| dy"> | | | | Many executives delegate like this. They say, "John, |
| You've made an unusual discovery - there's not | | | | would you take on this project? It has to be done by |
| enough time left at the end of the day. The corollary, | | | | next Thursday. Thanks." That's it. Then, when the job |
| of course, is your list of important things to do never | | | | comes back incomplete, they are infuriated. What |
| gets smaller. In any company, the CEO's to-do list has | | | | happened? They left out accountability. They |
| the potential to grow infinitely. | | | | neglected the structure for making sure things |
| What's a senior executive to do? | | | | happened according to plan. |
| This is not simply a personal problem. Your company's | | | | There are four components to successful delegation. |
| future depends on what you do next. As you drive | | | | 1. Give the job to someone who can get it done. |
| your organization beyond its current plateau, you must | | | | This doesn't mean that person has all the skills for |
| change the way you relate to your work. There are | | | | execution, but that they are able to martial the right |
| three stages to making the transition from | | | | resources. Sometimes the first step in the project will |
| chief-cook-and-bottle-washer (CC&BW) to CEO | | | | be education. Maybe your delegate has to attend a |
| (source of the management and direction of the | | | | seminar or take a course to get up to speed. |
| business). They are: | | | | 2. Communicate precise conditions of satisfaction. |
| Understanding your highest value contribution to your | | | | Timeframe, outcomes, budget constraints, etc.; all must |
| company and focusing on that role. | | | | be spelled out. Anything less creates conditions for |
| Recognizing your position as a leader and owning the | | | | failure. It's like the old story about basketball - without |
| job. | | | | nets the players don't know where to shoot the ball. |
| Delegating everything else, and holding others | | | | 3. Work out a plan. |
| accountable. | | | | Depending on the project's complexity, the first step |
| Previous articles, Time Well Spent, deals with transition | | | | may be creation of a plan. The plan should include |
| one; Visions of Leadership addresses transition two. | | | | resources, approach or methodology, timeline, |
| This article examines the problem of delegation - giving | | | | measures and milestones. Even simple projects require |
| the work away. | | | | a plan. 4. Set up a structure for accountability. |
| The Issue | | | | If the project is to take place over the next six weeks, |
| You have doubtlessly concluded your next level of | | | | schedule an interim meeting two weeks from now. Or |
| company performance requires a managerial change. | | | | establish a weekly conference call, or an e-mailed |
| And hopefully, you have realized the changes | | | | status report. Provide some mechanism where you |
| necessary are with you. As CEO (or, on a divisional or | | | | can jointly evaluate progress and make mid-course |
| departmental level - senior executive) your jobs include | | | | corrections. This helps keep the project, and the |
| holding the vision; inspiring your senior management and | | | | people, on track. |
| your staff; fostering key relationships with customers, | | | | 4. Get buy in. |
| vendors, investors and the public, etc. | | | | Often timeframes are dictated by external |
| You now need to let go of some cherished things like | | | | circumstances. Still, your delegate must sign on for the |
| product design, hiring, perhaps day-to-day sales - many | | | | task at hand. If you say, "This must be done by next |
| things you handled in the past, often out of necessity - | | | | Tuesday," they have to agree that it is possible. Ask |
| and focus yourself on your role as CEO. What about | | | | instead. "Can you have this by Tuesday?" To you this |
| all these things you used to do? Delegate them. Assign | | | | may seem a bit remedial, but the step is often |
| the job to someone else. This doesn't sound like a big | | | | overlooked. Whenever possible, have your delegate |
| deal, why write a whole article on it? | | | | set the timeline and create the plan. You need only |
| Do you delegate? Of course you do. But do you | | | | provide guidance and sign off. As General Patton said, |
| delegate the important things? The things you "know" | | | | "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to |
| you could do better? The things you are "best" at? | | | | do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity." |
| Probably not. The question is, should you? | | | | If you skip any one of the above steps, you |
| Your highest value contribution | | | | dramatically reduce the likelihood things will turn out the |
| Think about your highest value contribution to your | | | | way you want them to. On the other hand, if you |
| company. Which of your activities generate the most | | | | rigorously follow the steps, you greatly increase the |
| revenue, profit, market share, etc.? Where do you get | | | | odds in your favor. Isn't this more work than doing it |
| the most bang for the buck? Like most chief | | | | myself, you ask. No - it isn't. |
| executives, your greatest leverage is in mobilizing the | | | | The time it takes to |
| forces around you - your senior staff and your | | | | 1) establish the goals, |
| employees, plus key customers, prospects and | | | | 2) review the plan, and |
| vendors. Everything else becomes secondary to that | | | | 3) monitor the progress,is not equal to the time it takes |
| in terms of impact. | | | | to execute. That is how you gain leverage. This is how |
| So the answer is yes. You should give away even the | | | | you multiply your efforts. |
| things you are "best" at. And then make sure they are | | | | (Occasionally it does take longer to communicate |
| done right. Make sure they are up to spec and | | | | something than to do it yourself. Delegate it anyway. |
| delivered on time. | | | | The next time will be easier.) |
| The cost of holding on | | | | Above, I've referred to projects. This is not to say |
| Now, the thorny part. Many executives refrain from | | | | delegation is reserved for discrete tasks and problems. |
| delegating responsibilities they've labeled "critical". They | | | | You also delegate ongoing functions. The process is |
| fear the job won't be done correctly. Or no one else | | | | the same in each case. |
| can do it as quickly, and it won't get done on time. Or | | | | As an exercise, ask yourself, what am I unwilling to |
| the right attention won't be paid. Or something. Or | | | | delegate? Make a list of the reasons why not. (Use |
| something else. | | | | our worksheet to identify projects and functions to |
| Give it up! The growth of your organization will be | | | | delegate. E-mail for a free copy.) Identify the best |
| stifled to the extent that you hold on to critical | | | | person in your organization - not you - to take on this |
| functions. Your company will suffer in the exact areas | | | | project or function. Then call a meeting. Begin the |
| where you think you are the expert! | | | | meeting with step one, above. |
| Product design? You hold up the development of a | | | | If there is no one to whom you can give away key |
| key component, because you are the expert, yet you | | | | functions, you have to look carefully at your staff |
| are away at a customer meeting. Staffing? Two | | | | situation. It may be time to hire the right people. If you |
| engineers can't be hired because you haven't signed | | | | don't have the revenues to support the staff additions, |
| off and are out of town at a meeting with investment | | | | consider what is restraining your growth. |
| bankers. Sales? Negotiations on an important deal are | | | | Review your relationship with your assistant or |
| held up because you are in Asia meeting with a | | | | secretary. Have you let them take on there fair share |
| vendor. | | | | of the workload? Are you giving them sufficiently |
| You become the choke point on each of these vital | | | | sophisticated work to do? Are they ready to |
| functions. And you feel - of course - "I have to be | | | | upgrade? |
| involved." No you don't. To the exact degree you have | | | | Some situations call for you to dive back in. Perhaps |
| not developed your staff to assume these functions, | | | | you are the only one in your company with some |
| the growth of your company will be retarded. | | | | particular technical knowledge, or your insight will |
| Aside from fear the job won't be done as well, there is | | | | accelerate the design process, or you have the |
| another, more insidious reason senior executives | | | | long-standing relationship with a vendor or customer. |
| (particularly entrepreneurs) do not delegate. If you | | | | Go ahead, dive. Do your thing - briefly, complete the |
| aren't doing the "important" stuff, you become | | | | project and resume your leadership position. |
| redundant. Dead weight. Overhead. If you have a | | | | Oh, one more thing. |
| great VP of Sales, or a Chief Technologist, what will | | | | The only point to delegating something is if it frees you |
| you do? | | | | for things which create greater value for your |
| You feel this way because you haven't completed | | | | company. Don't give away the hiring function if you are |
| transitions one and two: you haven't taken the trouble | | | | spending your time fiddling with the corporate web site. |
| of understanding how you personally create value in | | | | Don't hire a Sales VP, if you are spending your time on |
| your company, and you haven't fully assumed the role | | | | purchasing. The greatest leverage you have is in |
| of leader. Once you make these transitions, you won't | | | | leading your company. Lavish your time on that. |
| have time for the rest. Delegation, not abdication. | | | | |