New hires have been filled, & the team is all set to go.
Now, you think, we can focus on getting better, growing, learning together, & improving.
Simple thought process, but more difficult to do it turns out.
There are so many ways to help your team along its journey to improvement. There are numerous practices, habits, & skills that can lead to continued learning, growth, & evolving. High amongst these is the ability to delegate authority within your team. Delegating responsibility among team members not only helps improve any organization, it also helps every organization’s individual members.
Delegating responsibility is an incredibly powerful tool to utilize in your Leadership journey. The problem is that delegation is no easy task.
Many folks in Leadership positions fear delegation for numerous reasons:
- Weaker leaders are often scared to delegate; they are either too insecure with themselves or they are afraid that by delegating they may lose some “control” over the organization.
- Some leaders don’t have the necessary time (or aren’t willing to spend the necessary time) training their people to take on the tasks being asked of them.
- Those who struggle with effective communication will also struggle with delegating duties.
- Without thoughtful delegation the wrong people can easily be assigned the wrong tasks.
- Some leaders worry that by delegating to their people the quality of work will suffer: the ole “if it’s gonna be done right, then I need to do it myself” mentality.
- They are more comfortable in micro-managing their teams & people
- Team camaraderie & spirit is not a priority
- There is no trust, accountability, direction, or clarity within the organization
As we continue on our Leadership journey let’s dive into the ways that delegating can not only help you as a Leader, but also how delegating can help your individual team members. We’ll also look at how delegating responsibilities can & will lead to heightened levels of collaboration.
Practice makes perfect
Front Row Leadership’s Sean Fitzpatrick, former legendary rugby player for New Zealand’s All Blacks, says “The best sports people in the world practice more than they play. Business people should practice too. They should go home at night & analyze their day’s performance. They don’t & they need to. To be good at something takes practice, & lots of it.”
Leadership is a skill that can & should be practiced. Every day.
Within the framework of Leadership, the art of delegation is an extremely valuable tool that should be used more often than not. To be good at it though it must be worked on, it must be practiced! The above list of reasons why so many in Leadership positions tend to shy away from delegating is real. Too many Leaders are either too afraid to give up some “control”, or are too insecure in their own skin to allow those on the team to carry the torch.
However, failure to delegate will not only result in unfulfilled potential, it can also limit the opportunities that come with it such as collaboration:
- We before Me.
- There is strength in numbers.
- Together we achieve more.
- The power of team.
We all know these sayings. Most would argue that they are all true. Quite simply, the best organizations in the world lean towards the power of team over the power of the individual. Just look at the core values, principles, & training in the US Navy SEAL Teams whom many regard as one of the world’s most elite military units.
To be an elite leader, regardless of title or position, one must embrace the philosophy of delegation. It is impossible to do everything on your own.
To be an elite leader, one must also value the significance & importance of collaborating – allowing your team, your people, to give valuable input to the process. Leaders value input. Leaders not only are teachers, they are also learners. Lifelong learners who are never satisfied with their own growth. The true leaders are comfortable in their own skin: they are confident & secure enough in their own abilities that they will openly encourage & promote their people to take an active part in the organizational process.
There are numerous examples of the afore-mentioned US Navy SEAL Teams & their post-op debriefs. These meetings, usually led by team members with boots on the ground, reflect back on that day’s mission. What worked, what didn’t, & everything in-between. For some organizations debriefs can become slippery slopes, but for the best these debriefs allow for some “player led” perspective & input that is invaluable to the team & the team leader. Perspective & input that quite simply could not be gained without an openness to embrace delegation & collaboration.
Get In Touch With JP
Prior to his time with Kashbox, JP spent 28 years as an NCAA Lacrosse Coach (22 years as a Head Coach). During that span, JP had the opportunity to coach with & against some of the top lacrosse coaches in the country.
Coming back to Fitzpatrick’s quote earlier “To be good at something takes practice, & lots of it.” Delegation isn’t easy, so practice it. Find small ways to delegate your authority & responsibilities. As those small ways become a little more seamless then you can move on to bigger items. As delegation becomes more & more painless the leader will start to see more & more collaboration as the team’s individuals become more & more empowered. The environment & culture that is now formed will both foster higher team morale & provide a stronger platform from which the leader can now lead.
Delegation → Empowerment → Collaboration → Strong Team Culture → Leadership
A True Learning Environment
Once a good leader has established a stronger platform from which to lead the possibilities become endless for both the leader & the organization. Instead of just leading from the top down, now the organization is growing & cultivating leadership amongst its ranks. This is where the real, true power of leadership comes into play.
James Kerr in his book Legacy writes “Accomplished leaders create an environment in which their people can develop their skills, their knowledge, & their character.”
Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something like this? An organization driven by delegation (allowing all team members to have a voice in the process resulting in more belief in the process) that promotes a culture of collaboration becomes a powerful thing.
Trust now binds this team together. The leader has shown trust in their people, & has proven this trust by delegating various responsibilities.
Confidence has been demonstrated. A truly confident leader not only wants their people to succeed, they lend the tools through delegation for those people to succeed. The leader has further shown faith that the individuals within the organization can succeed, & that the individuals are strong enough to make the team itself better.
Great communication has been established which allows for effective 2-way dialogues. Now, instead of a leader who only directs we now have a leader who communicates clearly & effectively. No room for poor communication in a collaborative environment.
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The accountability factor is greatly enhanced. Team members who aren’t accountable for their actions show that they aren’t capable of performing the tasks the leader needs or wants them to. This enhanced accountability will lead to greater productivity & efficiency.
Collaborating Collectively
As I reflect back on the many years of being involved with teams I truly appreciate the ones that were collaborative the most. As a true leader it is imperative to place trust in your people. One of the simplest, purest ways to convey this trust is by empowering your people to take an active role in the process, in the shared mission.
Not only will your people benefit (Leaders create Leaders), but so will you. Going it alone ain’t easy, & it’s certainly not the wisest, most efficient path.
So, as you continue your ascension to great Leadership be sure to delegate your authority & responsibility. The weight off your shoulder will be real. Be sure to promote a culture of collaboration; you never know when this collaboration will create the next, best decision for you & your team.
Enjoy the ride out there, & don’t do it alone.
Along with his responsibilities as an NCAA Coach, JP has also been a small-business owner for the past 22 years. He founded & built a successful lacrosse camp business that, in addition to camps, expanded into travel teams, clinics, lessons, & consultations.
In both of his careers as an NCAA Coach & small-business owner, JP has helped to teach, coach, mentor, & develop hundreds of players & coaches.
