b'THE HR HANDBOOKDelegation Might Be Your Most Difficult Challenge YetTRANSITIONS BETWEEN ROLESor positionsdelegate, we often choose not to delegate because often pass through a stage when you are doing somewe believe that others are as overloaded as we are. of your old work and some of the new work. BecauseTherefore, it wouldnt be appropriate to give them the activities and responsibilities are so different, thismore work. They may be overloaded, but if you are near doubling of the workload is particularly recogniz- willing to delegate to them, they will be more willing able for those transitioning from an individual contrib- to delegate some of their work to someone else. If utor role to a manager role.they dont have this option, it is important for you to Therefore, discussions on time and workload man- help them prioritize their work in order to take on the agement are often one of the first topics in my transi- new tasks you are delegating. Worse yet, they may tion coaching experience. Learning to delegate is oftenbe overloaded and bored with their current workload. JONATHAN SHAVERan outcome. Delegation is more than simply telling orLikely, they would love to do something new and more is the president andasking someone to do something you would normallychallenging. Your ability to delegate is a growth oppor-owner of Envisiondo. If that was all, then we really wouldnt struggle withtunity for someone else.Partners LLC.delegation. Lets take a look at several aspects of whatIt takes too much time. For some, delegation feels underlies the difficulty of delegation.like more work. How many times have you said, It Giving up control. A barrier to delegation occurswould be easier to do it myself? It only feels like more when we perceive delegation as giving up on responsi- work because the work that comes with delegating bility, accountability, and control. Delegating an activityis new work. Its new work to judge what is appropri-to someone else means that it was an activity for whichate to delegate; to teach someone to do the activity; you had the original full responsibility to complete butto clearly communicate your expectations like time-now someone will be holding you accountable if itlines and quality; and following up to make sure the doesnt get done. Giving up control means there is awork was done. In truth, the new work resulting from potential that it will not get done. However, given yourdelegation will collectively still take less time than current workload, its more likely to get done if you del- actually doing the work yourself. The return on invest-egate it. However, it will likely be done differently thanment increases with each time that you do not have to you would do it.do the activity yourself. You only need to judge once, Losing your identity. When we are very good atmaybe teach twice, and eventually, you wont need to something or have been doing it for a long time, itfollow up once they own the work.becomes part of our identity. Delegating an activityLoss of advantage. The lack of ability to delegate that is part of our personal identity feels like giving upcan be a career limitation. When we dont teach others part of ourselves. This can feel threatening, and is per- how to do our job, we become indispensable. Thats haps the largest internal barrier for not delegating.great, until your skills or role are no longer needed. Perception by others. Even further from being cor- Being irreplaceable also means you are likely to be rect, is the external barrier of believing others will viewpassed over for new opportunities, because no one delegation negativelythat you have given up yourelse can do that job. More subtly, if you are overloaded responsibility, accountability, control or identity withdoing the equivalent of your old job and your new job, a particular activity. Or believing, They will think I amyou just arent doing any of them well. lazy. In my experience, your supervisor or peers will notDelegation serves the purpose of lightening your care who does the work as long as it gets done. Do youworkload so that you can do the things that only you really believe that we are supposed to continue doingcan do and should do. When we dont delegate, we what we have always done and do new work too? are holding ourselves and others back from filling our Everyone is busy. When it comes to fellow teampotential. If we fail to delegate we are simply not doing members or direct reports to whom you wouldour job. SW8/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2022'