You've produced an unusual discovery - there is not sufficient time still left at the end in the day. The corollary, needless to say, is your checklist of important issues to accomplish never will get smaller. In any firm, the CEO's to-do list has the potential to grow infinitely.
What's a senior government to perform
This isn't merely an individual difficulty. Your company's long term depends on what you do subsequent. When you push your firm beyond its existing plateau, you should alter the way in which you relate for your work. You will find 3 stages to producing the changeover from chief-cook-and-bottle-washer (CC&BW) to CEO (source of the administration and course of the enterprise). They are:
* Understanding your highest value contribution to your firm and focusing on that role.* Recognizing your position as a leader and owning the job.* Delegating everything else, and holding others accountable.
Previous articles, Time Well Spent, deals with changeover 1; Visions of Management addresses transition two. This write-up examines the issue of delegation - giving the work away.
The Concern
You have doubtlessly concluded your subsequent level of business performance requires a managerial alter. And hopefully, you've got realized the changes necessary are with you. As CEO (or, on a divisional or departmental level - senior government) your jobs include holding the vision; inspiring your senior management and your staff; fostering crucial relationships with customers, vendors, investors and the public, etc.
You now require to let go of some cherished items like product design, hiring, perhaps day-to-day sales - many factors you handled while in the previous, often out of necessity - and focus yourself on your role as CEO. What about all these issues you used to do Delegate them. Assign the job to someone else. This doesn't sound like a big deal, why create a whole post on it
Do you delegate Naturally you do. But do you delegate the crucial things The issues you "know" you could do better The issues you are "best" at Probably not. The question is, ought to you
Your highest value contribution
Think about your highest value contribution to your firm. Which of your activities generate the most revenue, profit, market share, etc. Where do you get the most bang for the buck Like most chief executives, your greatest leverage is in mobilizing the forces around you - your senior staff and your employees, plus essential customers, prospects and vendors. Everything else becomes secondary to that in terms of impact.
So the answer is yes. You should give away even the items you are "best" at. And then make sure they are done right. Make sure they are up to spec and delivered on time.
The cost of holding on
Now, the thorny part. Many executives refrain from delegating responsibilities they've labeled "critical". They fear the job won't be done correctly. Or no a single else can do it as quickly, and it won't get done on time. Or the right attention won't be paid. Or something. Or something else.
Give it up! The development of your business will be stifled to the extent that you hold on to vital functions. Your business will suffer in the exact areas where you think you are the expert!
Product design You hold up the advancement of an essential component, because you are the expert, yet you are away at a customer meeting. Staffing Two engineers can't be hired because you haven't signed off and are out of town at a meeting with investment bankers. Sales Negotiations on an critical deal are held up because you are in Asia meeting with a vendor.
You become the choke point on each of these vital functions. And you feel - needless to say - "I have to be involved." No you don't. To the exact degree you have not developed your staff to assume these functions, the development of your company will be retarded.
Aside from fear the job won't be done as well, there's another, more insidious reason senior executives (particularly entrepreneurs) do not delegate. If you aren't doing the "important" stuff, you become redundant. Dead weight. Overhead. If you've got a great VP of Sales, or a Chief Technologist, what will you do
You feel this way because you haven't completed transitions 1 and two: you haven't taken the trouble of understanding how you personally create value in your business, and you haven't fully assumed the role of leader. Once you make these transitions, you won't have time for the rest. Delegation, not abdication.
Many executives delegate like this. They say, "John, would you take on this project It has to be done by subsequent Thursday. Thanks." That's it. Then, when the job comes back incomplete, they are infuriated. What happened They still left out accountability. They neglected the structure for generating sure items happened according to plan.
You can find five components to successful delegation.
1. Give the job to someone who can get it done.
This doesn't mean that person has all the skills for execution, but that they are able to martial the right resources. Sometimes the first step inside the project will be education. Maybe your delegate has to attend a seminar or take a course to get up to speed.
2. Communicate precise conditions of satisfaction.
Timeframe, outcomes, budget constraints, etc.; all ought to be spelled out. Anything less creates conditions for failure. It's like the old story about basketball - without nets the players don't know where to shoot the ball.
3. Work out a plan.
Depending on the project's complexity, the first stage may be creation of a plan. The plan should include resources, approach or methodology, timeline, measures and milestones. Even simple projects require a plan.
4. Set up a structure for accountability.
If the project is to take place over the next six weeks, schedule an interim meeting two weeks from now. Or establish a weekly conference call, or an e-mailed status report. Provide some mechanism where you are able to jointly evaluate progress and make mid-course corrections. This helps keep the project, and the people, on track.
5. Get buy in.
Often timeframes are dictated by external circumstances. Still, your delegate need to sign on for the task at hand. If you say, "This should be done by subsequent Tuesday," they need to agree that it is achievable. Ask instead. "Can you've got this by Tuesday" To you this may seem a bit remedial, but the stage is often overlooked. Whenever attainable, have your delegate set the timeline and create the plan. You need only provide guidance and sign off. As General Patton said, "Never tell people how you can do items. Tell them what to perform and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
If you skip any a single in the above steps, you dramatically reduce the likelihood things will turn out the way in which you want them to. On the other hand, if you rigorously follow the steps, you greatly increase the odds in your favor. Is not this more function than doing it myself, you ask. No - it is not.
The time it takes to
1) establish the goals,2) review the plan, and3) monitor the progress,
is just not equal to the time it takes to execute. That is how you gain leverage. This can be how you multiply your efforts.
(Occasionally it does take longer to communicate something than to complete it yourself. Delegate it anyway. The next time will be easier.)
Above, I've referred to projects. This is not to say delegation is reserved for discrete tasks and problems. You also delegate ongoing functions. The process is the same in each case.
As an exercise, ask yourself, what am I unwilling to delegate Make a list in the reasons why not. Identify the very best person in your company - not you - to take on this project or perform. Then call a meeting. Begin the meeting with step one particular, above.
If there's no 1 to whom you are able to give away essential functions, you need to look carefully at your staff situation. It may be time to hire the right people. If you don't have the revenues to support the staff additions, consider what exactly is restraining your development.
Review your relationship with your assistant or secretary. Have you let them take on there fair share from the workload Are you giving them sufficiently sophisticated function to perform Are they ready to upgrade
Some situations call for you to dive back in. Perhaps you are the only one particular in your business with some certain technical knowledge, or your insight will accelerate the design process, or you might have the long-standing relationship with a vendor or customer. Go ahead, dive. Do your thing - briefly, total the project and resume your leadership position.
Oh, one more thing.
The only point to delegating something is if it frees you for things which create greater value to your firm. Don't give away the hiring function if you are spending your time fiddling with all the corporate web site. Don't hire a Sales VP, if you are spending your time on purchasing. The greatest leverage you have is in leading your organization. Lavish your time on that.
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