RSA Animate - The Power of Networks

Do I Delegate or Just Do it Myself? - presented by Kit Welchlin

re you overwhelmed by having to do too many things daily? They say if you want something done right do it yourself. But, sometimes we just don't know how to do it all! So, should you delegate or just do it yourself?

There are a number of good reasons to delegate:

Delegation can free up some of your time
It can possibly even improve decision making
Enhance commitment
Improve relationships - it demonstrates trust

However, delegation needs to be done well. Otherwise it can be costly in time and money. Be sure to clarify the assignment; make sure it's crystal clear what you are asking people to do:

Carefully describe and define all the components of the task
Specify that co-worker's range of authority - What they can and can't do, what they can and can't look at
Allow your co-worker to participate in determining what they need to be successful
Think about the relationships that will be affected - maybe you work well with someone and they don't
Give them the communication strategies that you use, so that they can be successful in their relationships as you have been
Schedule feedback loops to keep the task on schedule - check in halfway through, 3/4 of the way through and close to the deadline
Discuss problems privately and acknowledge their success publicly

When you effective delegate a task to someone else, you go from 60 minutes of productivity per hour to 120 minutes of productivity per hour.

The question was: "Do I delegate or do I do it myself?" The answer is yes. Consider your organization's culture concerning tolerance for risk. Consider your co-worker's level of competence and the importance of the decision. Then, delegate and develop your staff.

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