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Women And Delegation
Why is it so hard for the average manager – and especially the average woman – to delegate? AW identifies a few possibilities.
by Manda Turetsky, MS, MBA
November 17, 2008
A
key difference between a mere overworked supervisor and a truly effective, powerful
leader is delegation - the ability to strategically assign responsibilities and tasks to others.
Delegation frees up the time and energy of the manager, so that she can focus on her larger
responsibilities. It also empowers employees, increasing their personal investment in work,
improving job satisfaction and decreasing turnover. Good delegation ensures that each individual is
working at his or her most productive, while allowing room for the work-life balance that is
critical to any job.
Yet, despite these benefits, many managers are reluctant to delegate responsibility, or lack
the skills to do so effectively. So why is it so hard for the average manager - and especially the
average woman - to delegate?
1. Old Habits Die Hard. Most managers earned their titles and
promotions by being the best of the best "worker bees," with their own efficient and productive
ways of doing things. After promotion, a manager may feel more, not less, ownership over the
processes that used to be her main focus. It can be hard for a new manager to resist the urge to
spend time and energy over-managing her old processes. When you're a leader, however, your
responsibility is no longer perfection in each minor task, but the overall success of the whole – a
much larger job that requires a change in focus.
2. "It's Just Faster to Do It Myself." This is usually true. At
first. Yes, teaching someone else to take over a new process is time-consuming; it requires hours,
energy and patience that a manager might tell herself that she doesn't have to spare right now. But
after the short teaching and learning period is over, she can spend less and less time assisting
with or monitoring that particular process. And once that time is freed up, it's hers to keep!
3. Risk Aversion. Whenever responsibility is delegated to
another person, there is inherent risk that the job will not be done exactly the way the manager
herself would do it, that it won't be done as well, or in the worst case scenario, that it won't be
done at all. This can make it hard to let go of the reigns and trust the process. But part of a
good manager's job is to offer others the opportunity to hone their skills and to learn from
mistakes, which means leaving room for failures as well as success.
4. Confusion Between "Tasks" and "Responsibilities." It's easy
to delegate individual tasks: answer the phones, file these papers, write this proposal, etc. Many
managers think that by simply giving tasks to others, they are delegating. But true delegation is
about empowering workers with new responsibilities: ensure that our customers have the best
possible experience, keep the office organized, get us six new clients this year. The difference
with true delegation is that the employee, not the manager, owns the process of getting to the
desired result.
5. Black and White Thinking. Somewhere deep down, many managers
believe that they must be either completely "hands off," or involved in every minor detail of work.
The truth is somewhere in between. Delegation is a collaborative process, and it looks a little
different for each manager and employee. Typically the best approach is to start small, with minor
projects that are easy to monitor and to increase the level of responsibility as trust is earned
and performance improves. Always agree together on the times and ways that the manager and employee
will "check in" on the progress of a project and resist the temptation to ask for frequent or
off-the-cuff updates.
6. "People won't like me." This self-talk plagues more female
managers than male. We worry that by delegating responsibilities from a position of authority,
we'll be seen as a bossy, demanding witch. To get past this hurdle, women leaders should first
spend time addressing their own internal issues about being in a leadership position. Next, enter
the delegation conversation with confidence, and be sure to set collaborative goals with the
employee to whom you are delegating. Frame things in a positive light, such as, "I really feel that
you are ready to take on the new responsibility of ..." Be firm about expectations and adherence to
your agreed-on check-ins. Once you've done all you can to be fair, don't worry what anyone thinks!
7. Power Problems. New managers, and women in particular, have
often fought long and hard to attain a sense of power in their careers. So once a position of power
is finally reached and acknowledged, it can be hard to take off the battle armor. This can create
two types of normal – but not terribly productive – reactions. The first is to cling to power at
all costs, making it hard to let go of control over even the smallest of responsibilities. (Hello,
80-hour workweek!) The other reaction is a manager's unconscious desire to ensure that others
experience the same "trial by fire" that she experienced on the way up the ladder. This can lead to
harsh and unrealistic expectations. Neither reaction is conducive to great delegation. Awareness of
feelings and a willingness to be flexible are great antidotes to both these issues.
Manda Turetsky, MS, MBA is a therapist, life coach and author based in Atlanta. She is the author of Running (Together) on Empty: Helping your Family Stay Happy and Healthy During Difficult Economic Times. The book is available for download at www.flourishconsulting.com/publications.html.
