today in black history

March 18, 2024

Civil rights pioneer Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth was born on this date in 1922 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Delegate.

POSTED: August 07, 2009, 1:17 am

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One of the easiest ways to avoid burn out and stress is to commit or entrust work and responsibilities to another. Sharing the workload frees you up to relax, to take care of other commitments, and to focus on areas that truly need your attention.

Why do you have employees and partners if you are doing all the work yourself? Why did you marry that great guy if you are doing all the parenting? In both cases, it is a huge waste of resources, just so you can have everything just the way you like it. Haven’t you found yet that there are not enough hours in a day to have everything exactly to your specifications? Control is the biggest reason why you refuse to delegate responsibilities. You are totally convinced that no one can do the job the way you can. You tell yourself, “Let me do it. I can do it faster and better. Save myself a lot of headache”. Maybe, you gave the job out once before and someone made a complete mess of it. Or, here’s the biggy…if left up to dad, the kids would eat Captain Crunch every morning! Heaven forbid!


Here are at least three things you gain by delegating more:
1.    TIME is precious. There are only 24 hours in a day and about half of that time needs to be spent resting, eating, and communing with loved ones. The other half would benefit from a calendar, a to-do list, AND your support team. Your support team includes your partners, employees, boss, spouse, children, agent…you name it – anyone you can share the workload with.
2.    TRUST grows when people feel valued. Why have people around if you don’t really believe they can get the job done? Why are they your partner if you are carrying a bulk of the workload?
3.    EMPOWERED folks around you. You will have all the time you need for a night out with the girls if you are willing to let your husband parent “his” way. The same is true for the employee who is allowed some free reign. People who are valued and entrusted with responsibility tend to exude confidence and are apt to perform with a sense of ownership.

Delegating is not simple. It requires give and take and clear communication about expectations.

If you have questions or comments about delegating, contact Sandra A. Daley at info@sandradaley.com or visit http://www.sandradaley.com. If you like this blog, you might also like A Different Perspective


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