How to Handle Too Much to Do In Too Little Time

Personality Types

HOW TO DELEGATE 

by Patti Bongers

www.executive-solution.com

Whether or not you’re in a position to delegate, delegation is a tool to help you increase your work output and performance in the least amount of time – provided you know how to use it and you understand what delegation really means.

One of the best things about delegating is it frees your time to do the things you do best.  It enables you to give things to others you don’t want to do.  It’s also giving up things you enjoy doing, but giving it to others who can do it better than you.  This give you an opportunity to grow and develop the skills you need to accomplish your goals faster.

Examine four steps in delegation:

1.  Organize yourself first. You need to see the whole picture in order to make delegation decisions.  Think through the process.  Learn and use your systems.

2.  Train your delegate(s).  The amount of time and direction will vary according to the abilities needed for the assignment, as well as, the person.  Helping people to be the best they can be is the highest and most productive level of delegation. 

3.  Entrust your delegate with the assignment.  Resist the temptation of peeking over their shoulder.  Remember, to “entrust one another.”

4.  Follow up and evaluate.  Praise a job well done.  You have to master step one in order to do this step.  This brings you back to organization.

If you find it hard to get people to follow through then tell them the facts up front.  “This is what I need and when I need it.” 

If the information you want is being sent to you, you may need to write this information down in your planner to remind you to follow up if you don’t get it by the date agreed upon, or have your staff follow up on it.  Some people even rate themselves in the tasks they must perform. 

Example:  Using a point system from 1 to 10 you may rate something you need to do or get done.  The rating is of time increments.  One being 10 minutes and each additional 10 minutes is up the number scale.  One and a half hours is a 9 and 10 maximum time spent on the project.  This helps prioritize your day or parts of your day.  It serves as your internal time clock.  It makes you extremely effective in tracking your time.