Delegating tough stuff that is out-of-comfort-zone is the specific domain of a manager, and a mentoring instrument that is constantly being fine tuned. Minions who want to become “maxions” need to be identified and pushed to get there…not simply left to produce. Above all, make it a lifelong mentoring principle to resist all cries to do for them what you know they themselves are capable of, says Mario Pretorius in his latest business management tip.
Never do something for someone that they are capable of doing for themselves.
Make this the first lesson of your lifelong mentoring at all levels. Ken Blanchard simplified the show-tell-watch-delegate mechanism eloquently in the One Minute Manager, but there is a catch.
The delegated tasks and responsibilities will often run into new territory and not everyone’s risk profile allows them to hopscotch though minefields with abandon. They may try, and retreat, ask and repeat, but at some stage the buck will be back at your desk.
Hence this advice. It is easy to accept an upward delegated task as you can probably do this unconsciously competent… and in a flash.
Resist the urge to show off. Never accept what you think the delegator is capable of, even if it needs a fair bit of additional input. Your minions want to become “maxions”, they need to be pushed to achieve not just left to produce.
Delegating tough stuff, and often out-of-comfort-zone responsibilities, is your specific domain and an art forever being fine-tuned.
Push someone a little to gauge his level of discomfort; fear & anxiety responses means he is at the limits of his comfort, anger & disgust means he is under-deployed.[i]
Here’s a guide: everyone has defined levels of self-worth. These change, these improve and it is often directly linked to their position, not their capability.
If the task is above level of comfort of the self, it may trigger anxiety and even fear. Thus is the fear of giving a speech or a presentation linked to the person and his confidence. This can be remedied and your probably know a number of ways to ease him into that capability and get a blossoming ego in return, all for the better.
At the other end, a demeaning task that is below the self-worth will trigger resentment and disgust. Anyone can wash a car, but asking a manager to wash your flashy wheels may be seen as demeaning to his position. This cannot be remedied, it is plain wrong.
Watch the level of your delegation in relation to the position and the persona of the unlucky underling just tasked with something unexpected. Watch the boomerang as well, never do for them what they are capable of doing themselves, especially when there is a cry for help: remember to skip the ‘show’ level; tell-watch-delegate is your answer.
This tip is an extract from the manuscript of “The Unconventional CEO: Common sense outside of conventional Management thinking” (by Mario Pretorius).
