Look, delegating is challenging, but it doesn’t have to be.
There’s one big mistake that most of us make when delegating that makes it seem like it’ll never work for us.
At first, I was able to climb the corporate ladder because I could do so much, but once I became a manager, everything changed. It was no longer about how much I did; it was about how I managed other people and what THEY did. I had to learn how to delegate, and when I did, my career took off.
Delegation helps careers grow.
It can also help us grow outside of work.
The one big mistake that most women make when they delegate is that they fail to be clear about their definition of a successful outcome.
You know what success looks like at the end of the task, but you fail to verbalize it. And when you don’t, the person who does the work can show up with something that just isn’t what you asked for. And it feels like a failure.
So how can you fix this?
There are two types of delegation. One is delegating to an expert – you don’t have to teach them. They already know how to do things. It’s like when you drop your laundry off. They’re professionals and they are most likely better at folding and everything comes out a little bit crisper and tidier.
Let’s say, though, that as you hand over the laundry, you’re not clear about the outcome that you want. If you don’t share when you want your clothes back, or if you want them folded or hung, they’re going to give it back to you however and whenever they think is best. And that may not be how YOU want things to be.
Even when working with experts, you have to be clear on the outcome.
Meanwhile, at work, you could delegate preparing a presentation. And then get it back full of animations. Animations may not feel professional for you, but they think it looks great.
You never told them that you don’t want animation, or that you want no more than four bullets on a slide. This is another example where being clear on the outcome helps prevent disappointment.
The other way to delegate is assigning the task to a novice, someone who has to learn how to do it. Even if you teach them the steps, if you fail to communicate the result you have in mind, they wouldn’t deliver it.
Whether you are delegating to an expert or a novice, you need to be clear on the result so that they know what they’re working towards. So whatever it is, if it’s laundry, a PowerPoint presentation, or a report, when you get it back, it is what you expected.
It seems basic, but it’s honestly the biggest mistake that I see people make when they delegate. It’s a mistake I used to make. I had to learn how to say, “Hey, here’s what I expect at the end,” very specifically so that I can get that exact result.
This one step is the key to making delegation easy and foolproof.
When you start to delegate, you get better at getting the support that you need – from your friends, from family, from your husband, or from other services. You start to look around and say, “How can I clear my plate?”
You do it a lot faster so you can focus on the areas that matter more. You can find time to rest and to work on your passion projects and personal development. Delegation is the key to all of that.
There’s one big mistake that most of us make when delegating that makes it seem like it’ll never work for us.
At first, I was able to climb the corporate ladder because I could do so much, but once I became a manager, everything changed. It was no longer about how much I did; it was about how I managed other people and what THEY did. I had to learn how to delegate, and when I did, my career took off.
Delegation helps careers grow. It can also help us grow outside of work.
The one big mistake that most women make when they delegate is that they fail to be clear about their definition of a successful outcome.
You know what success looks like at the end of the task, but you fail to verbalize it. And when you don’t, the person who does the work can show up with something that just isn’t what you asked for. And it feels like a failure.
So how can you fix this?
There are two types of delegation. One is delegating to an expert – you don’t have to teach them. They already know how to do things. It’s like when you drop your laundry off. They’re professionals and they are most likely better at folding and everything comes out a little bit crisper and tidier.
Let’s say, though, that as you hand over the laundry, you’re not clear about the outcome that you want. If you don’t share when you want your clothes back, or if you want them folded or hung, they’re going to give it back to you however and whenever they think is best. And that may not be how YOU want things to be.
Even when working with experts, you have to be clear on the outcome.
Meanwhile, at work, you could delegate preparing a presentation. And then get it back full of animations. Animations may not feel professional for you, but they think it looks great.
You never told them that you don’t want animation, or that you want no more than four bullets on a slide. This is another example where being clear on the outcome helps prevent disappointment.
The other way to delegate is assigning the task to a novice, someone who has to learn how to do it. Even if you teach them the steps, if you fail to communicate the result you have in mind, they wouldn’t deliver it.
Whether you are delegating to an expert or a novice, you need to be clear on the result so that they know what they’re working towards. So whatever it is, if it’s laundry, a PowerPoint presentation, or a report, when you get it back, it is what you expected.
It seems basic, but it’s honestly the biggest mistake that I see people make when they delegate. It’s a mistake I used to make. I had to learn how to say, “Hey, here’s what I expect at the end,” very specifically so that I can get that exact result.
This one step is the key to making delegation easy and foolproof.
When you start to delegate, you get better at getting the support that you need – from your friends, from family, from your husband, or from other services. You start to look around and say, “How can I clear my plate?”
You do it a lot faster so you can focus on the areas that matter more. You can find time to rest and to work on your passion projects and personal development. Delegation is the key to all of that.
Take Action
Think about any task that you have delegated or something that you’re planning to assign. Can you say what the expected outcome looks like? If not, go back to the drawing board, work on that before you delegate it.
Check back in with the people you’ve delegated to and say in detail, “Here’s what I’m expecting from you when you complete the task.”
If you’re still struggling with delegation, How To Delegate: A Masterclass for Working Moms can empower you to ask for support and do MORE.
The step-by-step process will help you to delegate not only at work but also at home. Take back your time and allow yourself to grow here.
Let’s makeover your routine at How To Get Unstuck.
