JS Tip 554: When to Delegate a Task

The first in a short series.  

Ask yourself three questions: 

Question One: “Is the task necessary?” If it’s not necessary, then nobody should have to do it. Nobody. Unnecessary tasks clutter your schedule, and they insult others as “make-work” jobs. “Here. Dig a hole. Now fill it up.” Ugh.

Question Two: “Am I maxxed out?” (Or, in other words, “How full is my schedule?”) Never let delegation support laziness. That’s not what a leader does.

Question Three: “Will the task benefit the person tasked?” One of your roles as a leader is to develop those you lead. (Another of your roles as a leader is to train your replacement.) Make sure the skills learned in completing the task will prepare the person doing the task for greater things. 

Next week, we’ll talk about what tasks to delegate.

Then we’ll talk about whom to task for the delegated job. 

Then we’ll talk about how to delegate the task.

The what, the whom, and the how. Coming up.        

Questions? Let us know. We love this stuff.