It isn’t hard to find resources promoting effective management – whether of projects or people. From IT to manufacturing to engineering, one of the most common recommendations – nay, directives – is to delegate. To believe some of the various posts, the job of an effective manager entails continuously foisting work off onto subordinates in order to have time to “manage” the job. And if you are one of those subordinates, it is usually pretty obvious when one of your many bosses has recently read about the latest fad and decided to send all the unpleasant work your way. But that isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.
Project managers regularly feel the pressure to meet deadlines and “get it out the door” – often working overtime to do so, because they feel that no one could do the job as well or as quickly as they can. If you haven’t said the words, “I don’t have time to explain it to someone. It just has to get done,” then you are indeed a rare breed.
This is where understanding delegation from both points of view comes in handy. Real delegation, the kind in which true authority and accountability (not just responsibility) is transferred, is a sight to behold. Everyone understands the task, has the tools and resources to accomplish it, knows where to go for help, and is recognized for a job well done. So what happens when you are faced with work that you just know is being shifted your way simply because you’re sitting closest to the corner office?
Treat the higher-up as you would a client.
Your clients don’t know what it takes to get the job done. They don’t know how much it will cost. They just want results. In the worst management cases, this may just be your boss’ actual situation. He may truly not know what is needed and is trying desperately to get a particularly unpleasant task off his desk. If you are lucky, he’s coming to you because you are the “expert”. But even if not, it is your job to frame the task in understandable terms, pin down just what the goals are, identify any deadlines, ask who else may be involved, determine whether there is an expectation of the effort required, and seek authority to assign resources if required. Sound familiar? Project management at its finest.
Of course, this is often easier said than done. But asking these types of questions (and others as appropriate to the situation) sets you up as someone who can approach a problem with a professional attitude. If you are still working your way up the ranks, it’s definitely good practice for the types of interactions you will encounter with corporate managers and customers. On the flip side, as a manager, you should expect that your subordinates will ask these questions of you. If you are ready with the answers, you are positioning yourself as a confident and prepared leader as well.
Most importantly, avoid taking on work just to please someone. Whether a supervisor, a peer, or a client, this merely absorbs your own time with little benefit other than ensuring you stay busy (which in itself is an illusion if you are constantly bouncing from task to task). By asking the right questions, you may in fact be the therapy that the delegator needs. Sometimes simply talking through the problems makes them more manageable and may save you from “delegation without representation.”
Image © Editor B and used with permission from Flickr
Jason Burke is a Project Manager at Project Management Underground, his experience ranges from engineering design (literally underground) in a California gold mine and a Montana platinum mine to management of a variety of land development projects. He enjoys sharing his experiences and insights with others, especially those in the engineering industries. But anyone can benefit from business management “best practices” as well.
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