According to Dale Callahan, one of the least recognized skills needed for any job is delegation. In his article “Delegation for Success“, Dale talks about how delegation is not just for managers. Delegation “is [part of] ALL our jobs. Most of us are paid for results – and if we can get the results done better and faster – we are more valuable.”
A football team is perhaps one of the greatest examples of using team effort to accomplish a goal. There is the person who calls the plays, and the individuals who execute those plays. Every position brings something unique to the table, and it takes everyone working in concert to achieve the desired outcome. A football team where every player constantly tries to be the quarterback is not only ineffective, but it causes the team as a whole to play badly, feel frustrated, and ultimately lose. But the situation is equally disastrous if the quarterback tries to play every other position. With any good team, when you want a winning outcome the key will be passing the ball to the right players.
So whether you are looking to increase your value as an employee, or to lead your team with the best results in the fastest time, remember to delegate! Whoever said “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself”, simply didn’t have the right team players. As a leader, it is often a better leadership move to make sure you have the right people getting the necessary tasks completed. Every individual comes with their own skill set and part of being a good team leader and project manager is being able to delegate jobs out to the people that do each task best.
Click Here to Read Dale Callahan’s steps towards delegating well.
