What are you doing on your job that someone else can do just as well or better?
Smart managers who want to keep moving ahead on the career path ask themselves that crucial question every day.
Such an inquiry is the initial step in delegating your smaller, less critical responsibilities to others. Handing off to others those tasks that they can perform as effectively or better than you can is the only way you can gain the time and energy to concentrate on the key tasks that will build your career.
* Review Your Responsibilities
Take a hard look at your responsibilities and rank them according to their importance to the goals of your employer and to your reaching your career goals. As quickly as possible pass off those less imprtant tasks at the bottom of your list or priorities. Concentrate on becoming the best at carrying out your most important assignments.
You will know you are making progress up the career pyramid when you can declare “the only thing I can’t find someone else to do as well or better than I can is organizing and managing the people and resources in my span of control.” (After all, the real definition of management is the ability to accomplish goals through the effective use of resources and the proper utilization of people.)
* No One Likes To Give Up Power
Delegation of responsibilities is not easy. It is even harder to delegate authority. Both acts fly in the face of the temperament and psyche that make strong managers. But if delegation is to work to your benefit, it requires sharing authority commensurate with responsibility. Delegation means accepting the notion that other people need power to get things done.
I’ve never known an ambitious manager who really wanted to give up turf. Most achieving managers have healthy egos. Few take kindly to the idea that other people can do any job as well as they can.
But still they delegate responsibilities and authorities because they know that it is the only way they can grow.
I wish your career success!
Ramon Greenwood, Head Career Coach
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