“I’ve always been a good performer… but now I feel like I’m running out of steam… As if I were pedaling endlessly… nevertheless… My methods work! I delegate! The volume of demand is increasing, the number of challenges is increasing, everything changes regularly. I wonder. What to do? »
I suggest that you delegate differently to be more efficient, that is to say, not only to your team, but also to three other entities.
Delegate differently
Why would we want to delegate?
In the following cases: if you want to perform better, less stressed, less tired, have more time, have more fun at work, work less, increase your energy, do a task that makes more use of your contribution, advance your career or develop a more strategic side of your job.
The most common objections to delegating:
- It’s just a small, one-off task. It’s faster if I do it.
You be the judge! Do you have a lot of small “one-off” tasks that prevent you from doing that file(s) that you would like to do so much?
- It takes longer to show it than to do it.
You’re probably right… Do you have a lot of small “one-off” tasks that prevent you from doing that file(s) that you would like to do so much? (it’s not a copy-paste mistake ;-))
- My team is as busy as I am, I don’t want to add to it.
I have no doubt about it. Don’t you want to get out of that endless loop and work more on the tasks that bring value and recognition?
Here it is more important to see what we are not doing, because we are doing other things… The famous file that drags on… Isn’t it important?
Often, non-operational (or strategic) files “drag on”… And this is probably not due to a lack of motivation, but rather to a lack of tools or organization.
This article invites you to give yourself more time, so that you can develop the tools and the environment conducive to working on value-added files!
To whom can I delegate?
1-To his team
If you’re already delegating, tell yourself that you can delegate even more. Take a good look at what you do for a week or a day, and ask yourself:
- Am I the best person to do this task?
- Am I making the best contribution I can make to the organization?
- Is this the best use of my time/energy in relation to my role and the expectations placed on me?
If you answered “no”, “no, but” or “yes, but” to any of these questions, I invite you to inspire yourself to delegate differently by continuing reading!
2-To a colleague
Here the invitation is to work as a team, differently. That is to say, to share.
If you communicate more about what you do, not only will you have better visibility and understanding from others, but you may get help! 😀
Often, when we are very busy, we can have the annoying habit of compartmentalizing ourselves in our office or in our world. Relationships with colleagues? Take breaks or time to eat away from your computer? No time!
I frequently see colleagues working on the same tool, the same file.
I don’t think you have time to work “twice,” do you?
When I ask about the clarity of the file, I often get vague answers about the deadlines, the roles, and the objective of the work… Go talk to your colleagues and be optimal!
3-To his boss
- Do you dare to say no to your boss’s demands?
- Do you dare to say: “I need to understand the request more before committing myself… can I get back to you tomorrow on this?”
- Do you have to go back on your commitments?
- Do you deliver on time?
The only way I know of not having to say no, or having to go back on a decision or overtime because we said “yes” is to clarify the requests. I LOVE CLARITY, because it creates SIMPLICITY, EASE and JOY.
And if you’re wondering how to ask your boss for clarity, here’s an approach.
- Boss: I’d like X changes on the ABC report by Friday.
- You: No problem.
You look at the file and/or talk to your team about it and you realize that it won’t be possible for Friday, that you are missing information, etc. Or worse: no one tells you, you have delegated it and on Friday at noon, your team tells you that it will not be possible…
Whatever the reason(s), good or bad, as soon as you said “no problem” you committed yourself.
I often see a great desire to please in managers, especially in a new position. Will you like healthier and by delivering fairly?
For files that may be unclear, here are some typical questions:
- Maturity
- When is it for?
- Is the date of XYZ fixed? (try to understand the reason for the delay)
- Priority
- In relation to this or that file, if I had to prioritize, what would I take?
- Available
- What deliverable do you have in mind?
- How do you see the purpose?
If the answer you receive is:
- Maturity = ASAP
- Priority = get organized
- Deliverable = I-trust-you-you-are-the-expert
You have the winning recipe for pressure. To be successful in such a request, don’t insist AND be proactive as you move forward with the project. Send deliverables as they happen, changes… In short, avoid surprises and allow for quick adjustments.
4-Outside your organization
Delegate to partners, suppliers, customers!
I invite you here to be creative, especially if you are self-employed or an entrepreneur. There are a lot of external resources out there, and your network can be an exceptional help. And if you’re a manager in an organization, it’s the same thing!
- Without a budget: Creating service exchanges
Find a partner! “Help me complete the production of the budget, or make these mailings and I’ll help you in turn!”
- With a budget: Be clear
Just because you have the budget doesn’t mean delegating externally is simple. Once again, I invite you to be clear about your expectations, deadlines, quality, detail, etc. and then do rigorous follow-ups! Depending on the length of the project, you may have prioritization/response/adjustment meetings at intervals of a few days or weeks!
Conclusion
In conclusion, it always pays to delegate when there are impacts on our physical or psychological health. I challenge you to take care of yourself! And the key words: clarity, clarity, clarity!