Michael Beck

Effective Delegation

Effective delegation can be a springboard that launches your success to new heights. Successful people master delegation, while mediocre performers desperately hang on to tasks which are important but better left to others. Over the years, I’ve found that often people don’t or won’t delegate tasks because they’re not quite sure what to do with the free time they’d create for themselves.

Becoming clear as to how you’d be more productive if you had the time is key to getting motivated about delegating. Spend a few minutes reflecting on why you were chosen for the position you’re in. Is it because of your great administrative skills? Is it because you’re really good at organizing papers, filing applications or filling in reports? Hardly. You are where you are because of your people skills, your communication skills, your leadership abilities, and/or your selling abilities.

Why Delegate?
There are three very important reasons not only to delegate, but to become excellent at it. First of all, delegating appropriate tasks simply allows you to accomplish more. You leverage your time. It frees you to work on tasks that produce income.

Secondly, delegating allows you to also work on the bigger picture, rather than getting bogged down in the routine tasks. It creates the opportunity for you to work on your business rather than always working in it.

And finally, effective delegation allows you, as a leader, to develop people by expanding their expertise, their independence and their areas of responsibility.

The key, of course, to achieving these goals is to delegate effectively. There’s nothing worse than delegating a task and having it done wrong, done poorly or even worse, not done at all.

Causes of Poor Delegation:

“I can do it better” syndrome – You know this kind of thinking. “If I ask someone else to do this, I’ll just have to redo it anyway…” This is either due to poor communications on your end or having the wrong people on your team.
“Too hard to pass off/teach” – You’ve seen this one, too. “It will take me longer to teach him/her how to do this than it will for me to do it myself.” That may be so, but when you add up a year of doing it compared to teaching it one time, it’s no contest.
Too few people – Everyone’s overloaded already, so I just can’t delegate anything else. You need to reduce their load by streamlining and creating systems or you need to hire more folks.
Wrong people working for you – Sometimes you come to a realization that the person working for you is really not the right one for the job.
Poor communications – (see #3 below)
Inadequate timeframe – Don’t wait until the last minute to delegate. Work to create a habit of taking action sooner than later.

How to Effectively Delegate:

1. Choose the right tasks to delegate
Clearly not all tasks are good candidates for delegation. A rule of thumb that I’ve used for years is that a task which does not involve judgment is usually a good candidate for delegation. It’s not that the other person can’t make a decision, but you are in the position you’re in because someone trusts your judgment. Ultimately the responsibility falls on your shoulders. Also, don’t delegate production-oriented activities; those stay on your plate, too.

2. Select the right individual(s) for the task
Make sure you choose a delegate whose talents match the skill set needed for the task. If necessary, rearrange delegated tasks to give the right person the time for the new task.

3. Be clear in your communications
Ever give someone a task or report to do and have them do something completely different than what you wanted? Be clear on what you’re requesting and have them repeat their understanding of your request. Also, get in the habit of checking in on the progress of important tasks. (See #6 below.)

4. Make certain each person has the right tools and sufficient knowledge
Sometimes the right person doesn’t have the tools or knowledge required for the task. (and they may be reluctant to admit it!) If you suspect that may be the case, make sure they know who to go to or where to go to find the information and/or tools.

5. Create accountability
There are few things worse than delegating a task and finding out it’s not finished when you need it. Most of us have experienced this challenge. It’s important to be clear on the importance of the deadline associated with the task. Regardless of whether the delegate “should” be on track or not, a missed deadline falls on your shoulders. You’re the one who will ultimately feel the stress caused by a missed timeline. Make sure you stay on top of important delegated tasks. In addition, if you state that a task is important but then neglect to give it the attention it deserves, it reflects on your integrity. It demonstrates that you will say one thing but will do another. Do what you say you will do and say what you mean to say.

6. Provide ongoing communication and feedback
In order to ensure that your deadline is met and the work is being done properly, it’s important to check in on the progress of the assignment. Course corrections are critical to the successful and timely completion of important tasks.

Effective delegation will leverage your time and your efforts. It will work to develop your team and make them more valuable, more productive and more loyal. If you want to boost your production, spend more of your time on efforts that produce and less time on tasks that are administrative.

The Essence of Exceptional Leadership

Scores of books have been written on the subject of leadership, and some great insight and advice has been imparted. But most of those books avoid answering one critical question…

We all know that better leadership is important and makes a difference, but most books and people I know – leaders included – can’t really explain “why” good leadership makes a difference. I’ll hear explanations about leaders needing to be decisive and needing to have good judgment, but truthfully, having the ability to make good decisions doesn’t make someone a good leader. (We all know smart people who are poor leaders.) I’ve given this topic a lot of thought over the years and have distilled the impact of great leadership down to one important concept.

“The essence of exceptional leadership is eliciting excellence in others.”

In other words, great leaders bring out the best in the people around them. They bring out the best in their team, they bring out the best in their organization, they bring out the best in their vendors, and they bring out the best in their customers.

The art of leadership is learning how to bring out people’s best. Great leaders understand what keeps people engaged and what compels people to give their best. There are many ways to make this happen, but five of the strongest strategies are 1) Treating People as People, 2) Treating Adults as Adults, 3) Expecting the Best in People, 4) Helping People Develop, and 5) Giving People Something to Believe In.

Treating People as People
People will give (and be) their best when they’re treated like “people” rather than “things”. Effective leaders understand that everyone – regardless of position – has hopes, fears, dreams, and stress. They interact with people in a way that reflects that understanding. Great leaders demonstrate that they care about people.

Treating Adults as Adults
People will give (and be) their best when they’re treated like adults rather than like children. Effective leaders allow people to be responsible and give them the autonomy to complete tasks in their own way. Great leaders encourage people to use their creativity and avoid micromanaging.

Expecting the Best in People
People will give (and be) their best to live up to expectations. Effective leaders help people understand what is expected of them – not only as it pertains to achievements but to personal traits as well. Great leaders expect the best – and usually get it.

Helping People Develop
People will give (and be) their best when they’re asked to develop new skills and take on new responsibilities. Effective leaders help people grow their skill set – both technically and interpersonally. Great leaders nudge them beyond their comfort zone to become the best they can be.

Believing in Something
People will give (and be) their best for something they believe in. Effective leaders provide a reason to accomplish something. They understand that an initiative without a “why” is simply a goal – and no one gives their all for a simple goal. Great leaders provide a compelling reason (a cause, a philosophy, a passion) to strive for excellence.

Bringing out the best in people is the essence of exceptional leadership. Simply getting things done is managing people and process. Getting people to be their best and achieve their potential is the job of a leader.

The Art of Persuasion

Mastering the art of persuading people is essential to achieving great results. As a leader, one of the main responsibilities is to develop sound strategies. But no matter how good a strategy is, the results gained will be proportional to the amount of buy-in people have for that strategy.

Over the years, I’ve seen many leaders resort to one of two approaches in an attempt to “persuade” people to get behind an idea. The first approach is to argue the facts to make their case. (This is especially popular with analytical people.) The thinking behind this is that if you present enough facts and do it with more passion, the other person will eventually come around to your way of thinking. Unfortunately, this approach rarely works. (I’ll explain why in a bit…)

The second approach leaders sometimes resort to is to use “the hammer”. By that, I mean that because the leader is in charge, they can always resort to saying, “We’re going to do it this way because I say so.” And because they’re the boss, everyone agrees to do it that way. The problem is that there is a big difference between compliance and commitment. The results achieved by a committed team are far greater than those gained by a team that is simply compliant.

The key to gaining buy-in for and commitment to an idea or strategy lies with understanding how people make buying decisions. Although many people think that decisions are made based on evaluating the facts and features, that’s not quite true. People buy emotionally.

It’s not that facts and features don’t matter. They do. But the truth is that people buy a thing or an idea because of how they feel about it. Once they make that decision, they’ll use the facts and features to rationalize it.

Therefore, the key to persuading people and gaining buy-in is to shift their perspective so they feel yours is correct. The two most effective approaches for changing someone’s perspective are the use of questions and the use of analogies.

The Use of Questions

Asking the right questions can be extremely effective in persuading people. The key to asking the “right” questions is to be curious rather than to be challenging. Questions need to be worded and delivered in a manner that doesn’t cause the other person to become defensive.

As a simple example, consider two people see things differently. If one of them asks, “How can you say that?”, it would clearly put the other one on the defensive. In contrast, consider taking a curiosity approach by asking, “OK. Help me understand why you see it this way. Why do you think this will work?”

In doing that, they avoid challenging them and instead, asking them to better explain their position. One of two things will come of that. Either you’ll discover their approach has merit, or you’ll see where their thinking or judgment is flawed. Once you have that insight, you can either ask follow-up questions to gain more clarity or ask additional questions to shift how they see things.

The Use of Analogies

When you’re trying to shift someone’s view about a situation or an idea, analogies can be a powerful tool. Arguing your point by discussing the specific situation at hand usually causes people to defend their position. They’re emotionally invested in the outcome.

But when you use an analogy – an example from a different industry or different context – people can stay neutral to the story. Using an analogy that people can relate to evokes an emotional response – one that the two of you can usually agree on. Using the right analogy can make your point very effectively and instantly shift the other person’s perspective. It pays to master the art of storytelling.

The art of persuasion relates to emotions more than facts. By asking good questions and offering effective analogies, a leader can gain more influence within the organization and generate better results.

If you’d like help becoming more influential, please contact me.

Employee Turnover is Not a Problem

Don’t get me wrong, I understand and appreciate that turnover creates challenges. Employee turnover causes a decrease in productivity, lower profits, inconsistent quality, and certainly creates work overload.

But here’s the question: Is employee turnover a problem or a symptom?

Turnover is a symptom.

But what is turnover a symptom of? You might argue that turnover is a symptom of unmotivated people, apathy or a labor shortage. But most often, turnover is a symptom of poor leadership. Turnover occurs because poor leaders lack purpose, lack integrity, lack a plan for developing people, have poor communication skills, and treat people like things instead of like people.

Have you ever worked for someone who lacked integrity? Someone who would say one thing and do another? Someone who promised to do something but never did it? Someone who took the credit and placed the blame? Unfortunately, I’d have to guess that each of us has had that kind of boss at one time or another.

When you were in that situation, did you continue to do your work? Of course you did. Was your work accurate and correct? Of course it was. Did you take the initiative on new projects for the benefit of the company? Maybe not. Go the extra mile to make a difference? Hmmm… Did you leave the company at the first opportunity? Point made. When an individual or a company lacks integrity, turnover occurs.

Have you ever worked at a company where the prospect of advancement was nonexistent? Someplace where you knew that you weren’t going anywhere? Did you stay very long? That’s my point. Without opportunity for growth and expanded responsibility, people leave.

Have you ever worked at a company where major changes were “sprung” on you? Where work was assigned to you and after you completed it, you found out you had done the wrong thing? What happens when people don’t communicate effectively? Poor communication leads to misunderstanding, conflict, de-motivation, and stress. What does misunderstanding, conflict, de-motivation and stress lead to? You got it – turnover.

And then comes the most insidious issue of them all – treating people like things rather than like people.

How does someone treat people like “things”? They do it in several ways. They do it when they’re insensitive to them and interact with people as if they have no feelings. They treat people like things when they ignore the fact that everyone has hopes and dreams and fears and stress. They treat people like things when they relate to people as if their own goals and aspirations are more important than the goals and aspirations of the other person. And they treat people like things when they don’t show respect for people or value their contributions and efforts.

When someone treats a person like a thing, it sends the message that they are unimportant and that they just don’t care about them. And when people sense a leader doesn’t care about them, they start not to care about that leader. When the company tolerates leaders who don’t care about people, people tend not to care about the company. When a leader treats people like things, turnover occurs.

In contrast, an effective leader understands that people’s hopes, dreams, fears, and stresses are real and matter to them. An effective leader inspires people. An effective leader interacts with people as people, helping them to be their best. And an effective leader helps people achieve their goals.

When a leader and an organization have a clearly defined purpose, they attract and retain the talent they need. When a leader and an organization have integrity, it builds trust and loyalty. When a leader and an organization are committed to developing people, people become the best they can be. When a leader and an organization communicate effectively, conflict and tension diminish, and cooperation increases. When a leader and an organization treat people as people, they appreciate it and reciprocate.

Turnover isn’t a problem – it’s a symptom caused by leadership problems. Fortunately, these problems can be resolved, and you have the power to make that difference. Strive to become the best leader you can be.

The 3 Biggest Meeting Mistakes

It never ceases to amaze me. Every executive I know wants to be more productive and to get more productivity from their team. They also feel that they would be far more effective and productive if there weren’t so many meetings. And yet, no one seems to do anything about it!

One of the smartest ways to boost personal and team productivity is to address the issue of meetings and how they’re conducted. Think about it… A one-hour meeting attended by eight people is equivalent to a full day (8 man-hours) of time spent. That means that reducing the total time spent in meetings by just 60 minutes a day would literally save a full-time person! (8 man-hrs. x 5 days = 40 hours/week)

Here are three of the best strategies to make your meetings and your team more productive.

1. Stop scheduling one-hour meetings
A one-hour meeting is convenient to schedule and has become the norm, but in truth, there’s no real reason for them to last that long. (I’ve even seen regular 4-hour meetings scheduled!)

Consider scheduling 15-, 30- or 45-minute meetings instead. (The strategies that follow will help you accomplish this.) Additionally, one of my favorite strategies for reducing meeting time is to conduct “standing” meetings, where everyone literally stands rather than sits. Hallways are usually good venues for these. (I guarantee the meetings won’t drag on!)

2. Stop using meetings for data dumps and briefings
Think about how much of your meeting time is spent disseminating information. Chances are it’s in excess of 50% of the meeting. A much smarter way to deliver information is in written form. If you had everyone brief you (and anyone else who needs the information) in writing in advance, then the actual meeting would be devoted to discussion and/or making decisions. (This approach, of course, requires that people actually read or scan the information prior to the meeting.)

Reserving meetings strictly for discussions and decisions can easily cut most meeting times in half.

3. Stop inviting so many people
Think of how many times you have people in your meetings who don’t really need to be there. They generally don’t contribute nor do they need to contribute. They’re just there to be there. Instead, try these two strategies.

If there are people who may have information that the group may (or may not) need, simply have them be available to answer any questions that may arise. Additionally, if their presence is simply to keep them informed and to help them feel part of the team, consider summarizing the high points and outcomes of the meeting in writing and sending a copy to anyone who needs to know.

And here’s a final thought on meeting productivity… Consider how much of your time is wasted in meetings called by others and suggest they implement some of the strategies you’re starting to use in your own meetings.

Boost your productivity and that of your team by shortening meeting times, using meetings only for discussion and decisions, and limiting the number of people who are required to attend your meetings.