delegation dynamics · 2018. 4. 3. · delegating projects and tasks to strong support staff...

Delegation Dynamics

By:

Cynthia Sharp The Sharper Lawyer

Voorhees, New Jersey

Presented at: ACLEA 48th Annual Meeting

July 28 - 31, 2012 Denver, Colorado

Cyn sq. The Sharper Lawyer

thia Sharp, E

Voorhees, NJ Cynthia Sharp, Esquire (J.D., LL.M. (taxation)) dedicated close to thirty years building a successful law practice and serving thousands of clients. At the pinnacle of her career, she transitioned out of the practice and established The Sharper Lawyer, a fully accredited CLE provider and attorney business coaching entity. As a professional CLE instructor, Cindy has established a national presence as an author and speaker on topics of ethics in the context of practice management and marketing ‐ lecturing extensively to law firms, bar associations and other legal organizations. Professional memberships include: Association of Continuing Legal Education, National Speakers Association and the American Bar Association where she serves on the Communications Committee of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Division. She can be reached at [email protected] or at 609‐923‐1017.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Preliminary Thoughts….............................................................................................3

II. The Reality Focus (Delegator)…………….…………………………......................…...4

III. The Reality Focus (Delegatee)...........................................................................…....5

IV. “Delegation Dynamics”*.......……......................................…...............................6-17

V. The Responsibility Shift.....................................................................................18-20

VI. Handling Outcomes......................................................................................…......21

VII. The Mistake Process....................................................…………………...….....22-24

VIII. Moving Forward.....................................................................................…........25-26

IX. Recommended Resources.........................................................................….........27

* An earlier version of “Delegation Dynamics” was published in the Fall 2011 edition of In the Loop and is reprinted with permission.

D E L E G A T I O N D Y N A M I C S

Preliminary Thoughts

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Welcome to the workshop “Delegation Dynamics” offered at the 48th Annual Meeting of ACLEA. Before we begin, please take a moment to think about the main reason that you came to this session and at least one issue that you hope to see addressed today. Write down your answers in the space provided below. 1. I decided to attend “Delegation Dynamics” because:

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

2. I would be really happy if we covered the following: __________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE

1. I decided to attend “Delegation Dynamics” because:

I was recently promoted to the position of Program Director and have supervisory responsibility

for the first time in my life (except for a short stint as evening manager at Wendy’s the summer

after high school). I want to do a great job and know that I could use some tips on how to

delegate effectively.

2. I would be really happy if we covered the following:

How to deal with a staff member who tends to go off in the wrong direction on assignments I

give to him.

* If you didn’t get a chance to complete The Reality Focus (self assessment tools designed for both delegators and delegatees), turn to pages 4 & 5 and mark “True or False” as appropriate.


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Prepare the delegation. I understand the scope of the project or task before making an assignment. Make sure that the delegatee has the requisite ability and skill level. Provide context for the task. Why is it important and relevant? Clearly explain the expected end result. Outline the scope of the responsibility. If I have a particular methodology that I want followed, I convey this information. I communicate that while I want the staff member to exercise self sufficiency, I am available as needed to offer guidance and support. I confirm that the staff member is aware of all available resources. If appropriate, I support the delegatee by making it clear to other staff members what has been delegated and the authority the person has to directly elicit help with respect to the project. I ask for agreement to specific times for progress checks. I am available to give meaningful feedback at these checkpoints. I communicate specific time deadlines. Because I hold my staff accountable to standards of quality and punctuality, I live up to those same high standards. I provide motivational as well as developmental feedback. I make sure that my staff understands that effective delegation results in completion of the assigned task and presents an opportunity for professional growth. Constructive criticism of staff is done privately. I gladly give credit where credit is due - privately and publicly.

*Self Assessment Tool for Delegators

The Reality Focus (Self Assessment Tool for Delegators)

When I delegate, I always:

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

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I have reviewed all manuals provided to me (including organizational charts) by my employer so that I am clear as to company policies. I am on time and prepared for all staff meetings and contribute where appropriate. When given an assignment, I always make sure that I understand the following before I get started:

• What the outcome should look like.

• The expected method (if any) which should be used to get the job done.

• The extent of my discretion and authority.

• What support and resources are available.

• The precise final due date and time. The checkpoints that must be established to ensure timely completion.

During the course of a project, I seek immediate clarification and/or involvement from my supervisor as needed. I look for areas in which I could stand to improve with respect to my job performance and ask my supervisor if the company provides training resources or other support. When my supervisor criticizes my work, I listen to everything that he or she has to say before reacting. If the supervisor is “spot on” and I know it, I admit the error and formulate an action plan to correct an error and/or to improve my future work product. If I don’t understand the criticism, I immediately ask for clarification. *Self Assessment Tool for Delegatees

The Reality Focus (Self Assessment Tool for Delegatees)


T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

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“Delegation Dynamics” Author: Cynthia Sharp, Esquire “Many hands make light work.” - John Heywood Most agree with the general concept that more work can be accomplished by a team than by an

individual working alone. Most organizations have one or more employees in place whose purpose is

to assist in carrying its mission under the direction of leaders and managers.

An effective manager focuses on the highest and best utilization of the organization’s most

valuable resource - the talent pool. He or she is capable of leveraging his or her own talents by

delegating projects and tasks to strong support staff members. By relying on employees, he or she* has

more time to devote to other high-leverage activities such as strategic planning, project design,

implementation of key initiatives, and ensuring that operations are running smoothly.

Certainly that is the ideal. However, the reality is that most could benefit from a reminder of the

elements involved in effective delegation. If you have projects on your agenda that you can’t seem to

find the time to implement, learning how to involve your staff from the beginning may help you pave

the way for increased productivity overall.

This article outlines the fundamentals of the delegation process, explores the syndrome of

“Delegation Reluctance”, identifies typical unproductive behaviors in this context and ultimately

challenges the reader to implement the suggestions that follow.


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Setting the Stage

Managers and employees alike can most easily thrive in an office culture based on open

communication and interchange. The most effective delegations take place in this type of atmosphere.

Readers who are employed by organizations which have established human resources policies are

fortunate because most of the suggestions set forth in this section are probably in place. However,

many smaller offices do not have an HR professional on staff and consequently have undeveloped or

long forgotten formal policies and procedures. The following simple foundational tools can provide

structure and support for an atmosphere conducive to productive delegation.

Organizational Chart - A well defined hierarchy removes uncertainty in the workplace regarding

authority and accountability. An organizational chart allows you to delineate teams with clear

responsibilities, titles and lines of authority. Even the smallest of “shops” will benefit from this tool. It

is particularly useful in clarifying chain of command when a change in staff occurs.

Staff Meetings - Regularly held staff meetings engage the team in advancing the organization’s

objectives. Following a template agenda will assist the manager in conducting a structured and tightly

run meeting which will provide a forum for:

• Regular and open discussion of office procedures and issues.

• Reviewing the status of projects to determine if timelines are being met.

• Identifying problems and creating solutions.

• Keeping a finger on the pulse of staff morale.

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• Celebrating team successes. Who doesn’t love recognition?

The meeting ends with a review of the action steps that must be taken before the next meeting in order

to keep initiatives on track. A team member with note-taking responsibility distributes the minutes as a

reminder of individual responsibilities.

Standard Operating Procedure Manual - The investment made in developing a detailed Standard

Operating Procedure (SOP) manual will save countless hours in the long run. Having a set of written

instructions on hand that documents routine or repetitive activities provides staff with a valuable

resource and can greatly reduce training time.

Culture of Trust - Encourage staff to report mistakes or ask questions without fear of unreasonable

retribution. You can then remedy the error at the earliest possible time and hopefully turn it into a

lesson learned. Obviously, disciplinary action may unfortunately be necessary if persistent or

egregious errors are made by an employee.

The Fundamental Process

Delegation is simply the act of assigning responsibility for a task or project for which the delegator

generally has ultimate accountability.

The most basic delegation involves assigning a task with the expectation that instructions will be

followed precisely. If no authority is given and no latitude is allowed, professional growth is neither

expected nor sought. A manager can accomplish a successful delegation by being exceedingly clear as

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to the parameters of the task. Providing feedback is the second and most likely final step in this simple

process.

Example of basic delegation: “Please leave for the bank at 2:00 pm and make this deposit. When

you return to the office, give the deposit slip to the bookkeeper.”

Examples of feedback (depending on performance): “Thank you.” or “Why didn’t you return to the

office after you went to the bank?”

The more challenging delegations hold an employee responsible for a specific outcome. The staff

member’s knowledge and experience determine the extent of authority granted and breadth of freedom

permitted with respect to choice of strategies and methods. An objective of this type of delegation is

professional development of the employee.

The following process is designed to provide guidance and contribute to a successful delegation:

Clearly define the responsibility to be assigned and select the appropriate individual for the job.

Explain the importance and relevance of the assignment. Respect your staff member’s role as part of a

cohesive team. Don’t be surprised if he or she offers useful suggestions that improve the efficiency or

ultimate outcome.

Outline with specificity the required results and clearly delineate how you will determine when the

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assignment has been successfully completed.

Be Explicit regarding the level of authority you are granting. What decisions, judgments and

commitments can she make on her own?

Discuss the staff member’s capabilities. Introduce her to any training material, manuals or prototypes

that provides appropriate background and step by step instructions - particularly if the responsibility

being assigned represents new territory. Other team members may be appropriate resources as well.

Agree to specific deadlines. When is the final project due? Set timeframes for review of various

phases of an ongoing project. Confirm with the employee that the timeframes are realistic. Ask if he or

she has other deadlines that would interfere with this project.

Confirm that your subordinate has a clear understanding of the previous points. Having her repeat the

nature and scope of the assignment will help minimize misunderstandings and also reinforce

commitment. The level of accountability must be made explicit.

Written confirmation of the desired outcome and timeframes is desirable in most situations but

obviously not necessary if the assignment will be completed immediately.

Support and Communicate - Be available for review and even encouragement. Employees may feel

embarrassed or afraid to reveal their lack of knowledge about a subject or task. Reassure them that you

are happy to answer any questions they might have.

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Give Feedback - It is essential to let the person know how he or she fared with the assignment and

whether your carefully outlined expectations were met. If not, you must review any shortfalls and

explain how the outcome could have been improved. Immediate feedback is essential if you are in

favor of promoting professional growth.

Mistakes - Sometimes a mishap occurs in the context of a delegation. Simply determine what went

wrong and apply the lesson to create a better experience next time.

Discourage Upward Delegation - Be sensitive to an employee’s attempt to shift responsibility back

to you or “upwardly delegate”. Offer guidance where needed but keep in mind the fine line between

extending support and motivating a person to grow and learn.

Watch Out for Re-delegation - Be ever watchful of an employee who re-delegates tasks or pawns an

assignment off onto a co-worker because she doesn’t want to do it. Believe me, it happens, is not fair

and is inefficient. Make sure your staff understands that your input is required before recruiting peers

for assistance.

Delegation Reluctance

According to an English proverb, “Old habits die hard.”

Some managers have long subscribed to the “go-it-alone pioneer” mentality and spend (or waste)

countless hours performing tasks appropriate for a capable staff member. They suffer from Delegation

Reluctance Syndrome (DR) and cite the following reasons for their working style:

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Nobody can do it as well as I can - That the manager retains ultimate accountability for the project

can be the basis for DR. The person may fear that a mistake will be made and can be heard to say: “If

you want something done right, do it yourself.” Indeed, the transfer of a task does involve a degree of

risk. However, a role of the manager is to teach, motivate and provide feedback to employees in the

context of an effective and responsible delegation.

If the lack of confidence is well founded because of prior unfavorable experience with the staff

member and additional past training has not proved beneficial, it may be time to review whether it is

productive to retain the employee.

Not enough time to delegate - The thinking is: “It will take more time to teach the staff member how

to do the task than to do it myself.” If the manager already possesses the requisite skill and knowledge

to complete a one-time task, an investment in training does not make sense. However, teaching or

documenting a repetitive task is a wise investment of time and effort.

Fear that employee will resent delegation - The manager does not want to impose and may fear that

subordinates will resent being asked to take on certain types of tasks. To the contrary, an effective

manager has little hesitation in passing downstream tasks that she would otherwise handle personally.

Well informed employees understand the organization’s hierarchy and willingly accept assignments

from their supervisors. An employee with an attitude problem who does not cooperate presents another

set of concerns beyond the scope of this article.

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Unclear as to whether they have authority to delegate - Reviewing the organizational chart and

chatting with a manager’s own supervisor can clear up this mystery.

Problematic Delegation Styles

A manager who exhibits any of the following descriptive behaviors may want to take an inward

look and consider whether a change in style could benefit the organization, coworkers and self. While

these firmly entrenched habits are not easy to change, awareness is the first step.

Procrastination. Procrastinators put off many tasks including delegation. The procrastinating

manager’s subordinates are frequently saddled with last minute “emergencies” because he hoards

projects that could have been assigned long ago which often makes him guilty of a D&R, described

below.

Micromanagement. The Micromanager is often found looking over his secretary’s shoulder -

presumably to make sure she is not misspelling any words while typing. He frequently listens to his

secretary’s phone conversations perhaps to make sure she is conveying the correct message to the

customer/client/vendor.

While reasonable oversight is a critical component of the delegation process, micromanagement is

detrimental on many levels. Organizations that employ Micromanagers are essentially paying for 2

people to be involved in a task that can be accomplished (at least in large part) by one person alone.

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Moreover, the confidence and morale of the person being over watched is undermined because the

manager seemingly

does not trust her judgment or ability to work independently. Equally troublesome, staff members are

often deprived of experience necessary for professional development.

Dump and Run. Victims of Dump and Run (D&R) Drive-By Delegations report the following

scenarios:

1. They were not given a clue as to how the assignment fits into the big picture;

2. They received vague and unclear instructions and perhaps a set of cryptic notes;

3. They did not understand what was expected;

4. They lacked the current skill set to complete the project;

5. They had no idea where to turn for guidance; and/or

6. The manager was unavailable as a resource for clarification, direction or support.

Valuable time is wasted while the staff member spins his wheels in frustration trying to figure out

a task for which he lacks fundamental training. If there is a pressing deadline (and there usually is),

the manager must either re-delegate the project as a rush job or do it himself. Of course, the ideal

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outcome would be for the manager to identify this as a learning

opportunity, make use of available delegation strategies to train the staff member and assign the staff

to draft an SOP.

Sometimes, a D&R takes place because the manager herself does not have the capabilities to

complete the project and moreover is unaware of the resources needed to produce a quality job.

Instead of requesting help from her supervisors or working as part of a collaborative team with a staff

member, she commits a D&R.

If D&R is part of your current style, many valuable resources and tools are available to assist you

in forming new and productive habits.

Get Started Today!

Skilled delegators stand to enjoy the benefits of a productive office. They are freed up for work

activities that require the use of their highest and best capabilities. Furthermore, staff members

develop and are able to contribute more to the welfare of the organization.

If you wish to work on your delegation skills, an opportunity presents itself TODAY. Most of us

have not yet implemented many of the countless ideas shared by our colleagues at the last ACLEA

conference we attended whether it be Boston or New Orleans. Although we were all well intentioned,

other pressing priorities got in the way after we returned home and the notes, materials and tools

remain untouched.

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What ideas did you pick up at this conference that would make sense in your own organization?

Turn it into a project and approach it with a delegation state of mind, keeping in mind the tools

provided in this article. With the right plan in place, your team can accomplish the required tasks and

your organization will reap the rewards of progress.

Cynthia Sharp, Esquire, Director of CLE at The Sharper Lawyer, is a professional CLE instructor

and attorney business coach. She can be reached at 609-923-1017 or at [email protected]

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T H E R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y S H I F T

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Handling Outcomes

“Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.”

Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892, Act III

The ideal delegation involves a review of the outcome once the task is accomplished or the project

completed even when the outcome meets or exceeds expectations (which should be most of the time).

The following questions are a guide to the review process:

1. What occurred?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why?

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. What is working with our current process?

What is not

working?_________________________________________________________________________

________

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. What did we learn?

We are looking for patterns of behavior. Not an isolated incident.

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The Mistake Process

“Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life

lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can

learn from.”

- Al Franken, "Oh, the Things I Know", 2002

Sometimes things just don’t go the way the team had hoped and the outcome of the project is

less than perfect. In fact, it is totally screwed up. Do you have a process for dealing with error?

Tips for the Delegator

• How would the ideal delegator deal with the mistake(s) once brought to his or her attention?

• Take a step back. Maybe you need to put yourself behind closed doors to calm down and

rebalance. Take a deep breath.

• When discussing the issue, maintain a level tone. Do not make this personal. You are a team.

• Have the discussion in private.

• Explain that part of your job is to ensure that the best possible results are generated by your

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company or department and that your motive is not to “blaze” the team member.

• From the start of the conversation, convey that you are there to help with corrective measures

(if the problem can be fixed).

• Work with the employee to pinpoint exactly what went wrong.

• Ask the delegatee to articulate lessons learned from the problem. “There are no mistakes, only

learnings”.

• Express appreciation to the delegatee for his/her willingness to work on the issue.

Tips for the Delegatee

If you are the staff member being held responsible for an error in a project delegated to you, what do

you do when confronted by your supervisor?

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• Do not interrupt your supervisor. Do not formulate defenses in your mind. Listen carefully

with intent.

• If you made a mistake, admit it right away.

• If you need help in correcting the error, ask for support.

• Tell your supervisor what you will do in the future to prevent this occurrence. If you don’t

know, explain that you will develop a process to review with him/her.

• If you do not believe you made a mistake, tell your supervisor that the mistake is not yours.

(First, you may want to ask the question: “May I speak freely and openly with you?”) Explain

and document the facts. Express your concern and offer your point of view. Ask if there is

anything that you can do to help solve the problem.

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Moving Forward

THE NEXT STEP

Today’s session was simply an introduction to the Dynamics of the Delegation process. Please take a

moment to reflect on what you are taking away from this workshop and whether you believe that you

would benefit by applying the principles that you learned.

1. Did you learn anything new today?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

2. Did you gain an insight into yourself or someone else?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

3. Do you plan to change any of your behaviors as a result of today’s session?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

SAMPLE

1. Did you learn anything new today?

I learned the importance of providing prompt feedback (both positive reinforcement and

constructive criticism) upon completion of a task by a staff member. Delegation can be used as

a motivating as well as a coaching or mentoring opportunity.

2. Did you gain an insight into yourself or someone else?

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I tend to hang onto tasks that could be delegated to my staff members.

3. Do you plan to change any of your behaviors as a result of today’s session?

I will seek immediate clarification from my supervisor if I do not understand the scope of an

assignment.

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Tulgan, Bruce., It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss, Jossey-Bass. A Wiley Imprint. 2010. McCormack, Mark H., What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School. Bantam. 1984. Genett, Donna M. If You Want It Done Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself!. Quill Driver Books. 2004. Gerber, Michael., The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don't Work and What to Do About It. Robert Armstrong J.D. and Sanford Fisch J.D. June 1, 2010.

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