Need to Delegate? S.A.Y. it!

Do you dread delegating things? Maybe you say these things to yourself…

“It’s just easier/faster if I do it myself.” 
“I don’t know if they’ll do it how it needs to be done.” 

Effective delegation creates ownership of the larger project for everyone involved. It builds trust, helps communication, and build skills.

But how do I delegate? Easy. Just S.A.Y. it. 

Set clear expectations: Alignment. Getting on the same page. Whatever you call  it, make sure everyone understands what the output will be. 

Ask what they need to be successful: Open-ended questions which invite specifics. What resources do you need to complete this? What would you need to shift in your priorities to take this on? 

You will check-in on progress _____:  Set a date, time, and medium for follow-up. If you normally communicate by email or Slack, maybe switch it up. Pick up the phone or check in over Zoom.  “Let’s talk about this on Friday, during our 1 on 1 at 2:30pm.” 

Creating that buy-in increases the skills of your team members, shares the work and responsibilities, improves collaboration, minimizes confusion because we’re able to see more sides or perspectives of the tasks or project. By delegating well you will…

1. Grow people’s skills.
   When our teams learn new things and take on new challenges we are setting ourselves up for future success. Creating opportunities for people to be successful on their own is such an important skill for leaders, whether they’re managers or not. 

2. Share ownership responsibilities and create trust. .
   Spreading out the work and responsibilities creates buy-in or ownership of projects and establishes trust throughout the team.

3. Improve collaboration.
   Delegation is a core skill in effective collaboration. As a leader in the workplace, knowing how to delegate will improve your team’s effectiveness and efficiency. 

4. Minimize confusion.
   Delegating tasks can give team members a crucial glimpse into other’s silos. When we are able to see other points of view or perspectives, it can help minimize confusion or misunderstandings. 

Have you used S.A.Y. in your workplace? How are you delegating? Let us know!