jim’s profit accelerator 10: delegation predicts speed

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Jim’sProfitAccelerator10:DelegationPredictsSpeed

Everyonepayslipservicetodelegation,butdoingitisanothermatteraltogether.That’sunfortunatebecauseskillfuldelegationprovidesgreatopportunitytoacceleratebothyourcompanyresultsandyoureffectivenessasaleader.Anaddedbonusisthatyou’llbebuildingthevalueofyourbusiness,whichwillaccruetoyouwhereveryoursuccessionpathtakesyou.

Delegationisrelevanttoeveryexecutiveofanysizefirmwhowantstodobetter.Whatdoesyourdelegationpatternpredictaboutthevalueofyourfirm,yourjobsatisfaction,andyourfinancialsecurity?Usethissimpleguidetoseehowyourank,andwhereyouropportunitymightbe.

WhatKindofDelegatorAreYou?

You:

1. Delegateroutinetaskstoallowtimeforhigherimpactactivities.2. Delegatetacticalresponsibilitiesthatincludemodestriskanduncertainty.3. Delegatemoststrategicandtacticalresponsibilities,subjecttoreviewbeforeaction.4. Delegatefavoriteresponsibilitiesthatyouusedtoprefertohandlepersonally.(Theseareoften

itemsthatyou’vesaidyouwould“never”delegate.)

ScoringSummary

Type Label Payoff Downside

1 Controller Limited Buriedindetail

2 Reluctant Modest It’sneverenough

3 PowerLeader Greatresults Requiresdelegationskill

4 FutureBuilder Legacy Morefreetime

SPEEDBUMP:Themoreyoudelegate,thefastergoodresultswillcome.

BandwidthPrinciple:EveryleaderI’veworkedwithhaswrestledwithpersonalbandwidth,or“NomatterhowsmartIwork,I’mstillwaybehind.”There’snoexcuseforthis,andthere’sawaythatmany

ofmyclientshaveovercomeit.Ifyou’reareluctantdelegatororhog‐tiedbyyourbandwidth,youcanovercomeittoo.

Here’sthebasicbandwidthequation:

ExS/T=O

Key:T=Time E=Effort S=Skill O=Output

Superchargeyourbandwidth:Delegateasmuchaspossibletoasmanyothersasyoucan!Thatmeansmovethetasks,notyourtime.Inotherwords,delegatedelicately.

Here’swhathappenstofolkswhosuperchargetheirbandwidth:

ExS/(1/2)T=O3

Translation:Getatleastthreetimesasmuchdoneinhalfthetime.The“getdone”isaccomplishedbytheorganization,notjustyou.Thetimesavingsareyours,however.

TheSpeedMeasure:Speedisaboutoutput,notinput.Threetimesasmuchdoneinhalfthetimeisa600percentincreaseinoutput.Ifthat’snotspeed,whatis?

OperationsVPScottGormanleadsahighlysuccessfulproductionoperationof100‐pluspeople.Hewasastoundedtoseetheburstofoutputfromhisworkerswhenhehandedhisleadersashortlistofproblemstoattack.Whilehe’sstillimprovinghisdelegationskills,hereportsthathismanagersalreadyhaveincreasedtheirimpactonresults,givinghimmoretimetobestrategicabouthisownfocus.HisGembawalkshappenmoreconsistently,hiscalendarislesscluttered,andhereportshavingaclearersenseofwhatisactuallyhappeninginhisorganization,allowinghimhigherimpactonresultsmorequickly.

Tobefair,hisresultsrequiredbecomingadelicatedelegator.Learningthisisn’teasy,buttheremarkablepayoffmakesitworthit.

PrinciplesofDelicateDelegation1. Putarazoredgeontheproblemdefinition.2. Pickyour“receiver”carefully.Receiverstakehandoffs,andthesefolksneedenoughskillto

starttoproblemsolve,awillingnesstoseekhelppromptly,andadrivetopushthroughcomforttonewsuccess.

3. Followupwithsurgicaldelicacy.Followingupisnotwoodpeckeringyourreceivertodeath,poundingrepeatedly,“Areyoudoneyet?”Thatbehaviorproducesalargerhole,reluctancetorisk,andlimitedprogress,anditsaromaisfearandlackofconfidence.Instead,delicatelyaskthesemagicquestionsatpre‐establishedcheckpoints:• Whatprogresshaveyoumade?

• Howdidyoudoit?• Wheredoyouwanttogonext?• Whatdoyouthinkisthebiggestobstaclerightnow?• MayIhelpyouwiththat?

Gobackandlookatthequestionsagain.Wordingmatters,becauseyourdemonstrateddelicacyandcareforthepersonwillcomebacktoyouinamazingresults.Drivingimmediatelytoproblemscommunicatesbothalackoftrustandaflamingfearoffailure.Bothproduceresults,butnottheamazingresultsyou’relookingfor.

Here’swhatitlookslike:

SPEEDBUMP:Isreversedelegating(RD)partofyourarsenal?Ifnot,you’relikelyunderperforming.WhatisRD?Askingforhelp!

Attheedgeoftheoceansurf,yourfeetfeelthepullofthetidebeforethewaterhitsyou.Likewise,whenyoufeelthefrictionofaloomingobstacle,stopfast,andaskforhelprightthen.Iftheobstacleisbigenoughtomatter,thefirststepisgettingthequestionright.Thatwilloftenjump‐startyouranswer.

WhenaclientandIwerestuckwithnoforwardprogress,my“helper”suggestedcuttingbacktojustonethingatatime,tomakethetasksmallenoughtodo.Wedid;itworked.It’sonethingtorehearse“eattheelephantonebiteatatime,”butformostofusit’saboostforahelpertopointouttheelephantsothatwecantakethebite!

ACCELERANT:Whatisthetoughestprobleminfrontofyou?Willyoudelegateit?

Callme.

Formoreinformation,visitwww.grewco.com.JimGrewisanexpertinCEO‐levelstrategyandexecutiveleadershipwhoseclientsrefertohimastheBusinessDefoggerandAccelerator.Jimhelpsleadersswiftlydiscoverthehiddenopportunitieswithintheirbusinessesandexploitthemfordramaticresults.NearlythreedecadesofsuccessasaCOOandCEOcoupledwithhisexperiencerunningninethrivingbusinessesprovidethefoundationforhisconsultingworkaspresidentoftheGrewCompany.Hepresentsregularlytoindustrygroups,mentorsbusinessleaders,andsharesinsightsonhisblog,BizBursts.com:http://bizbursts.com/.HeholdsBAandMBAdegreesfromStanfordUniversity.

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