Donadio's PowerTools For Success - PowerTool Number One

D O N A D I O PowerTools For Success ™

D - Delegate

In the last decade, 38% of small business owners had either been fired or laid off, according to a IBM Corp. telephone survey. This number will continue to grow in the new millennium. We are in an era of strict competition for jobs. With the increase in the availability of applicants and the current downsizing trend, we will continue to see a growth of entrepreneurs.

The only thing constant is change. Some researchers say that within the next decade, more than 75% of the work force (including entrepreneurs) will need to be retrained. The best way to survive is to modernize the way we manage this changing market. This seven-part series of articles provides you with many proactive suggestions.

Over the years, I have found it takes a variety of skills and techniques to be a successful entrepreneur and manage change. The D O N A D I O PowerTools ™ are seven of these skills:

Over the next several months I will explore these seven D O N A D I O PowerTools ™ with you. Tool number one is Delegate.

	D	Delegate
	O	Open Communications
	N	Need for Creativity
	A	Appreciation
	D	Develop Teamwork
	I	Interest
	O	Organize/Plan

Delegate authority, not just responsibilities. People need to be involved in making decisions that affect them. We all think we can do it better. Perhaps we could, if we had 40 hours in a day, but we don't. Many managers do not delegate because of:

Attitude - "No one can do it as well as I can" As a result, no one else ever gets the chance to try.

Inexperience - They may simply lack of practice or training on how to delegate.

Fear. - fear of making mistakes or taking risks.

Impatience is another reason managers don't delegate. They don't taking time to explain and teach others how to do the task. Some managers delegate, and if it doesn't get done, assume people are unqualified.

The following techniques can help you become a better delegator:

1) Chose the right people. Not everyone can "do it" as well as you think you can. However some can come close. The key to effective delegation is choosing the right people. What are the skills and knowledge needed to complete the task? Who matches this description? If you are new to delegating, you might try breaking the job into parts and delegate pieces.

2) Set goals and objectives together. Clearly define your expectations, what authority the employee has, your priorities, the budget, and time limits. Don't tell employees exactly how to do the task. Instead, let them tell you how they are going to handle it. Participation develops a sense of ownership and pride. Then mutually discuss deadlines, anticipated obstacles and how you together might overcome these obstacles. Finally, let the person ask questions, or you ask them to summarize their understanding of the project. This will help ensure you both see the project clearly.

3) Build a feedback loop. Be sure feedback takes place during the task not just after it. Regular feedback reduces the margin of error. Feedback can be both written and oral. Set up checkpoints. For example, "Bring me the initial plans on Tuesday so we can review them before we move onto phase II." Be careful not to supervise every detail and be tactful in giving feedback.

4) Assign with confidence. Let them know you have confidence in their abilities right from the start. Remember, people tend to live up to the expectations placed on them.

5) Really delegate. If you have followed the above points you should feel comfortable letting go and allowing the person to complete the project. Delegating is a process not an event. People will make mistakes. But if you can tolerate the learning process, you will find delegating a skill you can't live without.

Remember you can give a person a fish and they will eat for a day. But teach a person to fish and they can eat for a lifetime."

Effective delegating requires that one has good communication skills. We spend about 80% of our waking day in some form of communications. Next time I will share with you some techniques for getting your message across and teach you how to become an active listener. Join me when we will look at PowerTool Number 2 - Open Communications.