Less Stress through Delegation
By: Adam Weber - Meditation Not Medicine
Tags: Stress And Anxiety, Delegation, Stress Management, Stress Relief, Stress

It has been a crazy, an eventful year. While Some have flourished, some have struggled, and everyone has experienced uncertainty. Lockdowns have kept us in quarantine, kids are home from school and life will never be the same, vaccine or not.

For many, what it has highlighted is the need to build a circle of those that we can delegate to. One of the most difficult transitions for many is letting go and making is the shift from doing to leading. I certainly wasn’t exempt from any of this. As I reflect on things and moving on to 2021. here are some thoughts for each of you so that you can get things done.

Delegation is one of the most powerful tools in your toolbox. Delegating involves empowering yourself by granting someone the job of doing something or accomplishing something on your behalf. In the short term you may have the stamina to get up earlier, stay later, and out-work the demands you face. But the inverse equation of shrinking resources and increasing demands will eventually catch up to you. The upper limit of what is possible when you delegate will increase only with each collaborator you empower to contribute their best work to your priorities.

On the surface, delegation may sound like common sense. Yet too many of us are in a constant state of overextension, which fuels an instinctive reaction to “protect” work. This survival instinct ultimately dilutes our impact through an ongoing, limited effect on others.

To know if you are guilty of holding on to too much, answer this simple question: If you had to take an unexpected week off work, would your initiatives and priorities advance in your absence?

If you answered no or if you’re unsure, then you may be more involved than essential. To raise the ceiling of your potential, you need to extend your presence through the actions of others. Regardless of your preferred methodology for delegation, here are four strategies that I’ve found work at all levels.

#1. Start with your reasons. When people lack understanding about why something matters and how they fit into it, they are less likely to care. But if you give them context about what’s at stake, how they fit into the big picture, and what’s unique about the opportunity, then you increase personal relevance and the odds of follow-through. Instead of giving just the business justification, make it a point to share your reasons.

#2. Inspire their commitment. People get excited about what is possible, but they commit only when they understand their role in making it happen. Once you have defined the work, clarified the scope of their contribution, and ensured that it aligns with their capacity, carefully communicate any and all additional expectations for complete understanding. This is crucial when you have a precise outcome or methodology in mind.

#3. Engage at the right level. It is essential to stay involved, but the degree matters. You should maintain engagement levels sufficient for you to deliver the agreed-upon mix of support and accountability. However, there are risks when the mix is not right: Too involved, and you could consciously or inadvertently micromanage those around you; too hands-off, and you could miss the critical moments where a supportive comment or vital piece of feedback would be essential. To pick your spot, simply ask people what the right level is based on their style. This not only clarifies the frequency of touchpoints they will find useful but also gives them autonomy in how the delegated work will move forward.

#4. Practice saying “yes,” “no,” and “yes, if.” This is the art and science of being selective. Successful investors don’t divert their money into every opportunity that comes their way, so we should be equally discerning with our time. Start by carefully assessing every demand that comes your way, and align the asks with the highest-valued contributions that you’re most skilled at making. For those requests that draw on this talent, you say yes and carve out the time and attention to be intimately involved. But for those requests that don’t align, you say yes, if… and immediately identify other people to accomplish the goals through their direct involvement. You may still consult, motivate, and lead — but you’re essential as the catalyst, not as the muscle doing the heavy lifting. This discerning approach may mean delegating some tasks to others, negotiating a reduction in your direct contribution, or just saying no while making the business case for why your effort and attention will have a greater impact elsewhere.

Staying mindful of these four strategies, working out the kinks, and becoming proficient at empowering others to deliver their best builds your capacity to get the job done through the contributions of others. With this momentum you’ll be able to focus on the secondary potential of your deliberate collaboration: to leverage each delegated task as an opportunity for others’ development. Then, over time, they too can be more essential and less involved.

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