Stop Being a Control Freak: Delegate!
Tapan Kamdar
Senior Director of Product Management @ Mozilla | $700M+ Revenue Impact via AI, Discovery & Productivity | Former Meta, GoDaddy
I used to believe no one could match my standards. Then I saw my team deliver better outcomes than I could imagine. ????
As leaders, we find ourselves juggling tasks and responsibilities while pretending to maintain our sanity. I've learned the hard way that trying to do everything yourself leads to mediocrity and there is a better way: delegation.
Let me introduce you to the DELEGATE framework that has transformed my leadership style and helped me build high-performing teams where people join me to succeed and grow.?
D - Decide to Let Go
Changing your mindset to decide to let go is hard. As a control freak, I know how challenging this can be. At GoDaddy, I struggled to let others define the quality criteria for our ranking algorithms. I was convinced no one could do it.
The truth was hard to accept: my team was more capable than I thought. Letting go isn't about lowering standards; it's about creating opportunities for growth and innovation.
E - Evaluate Tasks and Team to Delegate It To
Tasks are created equal, and you need to find someone uniquely suited for it. At Meta, I learned to match tasks with team members' strengths with their development goals and saw them soar.
Consider:
By evaluating the fit between tasks and team members, you open doors for your team and let them expand the box they operate in.
L - Lay Out the Details
Clear communication is the backbone of successful delegation. To ensure success, I developed a delegation checklist to ensure I covered all bases:
The goal is not to micromanage but to provide a clear blueprint for success.
E - Empower and Support
Delegation doesn't end with assigning the task. You shift your responsibility to that of a coach and mentor.?
How might you do that?
领英推荐
G - Gather Feedback and Reflect
After each delegated task, take time to reflect and gather feedback. This step is crucial for continuous improvement. At GoDaddy, we implemented a post-moretem review process that yielded invaluable insights.
Ask yourself and your team:
A - Adjust and Adapt
Delegation is a skill and it improves with practice. Adjust your approach based on your learnings. Use these insights to refine your delegation approach. These will help your team feel comfortable being given a stretch assignment, but give you confidence to delegate better each time.
T - Trust?
Trust is the foundation of effective delegation. Resist the urge to micromanage. Learning to trust my team freed me up to focus on strategic initiatives and supporting my team’s long-term success.
E - Encourage Growth from Successes and Failures
Delegation can be a very effective tool for team development. Implement a "stretch assignment" program where team members could volunteer for challenging tasks outside their comfort zones. This encourages voluntary participation based on areas the individuals would consider growing into.?
By following the DELEGATE framework, you'll free up your time and build a more capable, confident team. Effective delegation is a muscle you need to build. Keep refining your approach, and you will see your productivity and your team's morale soar.
SkillSculpt
?? Product Managers, Technical Leads, Engineering Managers, Technical Product Managers, Data Scientists, Designers, and User Experience Researchers are leveraging SkillSculpt to elevate their careers.
SkillSculpt offers a range of services to help you level up your career, including:
We provide you lifetime access to our library of resources to learn and grow.
If you're serious about landing your dream role, SkillSculpt is the perfect solution.?
?? Sign up for your session at https://rebrand.ly/skillsculpt today!
Senior Director of Product Management @ Mozilla | $700M+ Revenue Impact via AI, Discovery & Productivity | Former Meta, GoDaddy
7 个月Delegation is key to unlocking team potential and driving innovation. What are your top tips for effective delegation? Let's share and learn from each other!