You seem to work longer hours than everyone else…
You feel totally indispensable…
You feel like you’re the only one who is energized…
You feel like no one else can do as good a job as you could on a project…
You know where this is going…if these statements describe you, you might not be delegating like you should.
Take a look at HBR’s article “Why Aren’t You Delegating?”
If you’re a military staff officer, you already feel overtasked. That’s the nature of our business; the military has far-reaching influence and responsibility that translates into ceaseless action. If you’re a commander, you can protect your unit from unnecessary tasks…to an extent. But there’s never a shortage of due-outs.
Two reasons why military leaders don’t delegate very well:
- We Don’t Say “NO”
The military has a unique socio-professional quality that makes it difficult for leaders to say NO to anything that ultimately helps Soldiers. Good ideas flourish in the military, especially because most everyone cares about making a difference. But not all good ideas are worthy of your or the unit’s time. Leaders can help themselves by being draconian about priorities and by actively directing subordinate energy to line up with them. Practice this response: “That’s a great idea. Thanks for the showing the initiative to suggest it, but it doesn’t support the commander’s priorities right now and we’re not doing it.” (Adjust your phrasing if you’re telling your commander his idea isn’t in line with his priorities.) - We Don’t TEACH
It is common practice on staffs to assign staff tasks without verifying or teaching the skills to complete them. The leader usually informs the subordinate, “I don’t have time to walk you through how to do it” or “You should be able to figure it out.” Then, when the project comes in for revision, the leader becomes frustrated with its lack of quality and takes over. The process is unfair for the junior and horribly inefficient for the team. Smart leaders will spend time to push knowledge down the chain, which elevates the quality of all the projects, saves time, and grows junior members for their own careers.
Here are some skill areas you probably need to review with your staff:
- Professional writing and grammar
- Formatting guidelines for your organization (i.e. Operations Order format, presentation slide format)
- Email organization and etiquette
- Tips and shortcuts on the Microsoft Office suite
- Basic keyboard shortcuts (Copy, Paste, Undo, etc.)
- SharePoint procedures and shortcuts
- File sharing and collaboration techniques