December 03, 2019

80: Shift Your Mindset and Start Delegating

18 minutes

Delegation is a critical skill for any manager, but did you know it’s also a mindset? Many of us have had less than ideal experiences delegating in the past, making us weary of trying again. It’s almost impossible to delegate successfully if deep down, you don’t believe it will work out. It’s time for a shift in mindset.

In this episode, I talk through three common fears around delegating (which I’ve personally experienced and heard from other managers) and how to shift your approach so you can move past these excuses and prepare to delegate effectively.

The full episode guide includes an overview of the 5 common fears, questions for reflection and recommendations for how to move past your concerns. Get it when you join the Modern Manager community or purchase the full guide individually at www.mamieks.com/store.

Get the free mini-guide for this episode at www.mamieks.com/miniguides.

Register for my course on delegation: Make More Time: Everything a manager needs to know to delegate successfully. Registration closes January 10, 2020. Early bird pricing ends December 31, 2019. Get a special bonus PDF “5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Delegating” for free when you sign up before December 20th.

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Read the related blog article: Prepare Your Mind to Delegate Successfully

Key Takeaways:

Delegation is one of the best ways to create more time for yourself.

Delegating requires the right mindset along with an effective process for planning, communicating and managing to a successful result.

Often we avoid delegating out of fear. Three common fears are: (1) Fear we’ll look bad; (2) fear we’ll spend more (rather than save) time; and (3) fear of letting go of what we enjoy.

Your time is your most precious resource. If you believe that, why would you spend it on activities that are not the most meaningful or valuable for you?

Start small and build trust over time. Delegate a task (straightforward) before handing over an outcome (complex or uncertain).

Delegate the first draft or a component of the work instead of the entire piece.

Just because you enjoy something or are good at it doesn’t mean your the best person to do that work.

Consider how the other person will benefit from taking on this work. It’s not only about benefiting you.

Consider what you will gain by having additional time. How might you spend it in more important or meaningful ways?

Delegating may take more time up front to properly prepare and offer support, but in the long run, you’ll gain that time and often more.

Additional Resources:

Episode 22: Keys for Successful Delegation with guest Dave Stachowiak.

Online course: Make More Time: Everything a manager needs to know to delegate successfully.

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By Mamie Kanfer Stewart

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