| Management training courses designed to improve | | | | are not prepared to overrule their subordinates" |
| and develop good leaders need to include the | | | | and Arthur K. Watson, former head of IBM said, |
| principles and practice of delegation as this is the | | | | "It's no fun being the boss if you can't take a |
| one characteristic that demonstrates either good | | | | decision on your own once in a while". |
| or bad management quality. The ability to | | | | If you abuse your positional power by using a |
| delegate properly is hard; too much as well as too | | | | dictatorial approach too often then your credibility |
| little delegation clearly indicates managerial | | | | will fall. Think carefully before you take away the |
| weakness! Managers find it challenging not to | | | | responsibility you have already delegated to one |
| interfere in the work of their people, or try to do | | | | of your people by giving them some |
| everything themselves. This is not effective | | | | "well-intentioned advice". Make sure that top-down |
| delegation. | | | | decisions are used in a measured fashion - the |
| Even highly praised managers like the manager | | | | key is "once in a while"! |
| who "saved" Chrysler, Lee Iacocca, have failed at | | | | Effective delegation demands open |
| the end of the day as a result of their lack of | | | | communication. You have to know what is going |
| willingness to delegate. Iacocca was so convinced | | | | on and your staff must know where they stand. |
| of his own abilities that he had a determining | | | | Rule 3. Review your managerial skills as a leader. |
| influence in the design of new Chrysler models. His | | | | The starting point for team work is critical self |
| concepts no longer reflected the modern market | | | | analysis. You must ask your self "what skills do I |
| trend, however, and the result was a decline in | | | | lack for successful team management and which |
| sales figures. | | | | skills do I have that helped me succeed in the |
| Therefore, try to follow the following tips for | | | | past"?". |
| better delegation: | | | | You need players for your team, not captains. |
| Rule 1. Do not delegate any tasks that you do not | | | | This is especially problematic when you take on a |
| understand yourself! | | | | new or novel task. Some of your players are |
| For example, if you are a Sales Manager you | | | | already on the field, whereas you are still warming |
| should not delegate the division of an area into | | | | up. In cases like this it is particularly important to |
| territories to one of your area sales managers if | | | | carry out a critical self analysis and analyze the |
| you yourself are unclear about the criteria that | | | | existing characteristics and skills of the players |
| should be used to carry out this division. The | | | | you have. Above all, you have to resist the |
| starting point is a thorough exchange of | | | | temptation to surround yourself with as |
| information with the staff reporting to you. | | | | homogeneous a team as possible. You cannot win |
| Thoroughly read their reports and debate the | | | | a game with eleven center-forwards! |
| issues with them. | | | | Rule 4. Be willing to delegate at all times! |
| If you are responsible for the work of another | | | | The ability to delegate grows with experience. |
| manager, you also need to find out as much as | | | | The American academic Robert W. Lear (who |
| possible about them and their managerial skills: | | | | founded the Executive-in-Residence program at |
| What has their performance been like before, | | | | Columbia Business School) believed that each |
| what do their team think of them and what are | | | | manager goes through three important |
| their unique strengths and weaknesses? You can | | | | development stages, which last from one to five |
| only guarantee that there will be no nasty | | | | years. |
| surprises if you know precisely which tasks to | | | | In the first phase, after becoming a manager, the |
| delegate to which people! | | | | manager takes fundamental decisions that change |
| You cannot delegate responsibility for the overall | | | | and mold his/her area and strategic direction. The |
| result! | | | | second phase involves discovering the outside |
| Rule 2. Give "well meant advice" sparingly, but | | | | world. For example, the Sales Manager travels |
| consistently! | | | | around a lot, visits large-scale clients, allied |
| Two issues can lead to delegation failing. Firstly, | | | | companies, suppliers and remote subsidiaries. |
| the people are not always willing to take on the | | | | The third phase is characterized by an even |
| additional responsibility you have given them and | | | | stronger external orientation. In this phase the |
| secondly, managers are sometimes not willing to | | | | Sales Manager is now primarily interested in the |
| really let go of a certain responsibility. | | | | "larger vision" and is no longer interested in small, |
| As covered on any good management training | | | | operative details. |
| course, you cannot and should not delegate your | | | | By the end of the second phase at the latest, the |
| personal responsibility for the overall result. You | | | | Manager therefore needs a strong and responsible |
| can, however, make your staff responsible for | | | | team to support him. A leader can only build such |
| parts of the overall outcome. This means that | | | | a team if they are willing to delegate certain |
| you have to be willing to give away a part of | | | | aspects of responsibility on both a short and long |
| your authority and live with the consequences. | | | | term basis. S/He must also be willing to show |
| Of course, there will be times when what is | | | | trust in his team members. Many in a managerial |
| required is a clear and irrevocable decision by | | | | position admit to finding delegation hard. Attend a |
| management. Henry Kissinger said, "No one has | | | | good management training course if you want to |
| the right to be in a position of authority if they | | | | develop your skills more. |