Giving up and giving away is the hardest thing for mankind. Holding and hoarding gives us a sense of power and control and few want to give up. That is why so much is made out about the “Joy of giving” since people who experience it know what they gain rather than what they lose!
In the area of leadership and management, delegation is that giving. One has invested years to gain expertise, wealth and fortune and a time comes where that needs to be handed over to somebody else to continue and lead. Parents do this for the next generation with ease because family ties are in the close circle. The thinking changes when you give away to a stranger or worse, a compatriot who is in competition.
Looking at it differently, delegation is a personal transition from DOING to LEADING. Now that feels better because it seems like progression – and it is. Is delegation an art or a science?
For a hands-on person like me, delegation has proved to be the Achilles Heel in my leadership journey. My leadership theory was – delegate only that I have done or am able to do. This was consistent with by being an inherently hands-on person, ever willing to roll up my sleeves and get down to it. The story goes that after I made Partner in one of the firms that I was with, I could not change my habit of getting my own cup of coffee every morning rather than waiting for the office boy to get a cup – a privilege reserved for the Partners. And that is just a trivial example!
I had put up a rather direct post a few weeks ago that read “It’s convenient to delegate everything and DEMAND RESPECT without having experienced the hardship – get a taste of it yourself and then delegate – you will COMMAND it!”. Let me share my experience when I was on the receiving side. Earlier in my career, in the 90s, I respected my bosses and leaders who were capable of quickly stepping in when I was unfamiliar or grappling with something new. I realised that in the knowledge industry, that is particularly true. Knowledge is POWER. This was engrained as a habit of thought in my mind and I was quick to generalise. I do realise now that leadership is far wider and more complex than the knowledge industry alone. Knowledge is now freely available and ceases to be the sole power centre. As horizons widen, it is impossible for any individual to know or do everything. What is delegated is the authority to get things done in the way the delegate deems fit – to give her or him enough rope for them to use as much imagination, ingenuity, and initiative as possible. The SCIENCE of delegation is about giving subordinates a free hand on the HOW to do things, to make mistakes as she or he learns to grapple with complexity. The ART of delegation is to know when to release or pull the rope that is given. At the end of the day, RESPONSIBILITY cannot be delegated and must always remain with the leader. In short, delegation is encouraging EMPOWERMENT and as the generations change and demand more empowerment, our thinking must change. It is up to good leaders to overcome this fear of REDUNDANCY, the loss of power and keeping strings close to their chests….as DILBERT so experienced!
