suppose you're familiar with the rationale and details of our recent expense control measures. If not, feel free to ask me questions and am happy to discuss and offer clarifications....... Since you're a good writer, you would be perfect to write this letter in an appropriate tone and provide the proper context.” - of course this won't be a monologue but a dialogue

Purpose?

This is where the Manager describes his/her intent. What does the end state ‘look’ like? Ask yourself, “How does this thread fit into the tapestry of the entire carpet?”

It is rare that a delegated task sits alone. Each small task is usually a step towards a larger vision. You can’t motivate somebody to care about a task or goal when you can’t express the reasons why it matters to you; else, you run the risk of people coming to their own conclusions about what you’re asking them to do and why, and thereby increasing the chances of misalignment. (am sure a lot of you are chuckling after reading this and recalling instances from your career). A common mistake is to confuse the Purpose with the Output (quality and quantity).

Quantity?

The Manager needs to be able to specify the exact quantities or targets envisaged at the end state.

• How much, of what, needs to be produced? e.g. Number of manufactured units, length of report to write, the weight of deliverable, etc.
• In the case of office work, this element of quantity may not be always relevant.

?Quality

?Before you ever start a delegation conversation with an employee, it’s essential to define what "done" looks like. Use time, cost, and quality to frame success

The Manager needs to articulate to what standard the end state / end product needs to conform. ?It is the specification of what “good” or “complete” means in this assignment.

Quality is the most challenging part of CPQQTRD to describe because often “good” or “complete” is subjective. What exactly does “good” look like?

This is crucial when you have a precise outcome or methodology in mind. Your people can’t read your mind (or atleast you should not expect them to), so if the finished output needs to be meticulous, the manager must be specific and clear-cut in the ask.

?Time?

The Manager must describe how time relates to the task. Avoid saying “as soon as you can” or “when you have time” unless you really don’t have a deadline; in which case, is it really a task?

When exactly does this task need to be complete? How much time is allocated to complete the task?

For example: “My presentation at Headquarters is scheduled for November 12. I need the draft presentation from you by Oct 31 latest. Doable?”……” Let’s schedule a meeting for you and me for 45 minutes at 3:00pm on November 1 to go through your draft so that I can give you feedback. Need the final presentation ready by Nov 5, so that I have a week to prepare for this crucial presentation, which will help us secure for the additional resources we need to deliver on the stretch targets expected of us.”

?Resources and Restrictions?

The Manager adds value to task completion by providing the resources that the Direct Report needs to succeed, and by specifying any particular inflexible parameters on the work.

Once the Manager has defined the work, clarified the scope of her contribution, she needs to ensure it aligns with the direct report’s capacity, and if not, how will the person be helped along the way??It is a major leadership failure to delegate and NOT provide the resources to make it happen. Ask yourself, “a. What does this mission really need if it is to be successful? b. What are the things the Direct Report must have / may need to accomplish this task, and how am I, the Manager, going to provide them?” e.g. IT support, budget, mailing lists, team member days, cross-functional authority

My coachees talk to me and say that real-life situations are far from ideal and there are plenty of tough situations managers find themselves in e.g. when they are acutely aware of the legitimate resource constraints and yet work needs to be delegated and needs to be done.

My suggestion is to: (a) try and manage expectation upwards with respect to timelines / deadlines (b) on your side, be prepared to be flexible and to loosen up timelines to the extent possible so that the team member doesn't feel like he/she is being set up to fail (c) be as creative as possible in rustling up additional resources – it could be interns, temp staff, borrowing staff from other geographies or departments etc (d) at other times, despite your best efforts, it is about accepting the situation this time and ensuring that neither you nor your team member beat yourself up about it. Easier said than done...?I’d love to hear from the readers what else has worked for them in these sort of situations

?I’d like to emphasize another critical point here. There will be times when the team member hits a major roadblock or reaches an impasse. Unless it is an emergency or super time-critical and therefore someone else needs to step in, treat it as a learning opportunity. Coach the team member through it, making sure he or she has the resources and knowledge needed to complete the task. That way, the employee will be better equipped to carry out similar tasks in the future.

Dialogue

Good delegation is an ongoing dialogue. Dialogue is the one of the delegation skills that is often missing for many managers. As the Manager already knows how to do the task, he/she assumes that the team member will know how to do it, too. Instead, once the Manager has communicated re: the above aspects of the responsibility being delegated, the manager should confirm the team member’s understanding, encourage and respond to questions (best done face-to-face, video call or a phone call, to avoid ‘email to-fro’ and misinterpretations). Needless to say, this becomes all the more important with so many millennials and Gen Z in the workforce.

“I had already clearly mentioned to them how I wanted it done!” or “Oh no, this is simply not what I wanted” are examples of the conversation when a manager has not taken the time and effort to have a dialogue with the team member to invite questions, offer responses, confirm understanding and inspire commitment.

Once you’ve defined what done looks like, ask the team member to draft a plan for how they will meet the objectives. When reviewing their plan, resist the temptation to coach them on minor issues that aren’t likely to affect the overall outcome. Preferably establish milestones upfront with an employee to prevent micromanagement. Decide together what the cadence of checkins should look like.

?Follow-up, Follow-through & Feedback?( Delegate but certainly do not abdicate )

Follow up:?It’s essential for the manager to follow up and stay involved for the hand-off to succeed, but the degree matters. (Recall Situational Leadership) You?should?maintain engagement levels sufficient for you to deliver the desired mix of support (for them) and accountability (of them).

“Delegation without follow-through is abdication. You can never wash your hands of a task. Even after you delegate it, you are still responsible for its accomplishment, and monitoring the delegated task is the only practical way for you to ensure a result. Monitoring is not meddling, but means checking to make sure an activity is proceeding in line with expectations.”— Andy Grove, Former CEO of Intel

As required, ask relevant questions to develop their critical thinking skills: e.g.

What have you tried? | What worked?, What didn’t work? | What obstacles stand in your way?

What can you do to tackle them? | Who else might be helpful in solving this problem? etc......

The frequency and level of detail of the check-ins will often be determined by:

• ?????The size and complexity of the delegated task.
• ?????The amount of uncertainty &/or risk associated with the task.
• ???? Your assessment of the level of experience or skill level of the individual(s)
• The familiarity and comfort you have with the individual(s) & their ability to deliver

?So, what are the risks when the mix is not right?

·????Too involved, and you could consciously or inadvertently micromanage those around you and demotivate them;

·????Too hands-off, and you could miss the critical moments where a supportive comment or vital piece of constructive feedback would be essential.

To pick your spot, simply ask?people what the right level is, based on their style. This not only clarifies the frequency of touchpoints they will find useful but?also gives them autonomy (do not under-estimate people's need for autonomy!) in how the delegated work will move forward.

?Feedback: Two-way feedback is an essential part of the delegation process. (even more important with Millenials and Gen Z). Show your gratitude for their commitment and efforts - make them feel appreciated. As needed, you can offer constructive criticism paired with encouragement to help them tackle their shortcomings.

On the other hand, the manager can learn about the areas that he/she needs to improve. Consider asking: What worked? What didn't work? And what can I do differently the next time?

?F.???????????In Conclusion

?For delegation to be effective, you need to put in the upfront work to train, clarify and set expectations for the outcomes you need your team to achieve.

Delegate the “what” of the problem, support it with “why,” and empower your team to work out the “how.” Don’t abdicate. Instead, support and coach them to make the right decisions and continue making forward progress.

The beauty of the CPQQTRDF tool is its simplicity and versatility. While

• it can simply be used by the manager to ensure all the correct information has been conveyed as the task is being assigned,
• it can also be used by the team members as a checklist for whether they have all they need to do the work.

?Learn to develop your delegation skills and you will multiply your effectiveness. Escape the pitfall of trying to do everything yourself. Reclaim your time to lead strategically.

Encourage your direct reports to also hone their delegation skills.

Delegation isn't just about assigning tasks - it's about empowering your team. Turn delegation into a tool that creates success. Investment in practising effective delegation pays off in more capable employees and 'saved time & effort'.

On the flip side, lack of clarity in task assignment is a huge source of wasted organizational effort. Effective task assignment is all about starting with the big picture, moving to the specifics and ending with responding to questions to confirm common understanding. Use tools like skill-will matrix and RACI Model to Clarify roles and delegate tasks to the right people

Comment and let me know if you have been able to take the rest of your day off!!

?About the author:

Based in Singapore, Raju Venkataraman is an executive coach for senior leaders, career consultant and leadership + business skills trainer. This follows?a successful & fulfilling 29-year corporate career including several years as a C-Suite leader with The Walt Disney Company in the Asia-Pac region.?He travels in the region for coaching and training assignments. Raju leverages his rich business experience for:

• ?helping senior executives from various organisations, grow in their career journey, with 1-on-1?executive coaching & career management advice
• facilitating?training workshops & delivering conference speeches in Singapore & abroad, for leaders & managers?(for MBA students too) on Negotiation Skills, Finance Business Partnering, Leadership Agility?& Accountability, Strategic CFO, Business Model Innovation, Adapting to Change, Leading Change, Hone your Business Acumen, Pro-active Career Management, Influencing without Authority, Corporate Navigation using your Political acumen, New Manager Essentials & similar topics
• Please feel free to contact Raju Venkataraman at [email protected]