Delegation Tips
This page brings together a special series of short, practical delegation tips, originally shared in a simple bulletin format and followed by leaders over an extended period of time.
The Daily Tips quickly became a valued resource for managers looking to delegate more effectively and lead with greater confidence.
Although the series has now come to an end, I’m pleased to say these tips are still highly relevant, well regarded and frequently referenced by leaders today. The fundamentals of good delegation don’t change, and each tip offers timeless practical guidance that can be applied immediately in day-to-day leadership situations.
I’m featuring this collection for you as an ongoing resource, drawing on my experience of working closely with executives and leadership teams.
I hope they continue to support you in developing stronger teams, greater clarity and more effective leadership.
Dave Stitt, MCC
Feed back often, good and bad
If you’re giving feedback only when there’s a problem, you’re going to look unappreciative and petty, which is not a good look. Some ideas here …
Disrupt patterns of generalities
Specifics defuse tensions, so being specific and non-confrontational can help you have more useful conversations. Here’s an example.
Brutal facts
Is anybody scared these days? The wheels seem to be coming off the bus. But there are ways of keeping your nerve in chaotic times. Use this technique to respond to brutal facts.
How to criticise
Some while back I found this deceptively simple method for giving challenging feedback. The beauty of it is, it’s helpful and nothing else.
What are you actually doing?
There is only so much time in the day, and if you’re not doing the necessary things only you can do, it’s time to delegate.
Internal project entrepreneurship
Project controls and defined contractual accountabilities are extremely poor guarantees of project success on their own. More is needed …
Don’t email
It’s a weak, low-bandwidth medium. If you have to get something done, you need to see your words going in, and the other needs to see your words coming out. Here’s why …
Radical accountability
When did we last look up from the day-to-day to the horizon, to spot the big opportunity, or the looming risk, and thought hard about how we’re spending our days in relation to that?
Activated, with mission
She’s pretty, young and smart, but that’s not what thrills me about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
It’s tough for tough guys
Big results rarely come from doing everything harder and faster and meaner. The real foundation of results is something we usually overlook.
Nice and nasty
You can’t be nice all the time, and nor can you be nasty all the time. Effective feedback requires generous helpings of both support and challenge. Here’s what happens without that balance …
Address the method, not the madness
Resist the urge to try and ‘improve’ someone with feedback, as in fix aspects of their character. It won’t work. Here’s a ranking of things it’s easiest to influence.