If you`re reluctant to let others help you with work assignments because you think you`re the only person who can do them correctly, consider yourself a poor delegator. Job experts say that by shouldering work that could more effectively be shared, you`re sending the wrong message to your boss and adding unnecessary stress to your life.
”We should all know that it`s not a good use of manpower to have a CPA
(certified public accountant) doing the filing or a high-powered salesperson filling out forms,” says Patricia Cain Smith, professor and management consultant, ”but it happens all the time because people refuse to delegate.”
Smith, co-author with C.J. Cranny and Eugene Stone of ”Job Satisfaction” (Lexington, $29.95), says many people refuse to delegate even the simplest tasks because it gives them a sense of completion.
”When the day is done and they leave the office, they are able to say,
`At least I cleaned off my desk and got some new legal pads.` There`s a distinct feeling of an immediate reward that you wouldn`t get if you were working on a long-term project,” she says.
Although it`s smart to let the boss know you can juggle a variety of tasks, holding on to work that could be delegated may send a signal that you`re not a big-picture thinker, says Smith, a professor of research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a partner in her own management-consulting firm.
”If you pay attention to details like how minutes are taken during meetings, then your boss might think you`re better suited to being a stenographer rather than somebody higher up the ladder,”she says.
Smith says people who don`t delegate ”jeopardize crucial time needed for long-term thinking and planning by saying, `It`s easier to do it myself than to train somebody to do it for me.”`
She suggests that people who are reluctant to train others start by gradually sharing the load. Get comfortable with the other person`s abilities and style by working through part of a project together, she suggests.
Once you`ve managed to delegate even a small portion of work, it`s important to keep from constantly criticizing the way your employee or co-worker handles it.
”It`s terribly frustrating to have somebody looking over your shoulder all the time,” Smith says. ”You have to remember that sometimes work doesn`t have to be done exactly the way you would do it.”
Be available for questions and suggestions, she says. ”It`s important you let people who are working for you know that you are there if they want to bounce something off you, and with most projects, they also should know what the budget restraints and conditions are,” she says.
A smart delegator will provide feedback to her employees as often as possible, Smith adds. ”You must delegate, and the people you delegate to must know how you plan to judge their work,” such as keeping within a budget or meeting deadlines, she says.
She suggests scheduling regular meetings for checking on the worker`s progress and discussing how and when they plan to complete the project. Decide whether the project demands written progress reports.
If you`re worried about losing overall control by delegating portions of a project, Smith suggests setting deadlines that allow plenty of time to check and recheck the work you`ve delegated.
Sometimes it`s necessary to consult with your boss before delegating all or part of a project, particularly if it has financial ramifications for the company, she adds. Because all bosses are different, it`s better to err on the side of communication, she says.
Among Smith`s other tips:
– Keep two separate ”to do” lists. One should contain all of the simple tasks that easily can be delegated, and the other should include the big-picture projects you`ve been assigned. Try to delegate a few things from each list.
– Be specific. When you hand over all or part of a project to subordinates, let them know exactly what is expected so that you won`t be surprised by incompetent or incomplete work.
– Stop doing lower-level tasks even if you enjoy doing them.
”We tend to want to do things we know we are good at, so we are reluctant to hand over things we do well,” Smith says. ”It`s hard to grow if you keep doing the same things over and over again.”
LIFELINES
Employee counselors
The Employee Assistance Professionals Association, open to those interested in substance-abuse counseling for workers, offers meetings and seminars. Annual dues: $60 (students) to $200 (professionals). Call 312-645-0083
Self-esteem program
Women and self-esteem is the focus of a six-week program at the Sherman Center for Women`s Health, 240 Commerce Drive, Crystal Lake. Starting dates, weekly meeting days vary. Fee: $20 per 90-minute session. 815-455-9553.
Women in Charge
Women in Charge, a non-profit group for present and future workers in the not- for-profit sector, offers conferences and educational forums. Costs vary;
mailings are free. Call Gail Brown, 312-435-3925.
Training and development
The Chicagoland chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, open to present and future workers in the field, offers meetings and special programs. Annual dues: $85. 312-236-3327.
Worker`s bookshelf
”Do`s and Taboos of Public Speaking,” by Roger E. Axtell (Wiley, $12.95);
”Solving the Work/Family Puzzle,” by Bonnie Michaels and Elizabeth McCarthy (Business One, $24.95).
