From The Tech Leader’s Compass:
Guides For Your Leadership & Career Journey

Introduction: Unveiling the Power of Delegation

In a quest to uncover the most impactful skill for leaders, spanning years of teaching and hands-on experience with thousands of leaders, one answer emerges unequivocally: Delegation. Far beyond a mere management task, delegation is an art that embodies empowerment, engagement, and the fundamental scalability of any business. It is the cornerstone of impactful leadership, integrating essential elements like listening, questioning, and feedback into one transformative competency. In this guide, we embark on a deep dive into delegation—the empowering act of entrusting tasks to others, optimizing team efficiency, and playing to everyone's strengths to achieve collective success.

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Task Delegation: Guidance From A to Z

Introduction: Unveiling the Power of Delegation

My wife asked,  “If you could teach only one workshop that would have the most impact on leaders’ development, what would it be?”  Having taught for 12 years in multiple MBA programs and worked with thousands of leaders, I have plenty of great content.  but only one topic… what would make the most impact?  I love Listening and Questions …and Feedback… but after thinking about it, what came out was this: “Delegation – without mastering it, no business can scale.”

The Essence of Delegation: Defining and Demystifying

…so what exactly is Delegation?  If you expect me to give you some textbook definitions… In my world, it is …wait for it… “empowering” others to do work that needs to be done   The reason I believe it is the most important skill is that it embodies all of the qualities we think so much about.  To engage, the first thing to think about are the elements.  I often think about it as a Rubik’s Cube.  You have Work that needs to be done, you have People to delegate it to (or from), and you have techniques of Communication to get those connected.  Feedback provides the consistent turning of the Cube until the results are achieved.  As with most Leadership competencies, it involves lots of iterations to master, including the other element I always assume but forget to mention – You

Mathematics of Delegation: Efficiency Through Empowerment

“Delegation is a math problem.  If you can figure out how to have 5 others do the work you could do even 50 % as well as you, you will be 250% more effective.”  That was the way I was welcomed into the ranks of “management.”  Buried in that simple statement are several assumptions that make the math hard… and also, therefore, management   First – can you actually communicate, so others understand what you need to be done – such that the overhead is “only” 50%.  And second, that you have enough members of the team to get some benefit from having a larger “team”.  And in those are a couple of key opportunities to improve Delegation…

Understanding Requirements: The “A to Z” Approach

…start with: are you clear on WHAT you need?  The actual Task, or better said, particularly if you are working with non-engineers:  the “Solution Opportunity”.  It started with what I now call the “A to Z” approach.  I realized I would ask for A … and get Z.  So after being disappointed, I would realize actually that I didn’t want A… I needed G.  Asking for that I would get T, which was closer, but still not it.  It is M you are going for – halfway from what you thought you wanted… and what the other person delivered.  Buried in this are a number of questions to consider:  are you open to being “wrong” – that you don’t actually want A?  And is the person you are working with worth leveraging their insights.  That is – do you want people to simply do what you want… or are you open to “better”?  And don’t answer too fast….

Playing to Strengths: Insights from Personal Experience

… I was playing in our church band –  and as a Bass player, I was trying to keep time.  Great – except my son was playing drums – and that was “his job” Frankly, he was MUCH better at that than I was.  His “request” came at fairly high volume, but was extremely clear.  Was I open to being better?  Yes – and to do that, I had to let go –

The Paradox of Delegation: Achieving More by Doing Less

… which is one of the first tricks of Delegation.  The paradox is that the math is such that you want to end up with Zero – on your plate… and with that work multiplied by those who understand probably better than you what to do, and how to get it done well.  This then makes your plate look 250% what it was… and you can move on to more important things that you should be thinking about.

Further Reading and Resources

If you would like to read more about how Delegation really works, our sister site LeadingWithMusic has 7 posts with one of the best reminders as the soundtrack – Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.

Key Takeaways From This Guide:

This guide explores delegation not as a task, but as an essential leadership skill that encapsulates empowerment, effective communication, and strategic task assignment. Through analogies, personal anecdotes, and actionable insights, we have journeyed through the complexities and rewards of mastering delegation. The ultimate goal is clear: to achieve more by doing less, entrusting tasks wisely while focusing on larger leadership responsibilities. Embrace delegation, leverage team competencies, and scale your impact as a leader.

Culture-Change Challenge:

Embolden your leadership journey by embracing the vital skill of delegation. Reflect on your current delegation strategies—identify areas for improvement and apply the insights from this guide. Discuss these concepts with your team, explore opportunities for growth, and consider engaging a professional coach to further refine your delegation skills. Remember, the path towards effective delegation is iterative and deeply rewarding. What step will you take today to master the art of empowering others and driving scalable success?

Additional Reading:

See our LeadingWithMusic Blog for more articles to assist you as you navigate your leadership journey.

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The Tech Leader's Compass:
More Guides For Your Career & Leadership Journey

Direction Change

Job Search Guide: Why am I doing this?

Topic: Reflective strategies for career advancement.
Growth: Reassess your career goals and strategies, a crucial exercise for anyone looking to grow or shift their trajectory in the tech sector.
Focus: wonder from our empower framework.

~ 3 minute read.

New Job Guide: Setting Out On The Right Foot.

Topic: Building strong foundations in new partnerships or roles.
Growth: Navigate the initial stages of partnerships or leadership roles effectively, avoiding common pitfalls for long-term success.
Focus: partner from our empower framework.

~ 3 minute read.

Go Further!

More Guides for your Professional Journey...

Focus: Continuous learning and personal development.
Growth: Explore a curated selection of leadership and business books, a treasure trove for those committed to lifelong learning in leadership.
Focus: renew from our empower framework.

~ unlimited reading...

Designing Your Life Workshop

Rethink Your Career Journey

Communication

Business Communication: Can you hear me now?

Topic: Enhancing communication skills in managerial roles.
Growth: Improve your communication prowess, crucial for successful leadership and team management in the fast-paced tech industry.
Focus: manage from our empower framework.

~ 4 minute read.

Management Communication: Feed The Bear.

Topic: Implementing 360-degrees of effective management practices.
Growth: Understand the importance of 'No Surprises' in management and learn how to maintain a healthy and predictable management style.
Focus: observe from our empower framework.

~ 3 minute read.

Balance

Time Management: The Ideal Work Week.

Topic: Mastering time management for effective leadership.
Growth: Discover how to optimize your week for maximum productivity, a critical skill for tech professionals managing numerous projects and teams.
Focus: execute from our empower framework.

~ 3 minute read.

Task Delegation: From A to Z.

Topic: Mastering the art of delegation for effective leadership.
Growth: Learn the key to scaling any business through effective delegation, a vital skill for leaders in technology and beyond.
Focus: engage from our empower framework.

3 minute read.

This collection of resources was hand-selected and tailored to offer key advice for growth and refinement of your leadership and managerial style. They are based on our proprietary empower framework.

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