What does this quote say about delegation?

1. What does this quote say about delegation? “ Because of the variety of gifts and skills that people bring to the workplace, the need for good people, and their willingness to move, we should treat the great majority of people as volunteers. They don’t have to stay in one place. They don’t have to work for one company or for one leader. They follow someone only when s/he deserves it. “ Max Dupree, CEO of Herman Miller, The Art of Leadership

2. Effective Delegation and Empowerment Brent WardMBA, MCSD, MISM, MPM, CAPM, MCSD

3. Inputs to the Presentation • 30 years of experience leading peers, volunteers, paid contractors, and direct reports in five organizations • Published articles in Canadian Management Association Journal on delegation and empowerment • Repetitive remote work team leadership • Ideas of management practitioners/PhD course work • Application of Project Management principles • A few heart-breaking failures • Many exhilarating successes

4. Challenges with Delegation What are the challenges leaders face when they delegate work to other people?

5. Some Challenges • People refuse the assignment • Work is incomplete • People quit before the assignment finishes • Upward delegation • Leaders’ investment does not produce results • Results do not match original vision • People get tired of the project and resign • Sometimes, people do nothing

6. The Delegation Diamond

7. Good Person-Project Fit Align projects with individual talent • Personality Strengths • Technical ability • Personality mix with existing team members (if any) Individual should have sufficient time and intrinsic motivation Sometimes, the best person is the one who has never done it before Willingness does not equal suitability

8. Identifying Talent How do you identify people’s talents?

9. How To Identify Talent Engagement with training experiences Third party reports Personality Assessments Self-Reports ResumesObservation in naturally occurring situations Interviews

10. Some “Interview” Questionsfor Potential Delegatees 1. Why do you want to volunteer for our project?2. What about the project excites you?3. Tell us about any experiences you had in other projects that you found fulfilling. 4. Tell us about your weekly schedule and when you would be able to devote time to this project5. How many hours per week could you commit to the position you are considering?6. What do you think is a reasonable time for responding to/receiving replies to emails or phone calls as you participate on this project?7. What aspects of this position might you find challenging?8. What strengths do you bring to this position?

11. Clear Project Definition • Assume a leader has asked you to lead the organization and execution of a fundraiser to help children with diabetes. • What questions do you have about the project?

12. Clear Project Definition • Most projects fail due to poor definition • Use a template to guide your delegation • Can be formal (written) or informal (verbal) • Level of detail varies depending on skill of delegatee (s) and size of project • Allow creative space • Often occurs after training, research and support • Where possible, focus on projects rather than a ‘part-time job to perpetuity’

13. Training and Support • Many delegatees have little experience in the specific project domain • Unfair to delegate unfamiliar tasks without training and support • Forms of training • Self-study materials (You Tube, websites, manuals) • Face to face training • Interviews with knowledgeable people • Formal Advisors • Leader coaching (be careful!!!) • Hard and soft opinions • Give feedback • Insist on personal preparation for meetings • Build rapid, low-risk learning cycles into the project to promote learning

14. Execution Training for Delegatees • When you follow through: • People grow to trust you • You build your reputation within your organization • Your organization attracts and retains capable people • Your follow-through energizes leaders, projects and team members • You build a history of successful initiatives • People offer you new and often better opportunities • You strengthen the reputation of your organization

15. Impart Ownership • Perhaps the hardest part of delegation • Exert discipline – and be patient • Let the project charter/definition govern • Resist upward delegation • Expect complete work • Prod and ask action questions when necessary • Set milestone dates, important accountabilities consultatively where possible

16. Creating Accountability • Insist on clear measurements of success(measure results, satisfaction, and/or activity) • Build status reporting dates into the delegation to avoid micromanagement • Point to consequences of missed deadlines • “You have X% of the vote and 100% of the results” • Participation promotes accountability • Hold groups accountable

17. Creating Accountability • Assume a team has decided that the best way to learn about how to execute a project is through online videos and websites – on their own time. They are to read and study the materials, and then come to the next project meeting prepared to share knowledge. • At your next meeting, it is apparent no one has read the materials. • As the leader, how do you proceed?

18. Preparing the Organization(How to Develop a Vision) • The umbrella of vision promotes acceptance by eventual delegatees • Build vision consultatively where possible • Use “funnel approaches” to building vision (start with broad-based input, then narrow decision-making to a dedicated team).

19. Operational Planning • Works well in groups < 30, small projects • Often occurs after training

20. Affirmation Enhance Develop Intrinsic Motivation: • Provide positive reinforcement for follow-through after it occurs • Look for follow-through and reward it • Verbal praise, recognition, appreciation • Tangible rewards given AFTER the follow-through behavior occurs • Point out the natural consequences of good follow-through • “that was an achnievement” • Look constantly for good execution!

21. Statements that Impart Trust • I would like you to make that decision • I trust your judgment • You’re an intelligent person – you will figure it out • But that’s only my opinion • What you think is important • You need to figure out how to [insert challenge] • What is the next step with [insert project here]? • I liked the way you [insert something they did]

22. Philosophies that Engender Trust • People are motivated to do a good job • People want challenge and personal growth • People are smart and can figure out problems on their own • Leaders are teachers, resource-getters and guides • As a leader, you need the perspective and talents of others • Leaders should be involved but not overbearing

23. Measuring Your Personal Effectiveness • Spouses indicate their counterpart is thrilled to work with you • Dedicated people hear about you and want to work with you • Delegatees exceed expectations • Projects execute without your intervention • High project success rate • Delegatees move on to positions of greater responsibility as a result of your leadership

24. When does this work? • When leaders do not have egos • When leaders care deeply about the personal growth of the people they are leading • When the task is not mundane or uninteresting • When you are comfortable with a participative leadership style • When leaders have discipline • When leaders value trust

25. SummaryThe Delegation Diamond