Have you ever had a boss you’d walk over hot coals for? What was it that made you so committed and connected to them? As you read on, hold them in mind and see if you can identify what they did that made you willing to burn your feet.
I’ve been fortunate to work for a few people like this over the years. They each inspired commitment in me – real, genuine commitment to get something done and done brilliantly. This superpower is at the heart of effective delegation.
Whether you’re the one setting the task or the one on the receiving end, it’s useful to know what it is that’s inspiring delivery.
Delegation is the art of getting somebody to do something that was on your to-do list. Early in my career, I was taught five steps for delegation:
That last one can be easier said than done!
Good girl that I am, I followed these steps to the letter, but it didn’t always work. I realise now that success rested on the first step – outlining the task. This is more about how we outline rather than what we outline.
To demonstrate this, meet Mike. Mike wants to give the CFO, Claire, four paragraphs on USD/GBP rates. He is going to delegate the task to Dave – and there are a variety of approaches he could take. Here are those delegation styles in full:
Mike wanders past Dave’s desk, saying: “Oh, Dave, Claire needs four paragraphs on Cable rates by Monday – you’ve got space for that, haven’t you? Good man.”
Mike walks away thinking he’s delegated effectively. Task, timing and recipient are all clear. He’s pleased with himself for using the assumptive close “you’ve got space, haven’t you?” which makes it hard for Dave to turn him down. He’s even thrown in some flattery to help Dave feel good about himself.
Inspirational appeal… needs to be used sparingly or it will lose its impact
Sadly, Mike gets his result. Dave has taken the task on because he doesn’t want to admit to Mike that he’s too busy and because it’s for Claire.
Plus, Mike’s already walked off, so there’s no point trying to object. He feels put upon and as if there was really no point in going above and beyond on this one.
Mike, he reasons, just wants what he asked for and isn’t interested in anything innovative. He’s also pretty sure Mike’s going to take all the credit with Claire, so Dave will do the task, but he’s already switching his brain into neutral and just doing what he’s asked and no more, while also mentally dusting off his CV.
Mike asks Dave to step into his office. “I really need your help. I’m up against it and now Claire’s asked for a briefing on Cable. Could you be a mate and pull something together for me?” Dave feels proud that Mike’s brought him into his confidence and is keen to please him.
So, he cancels his dinner plans and settles down to the task.
While he’s working, he notices Mike head home, whistling. Resentment builds through the evening and he wonders whether Mike was genuinely up against it and decides he won’t trust him if he plays this particular card again.
Mike comes out of his office and asks the team to gather round. He is energised and excited. “We’ve got a great opportunity, team – Claire’s asked us to brief her on Cable ahead of her meeting with the chairman on Monday. This is our chance to show her what we’ve got. Who wants in?” Dave’s hand shoots up instinctively as he rides the tide of inspiration.
According to psychologists Kipnis & Yukl, inspirational appeal garners commitment in 90% of people. But it needs to be used sparingly or it will lose its impact.
Setting a vision and inspiring is the long-term fuel of leadership. It works best when leaders connect their teams to one burning vision rather than trying to set fire to every small task that comes along.
Mike asks Dave to step into his office, explains what is needed and asks: “How could we approach this?” Dave shares his thoughts and together they form their approach to delivering the request. Dave takes ownership for drafting the report and getting it to Mike for review and onward delivery to Claire.
In 55% of cases, this approach inspires commitment. It also role models the structured thinking to work through a problem. The next time Dave is faced with a big ask, he thinks back to this discussion and uses the same approach, working through the various approaches he could take and then choosing his course of action.
Dave feels motivated to deliver on the plan that he’s been involved in constructing. He feels motivated to deliver and connected to Mike as part of the team.
Difficulties may arise with this approach where team members aren’t used to thinking for themselves. If Mike had been using the lob and dash approach for many years and then suddenly switched to asking what people think, his question might be met with scepticism, cynicism and silence.
Mike takes a look at the team schedule and sees that Dave has capacity. He also thinks it will be a good fit as Dave is currently monitoring the Cable market for a big M&A transaction. He explains that thinking to Dave. All very logical.
This approach works in the main, although arguably more from a standpoint of people tending to do what they are asked – as opposed to feeling inspired to do an amazing job.
But the rational approach can also really annoy people. In 47% of cases, the rational approach fosters resistance rather than commitment. Why? Simply put, when explanations are too rational, they become impersonal, leaving people feeling unseen.
In this instance, Dave knows he’s the obvious person for the job, but he’s already very busy on that M&A transaction, so while he’ll do it, he’s not happy about it. Mike gets the report right before the deadline on Monday and while it’s OK, it’s not great and he can’t understand why Dave didn’t ace it.
Think back to the leader who inspired you to fire walk. Which style (or more likely, combination of styles) did they use? All five of these delegation tactics are valid. Each has a cost – some even give a return on investment.
The important thing is to choose which one you’re using rather than just finding out in hindsight how you delegated. If you think about the situation and the personalities involved, you’re more likely to use the right strategy.
Good delegation isn’t an accident. It’s a choice.
Amanda Bradley FCT is an executive coach at Liberty EQ
This article was taken from The Treasurer magazine. For more great insights, log in to view the full issue or sign up for eAffiliate membership