Here’s an article on “Why Delegating Tasks Before a Vacation Never Works.”
What the article does is remind me of how appreciative I am to get to work with the team of people I work with every day.
Written by the head of what must be a terrific Boston-based management consultancy called Prepared to Lead, the Harvard Business Review article by Carol A. Walker is well-written, clear, and helpful.
It’s a step by step guide on how to think differently about the work we do together, and how our efforts, engagement, success, and growth are tied together. These are some good suggestions:
- Put the assignment into context so that the employee understands why they are getting the assignment and how it fits into their personal development in the organization.
- Explain what the critical deliverables or outcomes are, why they are important, and how they will affect the organization.
- Clarify expectations that the employee will drive the assignment to completion by establishing a clear execution plan and proactively communicating on progress and milestones.
- Use language throughout the process that makes it clear that you are focused on the employee’s success and development.
When I get back from vacation in Northern California, on August 14, I’ll put a bit of time into this.
Meanwhile, I’ll just be grateful that our team will do its best to see to your needs for information and conversation here, because each of those team members cares a lot about helping builders build better.
See you Monday, August 14.
