Sean Glaze breaks down a four-step delegation framework: pick a Hungry Hustler, define the task explicitly (not vaguely), set a review date, and frame it as their growth opportunity. Delegation builds team capability when you hand off the baton clearly instead of just throwing flowers.
So how do you delegate activities so you develop your team as an effective leader? You've heard me talk before about to-do lists and identifying what needs to be deleted, what needs to be delayed, what needs to be delegated, and then what you need to get done. When you've decided that it's time to delegate, and that should always be sooner rather than later, there are 4 things you need to think about: the who, the what, the when, and the why of delegation. The who is very important. Who can always be the Hungry Hustler. That's somebody who you understand is already cleaning their plate and asking for more. But you can also turn employees into owners by giving them responsibility and helping them develop by giving them ownership of something that they then have control over. Once you've identified the who, the next thing is the what. What is the thing that you need to delegate to help them to grow? Now, it's important here for you to understand that you should never throw flowers. Instead, you should hand off the baton. If you've ever been to a wedding, you've seen the bride turn her back and throw flowers and forget about them and hope they're taken care of. Maybe somebody will catch it. That's not how you delegate. What you want to do is to choose somebody specifically who's already on the track that you can hand the baton to and know that they're going to run with it. That's going to be something you do by identifying what specifically needs to be done, clarifying what the parameters are, and then sharing when you're going to review the activity that they've completed. The final thing is for you to, in that delegation conversation, discuss the why, and for them to understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not for your convenience, but it's for their development and growth. That's how you inspire people to take on the tasks that need to get delegated so your team continues to grow. I'm Sean Glaze. That's what effective leaders do.
