Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

Home
>
Business Management
>
Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

They say that management can be a lonely place. A manager has to lead from the front, make challenging demands of their people and if part of an organisation, pass on the dictats of the more senior and remote bosses up at the top.

Yet, a manager has the accountability to deliver ? in fact that's what they get paid for, so ultimately, they must be the one who puts in the most effort to make their workplace deliver, or else.

When a manager tries to delegate, their people don't always do as they wish for and sometimes that can lead to even more work. So often, managers fall back on that tried and trusted worker who they know will do it just right, at least in their eyes, because that trusted worker is themselves. And that's hard.

So, to make sure that the work they pass down to their people is delivered, there are some ways to make it happen:-

Agree Standards

Standards of output and performance are vital in any organisation, business or team, yet these need to be communicated very openly to all of the people with whom managers work.

Yet a step beyond it being a communication exercise is to have their people involved in deciding what standards operate in their team.

Have Clear Expectations

When passing work on, managers need to be clear in how they express and will measure the final result. Without this, those delegated to will not have a clear measure to work towards. These expectations need to be clear on both sides and this checked closely.

Test Understanding

Sometimes though, what seems to be clear is only clear on one side, that of the person passing on the job in hand. So it is very important that what they understand to be expected is also what the job 'doer' understands as well.

Sometimes, just simply, and in a friendly way, asking for the recipient to repeat back what the expected out come measures will be is enough.

Show the Way

When managers manage, except in the minority of cases, they intimidate their people. It may be they are great managers, but the role is the bit that intimidates, so their people may be reluctant to ask for help in a task they are given.

Managers need to be aware of this and ensure that they help their people succeed by showing them the way. It may be literally showing how a taks needs to be done and the expected outcome. It may be sharing some tactics or skills.

Not only is this likely to result in success, but it develops the culture of the team in such a way that sharing and supporting become the way things are done.

Seek Feedback

When individuals take on new and often challenging tasks, they need some nurturing. By building in regular progress meetings, especially at the start of a project or delegated task, the feeling of exposure can be lessened.

Sure people need their hands held a little, but this is not forever. As they succeed more they will learn that they 'can' and this will become less of a requirement.

Measure Progress

When new tasks are taken on, it is important for a manager to show that real and vital progress is being achieved, however small or slow this is. The achievement, step-by-step is energising and those developing new skills and expertise will benefit hugely from the recognition that they are getting somewhere, wherever it is!

Be Available

Getting together with your people when they are in a learning phase is important formally, yet there is also a real benefit in a manager's easy access in an ad hoc way as well.

In fact the cultural value in their recognising when someone in the team, whilst in the learning phase especially, needs urgent support is very valuable. Clearly this needs some control, but, especially when in the early stages, it will be worth the effort.

Accept Failures (and Learn!)

Sometimes things go wrong. Mistakes happen. A manager who is prepared to appreciate this is likely to get the best support from their people. Especially when asking them to take some of the load on for delivery of the high standards they expect.

Be generous when people make mistakes in their learning and enable them to appreciate it as just that ? part of the learning experience ? and gain additional value from it.

Praise a Job Well Done

When managers delegate the work they would usually do themselves, it is a calculated risk. The people they choose to develop in this way, are moving forward with their skills and experience and becoming far more valuable in the workplace ? as well as themselves getting much more from their work.

Yet there is nothing an individual loves more than praise and 'thank you' for a job well done. It gives them a warm feeling of success and recognition and they are then ready for more!

Encourage Onward Delegation

Finally, with the experience that they have been able to successfully take on a bigger role in the task they have delivered well, they can pass on this skill of being 'upgraded' to others they work with - so not only does the boss get a life, then their people start to as well.

This is not just about delegation. It is about developing a capable bunch of people who are enhancing their skills and releasing their own potential. It works in many ways, so that everyone, as well as the boss, is a winner.

Copyright 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, executives and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Job losses stack up as recession deepens (AP)

AP - Trying to survive a deepening recession, employers are cutting their work forces to the bone, leaving more Americans unemployed and with dim prospects of finding a new job any time soon.

Illinois House on verge of impeaching Blagojevich (AP)

AP - Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces almost certain impeachment by the Illinois House, a historic step that would trigger a trial to determine whether the Democratic governor should be tossed out of office.

Rifts show as Obama urges quick action on stimulus (AP)

AP - Lawmakers are under orders to finish action on President-elect Barack Obama's nearly $800 billion economic recovery plan by mid-February. But already it is plain that a set of serious fissures need to be bridged if the bill is to be completed within five weeks.

Israel to continue offensive despite UN resolution (AP)

AP - Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets, as Israel's government said it will press forward with its offensive despite a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Obama to finalize national security team Friday (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama is completing his national security team by announcing his unusual choices for CIA director and a national intelligence director who may face tough Senate confirmation questioning over how he confronted the Indonesian military when civilian massacres were occurring in East Timor.

Stocks point lower ahead of employment report (AP)

AP - Investors showed nervousness Friday ahead of the government's monthly employment report, sending stock futures moderately lower.

Democrats begin new session with labor bills (AP)

AP - Democrats are ushering in what they believe will be a new labor-friendly era in Washington with House votes on two bills aimed at helping women fight pay discrimination in the workplace.

Broadcasts to mobile devices to start in 22 cities (AP)

AP - TV stations in 22 U.S. cities announced Thursday that they will start broadcasting their signals this year in a format designed to be received by mobile devices like cell phones, MP3 players, GPS units and in-car entertainment systems.

Ex-'Sopranos' actor faces prison for burglary try (AP)

AP - A former actor on "The Sopranos" faces up to 15 years in prison for a botched burglary in the Bronx in which an accomplice shot and killed a police officer.

Tebow leads Fla. past Okla. 24-14 for BCS title (AP)

AP - Tim Tebow gave Florida the jolt it needed, and the Gators toughed out a second BCS title in three years. Their 24-14 win over No. 2 Oklahoma in a choppy, sloppy affair Thursday night made them a national champion.

World waits on jobs data as recession weighs (Reuters)

Reuters - Steep falls in European industrial output underlined the severity of the world economic crisis on Friday and more grim news was on the way with the United States expected to report the biggest monthly job cuts in more than 30 years.

U.N. calls for immediate Gaza truce (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel pushed ahead with its two-week-old offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday, defying a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Panel steps up criticism of Treasury: report (Reuters)

Reuters - A report being released on Friday alleges that the U.S. Treasury has failed to reveal its strategy for stabilizing the financial system, not answered questions asked by a government watchdog, and has done nothing to help struggling homeowners, the Wall Street Journal said.

Obama team working on overhaul of financial rescue (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's economic team is working on an overhaul the $700 billion financial rescue program with the aim of doing more to spur the flow of credit to the struggling economy, an Obama aide said on Friday.

EU seeks gas supply return after deal on monitors (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia's state-controlled gas monopoly said a deal to monitor gas exports via Ukraine would be signed on Friday, allowing for the resumption of supplies to Europe cut off by Moscow's price row with Kiev.

Citi backs measure to help avoid foreclosures (Reuters)

Reuters - Financial giant Citigroup Inc will support a proposal in Congress to rewrite U.S. bankruptcy law to help troubled mortgage borrowers avoid foreclosure, Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said on Thursday.

Illinois panel recommends governor's impeachment (Reuters)

Reuters - A legislative committee on Thursday recommended the impeachment of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, citing widespread abuse of power including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Health care overhaul needn't break bank: study (Reuters)

Reuters - An analysis of proposals to overhaul U.S. health care by President-elect Barack Obama and members of Congress suggests it is possible to insure all Americans without significantly raising total health spending.

Israel presses on with Gaza strikes despite UN resolution (AFP)

AFP - Israel battered Gaza with bombs and shells on Friday, vowing its offensive on Hamas would go on despite an order by the UN Security Council to stop the assault that has killed hundreds of civilians.

Russia hopeful of resuming Europe gas supplies (AFP)

AFP - Russian gas deliveries to Europe could resume later Friday, the head of Russia's state gas firm said, raising hopes for an end to a transit dispute with Ukraine that has left several European states without gas at a moment of bitter cold.

Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!

Business Management Business Management