What my First Boss taught me about Delegating (thanks John Reader)

By Olwyn Merritt & Alyse Ashton

One of the most frequent challenges Expert Leaders face is how to delegate. They are smart people with a tremendous track record in their area of expertise. Because they are so good at what they do as experts, they often struggle to trust other people to do things on their behalf. My first boss, John Reader was a highly effective delegator. How John tackled delegation many years ago may help you now, particularly when someone is new to the art of delegation. I call his approach the Trinity because it involves taking three particular steps when approaching anything which you wish to delegate.

Step One: Prepare and Be Patient:

First, set up a session with your colleague and prepare systematically what you intend to delegate. Then, take the time to patiently set out exactly what you expect - the goals, the timeframes, the constraints and the outcomes. John was exceptional at being patient at this stage. I have seen many fast paced leaders rush through this step and not allow enough discussion and dialogue with the colleague to ensure that they fully understand in what is expected of them and can approach the task with confidence. It is crucial that you offer support and are available to answer any questions as they perform this task for the first time. Once you’ve done this, they can start the task you’ve given them.

Step Two: Probe the Finer Points:

The next time your team member needs to do this (or a similar task), you review the work and take time to acknowledge (with specific examples) what your team member has done well and talk through anything that needs finessing for the next time. In my experience people remember their own words and prefer not to be told, so it’s really useful to ask them to talk through what they feel went well and what they found most challenging.

Step Three: Give them Space:

Once your team member has built both skills and confidence you can give more space. Explain that you will be available for exceptions because they are well able to carry out the tasks. They know they have your support and are left in no doubt that they are responsible for delivering. They only need to come back to you if something new or particularly difficult arises. Then you need to demonstrate your confidence in their ability and leave them to it – if you meddle, you undermine them and your own hard work will be undone.       

Reflection Questions for You:
How clear are you in your instructions and agreements with your people when delegating?
When do you under instruct? When do you meddle? What are you prepared to do about it?