15 Mar Delegation: The Clarity Test
This column is part of a series around Self-Directed Empowerment™, which is a 360-degree look at self, our communities, and the world at large, and is the basis of our curriculum at IMPERIA™. This month, we’re looking at the concept of connection, and more specifically here, how it relates to teamwork.
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As any high achiever knows, handing a task off to another human being creates a knot in the solar plexus. Will they do it right? As well as I would? Can I trust them?
It took me a long time to develop trust for the teams I led, and I’m a recovering perfectionist who will likely never be cured, but I’ve come a long way. Along that intensive journey, I had a wonderful coach who would say to me:
Jennifer, I want you to ask yourself, before every task: Who can do this who is not me?
I now pass this along to my clients in our coaching sessions, because it’s one of the hardest things to master as a leader. But here’s what I didn’t realize at the time: The art of delegation is definitely a matter of trust, yes — and it’s also about providing clear instructions and ensuring those instructions are understood. If you’ve assigned someone a task, and they haven’t completed it correctly, consider that you haven’t provided adequate instruction, clarity, or detail. Or you haven’t had them repeat things back so you’re clear the communication was received.
People can get a bit prickly when someone says “Please repeat that back to me,” because it brings them back to elementary school, so here’s a technique that puts the onus on your shoulders instead of theirs:
You can simply say “Please repeat that back so I know I’ve given you clear instructions.”
When you can own the process and results in that way, it gives your team members room to grow.
So the next time you’re frustrated with someone who hasn’t completed a task the right way, I invite you to stop and check with yourself first: Did you offer clear instructions? It might be worth it to ask them what they heard vs. what you thought you said (this is for your benefit even more than theirs). Once you master your own communication, you can run an infinite number of teams, and teach them to master their communication in a way that fosters masterful teamwork.
With love from NYC,
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Photo: Evan Dennis
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