Today, Mark and I discuss the topic of Delegation. There probably isn’t a management book out there that doesn’t talk about the importance of delegation. However, very seldom does the author get into the type of detail we’ll discuss today. Today, we cover the “how to” … how to determine what and to whom to delegate and specifically what specific steps to take when delegating to an individual.

After you’ve listened to the podcast, be sure to review our steps to effective delegation by downloading and reading the Effective Delegation Worksheet.

In addition, both Mark and I would really appreciate it if you would go to the website and register. Not too far in the future, we’ll be introducing some content specifically for registered users … kind of a way to reward those most interested in learning about how to be a more effective leader. I don’t think you’ll want to miss it, so take 30 seconds and register now.

We got a great email recently from a listener asking about how to develop one of the managers in their company. The mail went something like this: “hey guys, love manager tools, really like the usability of the recommendations. But need some help. One of our guys has some management responsibilities, and we’d like to help him get better. Wonder if you can recommend some sort of comprehensive coaching program, with some resources or books that we can get him involved in.”

Well, if you’ve ever thought that about one of your managers, or maybe even yourself, this cast is for you. What we’re going to do is present you an abbreviated version of the manager-tools development philosophy, and then give you some coaching examples that would fit within it. Now, we say the word “philosophy with great trepidation. It’s one of those big words that books on management fill themselves up with, but that don’t really help folks like you and us get any better at what we do. So maybe we ought to say this: we’re going to tell you exactly how we develop people, and give you one example to get you started. More examples in a future podcast, as well as the inclusion of development plans.

So, you’re a manager, and you’ve got a boss and a team.  Let’s assume for a moment that all of your responsibilities - your goals and objectives, rolling up all your tasks, can be represented by a bucket of balls (as in, “juggling a lot of balls.”). 

For discussion purposes, let’s just say that everybody - you, your boss, and all ten members of your team - has TWENTY balls in their bucket.  You have 5 big balls - the ones your boss might well fire you for if you drop them.  And, you have 15 more smaller balls as well (5+15=20).  These are also “important”, though not critical.  Your 20 balls keep you VERY busy - sometimes 80 hours weeks (though not often), and you take less vacation than you’re allowed, and less than your kids would like you to.

Got it?

Now, I’m not saying that this would actually ever HAPPEN …but one day your boss comes to you and presents you with another shiny big ball.  Your SIXTH BIG BALL.

What would an effective manager do?  Would you refuse?  Would you ask what balls of the other 5, or other 20, would he have you NOT DO?  Would you simply hope she wasn’t going to notice that you’re going to drop 5-6-7 of the small balls later?

To be clear, there IS a right, or most effective answer to this question.  It’s like the “does a tree falling in a forest” question you’ve probably heard. That is a zen koan, and there really IS a right answer.

Who’s first?

No, I’m not sharing the answer yet.

BUT!  Mike and I were so pleased by the responses, we’re going to deliver the answer in a podcast, coming out in the next week or two.  And, we’re going to go over all the blog comments, and address the points everyone has made.

We’re shooting it tonight, so if you have comments you want addressed, now’s the time.  We’ll do our best to include the late ones.

[This post does not endorse nor suggest the continuation of on-the-fly, spur-of-the-moment casts.  There’s still plenty of work to be done that can’t be shoehorned into a busy schedule.  Thanks - H]

Mark recently blogged with our first ever management koan, “What Would An Effective Manager Do?” It was clearly a big hit - we got 45 responses within 2-3 days. Clearly, many of you wanted to know what the answer is, and that’s great - the burning desire to get better is at the heart of all good managers. Maybe we should say “many of US” wanted to know, since even Mike posted a comment wondering about the answer! (Mark thinks that was just him being nice to everyone, putting everyone out of the misery of waiting.)

So, this is a first for us, a show driven completely by a blog post and its response. In fact, we had to juggle a lot to slide it into the lineup, and it’s certainly unusual for us to record a show and put it right up on the site.

And what’s the show about? Well, don’t you want to know what an effective manager would do? We’re going to learn the right way of thinking on this issue, and then we’re going to review every unique blog comment and provide insight as to what works and what doesn’t.

This cast explains our rationale for why Delegation is the 4th Member of our Management Trinity.

Ah, the FOURTH member of the Trinity. We did this for two reasons – one, to make it easier to remember. Two, because you simply cannot grow an organization profitably without Delegation. You can grow the profitability of a company without new products, without new distribution – think Tiffany’s, or coal mines. But not without delegation. (Delegation is ESPECIALLY important if you don’t have new products or distribution, and we don’t recommend either!)

Effective Managers know how to consciously and effectively delegate. Good delegation leads to more growth at less cost. How can we call ourselves professional managers unless we do something that we KNOW leads to profitable growth?