Book Review – If You Want It Done Right
Many business owners understand that taking off a “hat” and passing those responsibilities to an employee is a must if the company is going to grow. In many cases, this delegation of duties is also a must if the owner is going to reduce his working hours and get a life!
We all understand that it’s necessary. Then why do so many of us do it so poorly?
A new book by Donna M. Genett, Phd., If You Want It Done Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself, Quill Driver Books, might be just the thing that we need to help us perfect the art of delegating.
Using an easy-to-read parable style, Genett compares the experiences of two cousins who are moving up the corporate ladder to demonstrate her six principles of delegating. These are:
1. Prepare beforehand. The author makes it clear that it’s the delegator’s job to make the process work – not the employee’s. The employee can only work with the information he or she is given. And if they don’t totally understand what you’re asking them to do, they are often hesitant about asking for more information for fear of looking dense.
So before even discussing the project or task with an employee, the manager should prepare beforehand. This includes understanding and outlining the goals of the project, what exactly is expected, and what the end result should look like. The manager must also be very clear on what areas of the project must follow certain parameters and where room for creativity exists. The last thing you want is for an employee to spend hours on a project and then delivers something that has no resemblance to what you expected.
2. Clearly define the task to be completed. Be specific. To be sure the employee understands ask him or her to repeat the information back to you. Inevitably, you’ll find that there are holes that need to be filled. Or you might find that you have to modify your teaching style for a particular person. Yes, it takes time to go through this step but it’s insurance that the project will be done right.
3. Be very clear about the time frame. Don’t assume that the employee knows when you want it. If there is a deadline, let them know. If you are eager to hear more, let them know so that they can react accordingly.
4. Define the level of authority he or she is to use with this task. This is a sticking point with many managers because they may believe that delegating a task means a total hand off. But that doesn’t have to be the case. According to the author, there are three main levels of authority that can be used depending on the project and the person.
a. Recommend. At this level, the employee does all of the research, narrows the options and gives his or her recommendation on the best direction to take. This level is used when the owner wants input before making a decision. But it’s up to the owner to make the final decision.
b. Inform and Initiate. At this level, the manager asks the employee to research and select the best course of action, tell why it’s the best and then, initiate the selection. Genett recommends this level of authority be used if the manager wants to double check the decision before action is taking, helping avoid potential problems.
c. Act! Managers will use this level when they are totally confident of someone’s capabilities and the risks of the project are minimal.
5. Identify checkpoints at which the manager and employee will meet and review the progress on the project. Many managers don’t want to be seen micromanaging so they avoid forcing a check up meeting. But the author assures us that these check ups are good for both the employee and the owner because it gives both an opportunity to clarify the project and ask questions before something goes off track. The recommendation is to schedule the meetings frequently at first and then taper off as the manager sees the task being mastered.
6. Debrief. Hold a debriefing exercise after every project to see what went right, what went wrong, how the process can be improved and what was learned
One very interesting point Genett makes is that this same system can be used by employees who are being delegated to! If their manager delegates poorly by giving incomplete information in a rushed and unorganized fashion, the employee can stop the process and ask for the critical details they need in order to be successful on the job – details such as timeline, areas in which they can be creative, level of authority they can take and more. The more the employees step into the process to help their managers, the more the company as a whole will benefit.
Delegating or passing on responsibilities can be much easier than you may think. And this simple book shows you how.
Remodelers Advantage Inc., 535 Main Street, Suite 211, Laurel, MD 20707
www.RemodelersAdvantage.com