Being a manager is difficult. It’s sometimes difficult to know what tasks you should do yourself and what you should give to your team. I’ve adopted the Delegate then do methodology for myself.
Delegate everything you can to anybody on your team who can accomplish the task. Do this by default. Give your team the benefit of the doubt, and give them difficult tasks that they’ll have to rise to the occasion for. Make sure they’re supported and set up for success, but don’t hold back a tasks for somebody on your team because you’re not sure. You must push to grow.
Do, anything that is left over is your ask.
Do not select for “fun.” If anything, opt to give fun tasks to your team, they’ll appreciate the fun tasks and be more successful.
Consider using this framework
- Do what you must: What can only be accomplished by you? Train and develop your team to reduce this pool of tasks.
- Do what is necessary: What unblocks the most number of people? Grow your team and help them communicate so you are not a bottleneck.
- Do what is left: What isn’t being accomplished by your team, because it is difficult, boring, or confusing? If you’ve delegated something, but it’s not getting done because it’s too difficult, boring, or confusing consider taking it back and doing slogging through it yourself.
Posted By: Joe Basirico