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Add You - Delegate to Accelerate Success (How to Prepare Yourself and Others for Success)
So, it seems pretty safe to say that if you are familiar with the general questions one can be asked, you can answer them very confidently AND ease the pressure you may experience. Do you recall your high school or college speech class? Many of the techniques utilized during a speech can also be helpful during your interview. It may feel like an oral examination, but there will always be one aspect in your favor: nine times out of ten, there are no wrong answers! As far as the person conducting the interview is concerned, the questions are available for them to learn about you. Therefore, who better to have the correct answers concerning yourself then, well . . . yourself!There are more ways nowadays to find assistance with job interviews -- and the entire process thereof -- than a decade ago. First, (and I am sure that you have noticed) the Internet is one of our best resources of information that we, as a people, have ever had. However, there will always be those who feel that something as simple as an interview for a job does not require much assistance. Either that, or perhaps they are misinformed, and do not realize that there is help out there.The Internet is so full of possibilities, it is sometimes difficult to decipher through the mediocre stuff – in order to find the right amount of assistance you have been searching for. The Internet is always going to be your best resource, since there is so much information in one location. I nearly panicked at the first question I was asked, in my first high school job interview. My future boss looked me over, then sternly questioned, “Why are you interested in working here?” I paused, because – even though I was young – I was smart enough to have learned tha
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your Blocks to Customer Focus
Despite all the proclamations, catchy advertising slogans, and customer service publicity, service levels have improved only marginally in the last few years. As Harvard Business School professor, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, puts it "Despite the recent media coronation of King Customer, many customers will remain commoners... most businesses today say that they serve customers. In reality, they serve themselves."The problem is that most organizations only talk about customer service improvement. Many executives don't understand what outstanding customer service really looks, aren't ready to turn their organization inside out to provide it, are trying to paint happy smiles on their frontline service providers, or are bolting a customer service program on the side of their organization rather than making it a part of their core strategy.Here are some of the biggest reasons that so few organizations successfully turn their customer service rhetoric into reality:• Little or no segmentation of markets and customer groups. The organization is trying to be everything to everybody. Customers are lumped into one indistinguishable mass and their expectations (if they've been gathered at all) aren't weighted, ranked, and segmented.• Little or no customer data. When it is collected (such as an occasional survey) positive feedback is acknowledged. But negative data is denied (usually by challenging the survey methodology). Budget priorities are set, cost containment initiated, and resources allocated with little, if any, systematic connection to customer priorities and expectations. Improvement activities are focused on what the organization or management considers important.• The organization is managed
In my opinion, the decision on who would receive the job came down to one thing…delegation. Both Bill and Kwame delegated tasks to their "team members" and achieved success. However, Kwame was asked several questions by Mr. Trump relating to how Kwame handled one team member, Omarosa Manigult-Stallworth. Mr. Trump wondered why Kwame let Omarosa get away with lying to him and not working with the other team members to make the project successful. Kwame responded to Mr. Trump that he didn’t know he could fire Omarosa. Mr. Trump stated that Kwame should have asked if he could fire Omarosa.
Bill Rancic got the job. This drives home the point…learn how to delegate to accelerate success both for you, your organization, and your team.
If we know it is an important key for our success, why don’t we delegate? Here are some of the excuses I routinely hear:
* No Time – I have no time to teach a team member the
tasks.
* No Energy – It takes a lot of energy to follow-up and
keep team members on task for success.
* I Can Do It Better – I know what needs to be done and
can do it better and faster so I’ll just do it.
* Why Should I? – Why should I train someone to do my
job?
Why? If you are in a leadership position, your job is to take the time and the energy to train others to do more so that the you, your team, and your organization are more successful.
Well, what are the benefits of quality delegation?
1. You multiply yourself – The more you delegate, the more
you create team members that can accomplish much more
in much less time. You are known as someone who gets
things done with self-directed teams.
2. You create a motivated group – The more you delegate,
the more your team members are motivated because they
see you as someone who trusts them and their abilities to
get things accomplished. Because your team is motivated,
they take more initiative to create solutions, be more
creative, and are willing to take on more responsibilities.
3. You master stress and time management skills – You are
forced to prioritize your tasks and realize that there are
tasks that you do not need to do, yet would be perfect
tasks to develop your team members. By learning how to
prioritize your tasks for delegation, you will be less
stressed during the workday and go home at the end of the
day satisfied that you accomplished more.
4. You are known as a person who develops people – The
more you delegate, the more you will be known within the
organization as a person who develops people. Remember,
even when you think no one is watching, someone is
always watching the way you achieve success by
developing your people. Whether it’s management, other
teams, departments or divisions, someone is watching.
The word will spread about how well you develop people.
The results, management will see you as a developer of
people; and other employees, both inside and outside of
your organization, will fight to work for you because they
know you have a motivated, creative working environment.
5. You create opportunities for yourself and others – By
delegating tasks to others, you can then take on more
advanced tasks that will prepare you for future
opportunities when they become available. This is the
main reason why the excuse "if I delegate my tasks to my
employees, then they can take my job" doesn’t fly in my
book. Another reason why you delegate tasks is so that
you can develop yourself for future promotions, monetary,
and career opportunities. For example, if you want to
become vice president for your organization and you know
that skills B, M, Z are required by all vice presidents, then
delegate any management tasks that you have already
mastered to your team members so that you can then ask
for more "vice presidential" tasks. When that position is
available within or outside of the organization, who do you
think will have the inside track? You will! Because you
can say you already have the skills of a vice president,
while developing the people behind you to fill the void
when you are promoted. Also, as a leader, you never want
your team members to be with you in the same position
forever. Thus, delegating tasks continuously prepares
them for opportunities that may come their way.
So how do we successfully delegate tasks? Here are my seven steps to delegating tasks to achieve success. These tips can not only be used in your organization for more success, but in every aspect of your life to accomplish more.
1. Understand the Task
Make sure you understand the task so that you can clearly communicate the task to the person undertaking the task. You must also understand what barriers and resources are required to succeed.
Also, you must understand what tools you have to make the task successful. Along with resources needed, if the person isn’t progressing on the task, what options do you have as a leader and manager to make it successful? Questions you can ask is, "Can I provide additional training?" or "Can I acquire additional tools?" Or if they are not suited for the task, ask these questions, "Can I reassign them?" or if they turn out to be detrimental to the project or team, "What actions can I take to alleviate this situation?" Make sure you click on the "Delegation Checklist" link at the end of this article to receive your f*r*e*e copy of this important tool that will give you the tools to make the best decisions when delegating tasks.
2. Find the Right Person
Find the person who is motivated to take on the task. You may have someone who has the skills to do the task but is not motivated to do it. This situation will not work. However, if you have someone that doesn’t have the skills, but is highly motivated to learn and is excited about the opportunity, then this is a good candidate for delegation. The person must also be motivated to take on this task for the good of the group as well as his/her own motivations. You might ask, "How does this assignment help you achieve your career goals?" It also helps the person has good communications skills to express any concerns.
3. Communicate the Task
Take the time to clearly communicate the task. Communicate the expectations of the task. And most importantly, communicate the ownership of the task. What I mean is that the person assigned to the task will be ultimately responsible for the success of the task. When communicating responsibility for the task, let the person know the consequences of not completing the task and the rewards of completing the task. For example, you might say something like this:
"Mike, this report to justify the new computer system is important because if it is not done on time our division will not have the tools to meet our customer’s needs. By putting together the report by the June 15th deadline we will qualify for the new computer system which will allow our division to exceed customer service expectations, increase our organization’s bottom line and earn you a bigger bonus and positive exposure for future opportunities. I know you will do what it takes to make this happen."
Note: If possible, show the employee how to do the task. Telling and showing the person delegated the task enhances the probability of his/her understanding and being confident with the task.
4. Provide Resources, Remove Barriers
Now is our opportunity to make sure that the person we are delegating the task to has the resources. Whether it is the time, people, or technology, it is our responsibility to find out after understanding the task, picking the right person, and communicating the task to provide the resources for success. I have seen time and time again in a variety of organizations where the person delegated the task has the ownership for its success but doesn’t have the resources to be successful. Take the time to ask the following question, "What resources will you need to be successful?"
Also find out what barriers might be in the way to successful completion of the task and eliminate them. This could be people, organizational restrictions, or lack of knowledge. For example, with people, the task you assign might require the person assigned the task to work with someone who has a "challenging personality." Knowing this, you could make sure that this person with the "challenging personality" understands the importance of this task so that he/she does not hinder the success of the task.
Note: Let the person delegated know that you have an open door should he/she have any questions concerning the task. Open communication is important for this arrangement to work.
When you provide resources and remove barriers for the person delegated the task, you are ensuring complete ownership for the success of the task.
5. Guarantee Understanding
Make sure when the person leaves the meeting, that he/she understands exactly what is expected. The typical interaction between a manager or supervisor and the employee is the manager asks, "Do you understand everything we discussed?" and the employee of course says, "Yes." Then a week later the manager is disappointed with the results of the task and asks, "What happened?" and the employee says, "I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do." We set that employee up for failure by not taking the time to make sure he/she understood what was expected to make this task successful.
By asking the question, "Mike, do you understand the task at hand?" you receive a closed-ended, or yes or no, answer. It doesn’t give you one ounce of information on whether the person understands the project.
By asking an open-ended question, "Mike, please share with me your understanding of what is required to make this task successful?" the person giving the answer is required to give a comprehensive answer detailing his/her thoughts on the task at hand. The answer will give you an indication as to whether the task is understood or not. Also, at this point, the employee may give you in the answer a totally different and better way to accomplish the task.
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your How to Squeeze More Profit and Cash Flow Out of Your Cleaning Business
When an entrepreneur takes the plunge and starts his or her own cleaning company, the first concern is how to get clients. Once up and running, the day-to-day tasks take over and the goal of owning a business - making a profit - is sometimes lost. But your cleaning business cannot survive and grow unless there is more money coming in than going out.Unless you are an MBA or CPA, the numbers game can get quite confusing. It is not just a matter of paying bills and balancing a checkbook. To know if your cleaning business is clearing a profit you have to look at accounts receivables, accounts payables, deductions, and depreciation, and then take a close look at your balance sheet. An MBA is not needed to understand the financial part of your cleaning business. However, it's a good idea to have a basic knowledge of accounting so you can decipher if your business is in the "red" or in the "black".A business owner needs to keep in mind that profit is not the same as cash flow. Calculate your profit by subtracting expenses from net income. An example of profit is a cleaning job in which you charge your client $500 and your expenses are $200. The profit from the job is $300; however, until the client pays the bill you do not really have that $300.Cash flow is another way to measure your cleaning company's financial health. What is cash flow? It is the cash receipts minus cash payments over a certain period of time. Paying attention and tracking the cash flow of your business is an important management task that you should not overlook. A positive cash flow means that you are bringing in more money than you are paying out, so your cash flow is often a more accurate financial picture of your business.Ang to take on more responsibilities.
3. You master stress and time management skills – You are
forced to prioritize your tasks and realize that there are
tasks that you do not need to do, yet would be perfect
tasks to develop your team members. By learning how to
prioritize your tasks for delegation, you will be less
stressed during the workday and go home at the end of the
day satisfied that you accomplished more.
4. You are known as a person who develops people – The
more you delegate, the more you will be known within the
organization as a person who develops people. Remember,
even when you think no one is watching, someone is
always watching the way you achieve success by
developing your people. Whether it’s management, other
teams, departments or divisions, someone is watching.
The word will spread about how well you develop people.
The results, management will see you as a developer of
people; and other employees, both inside and outside of
your organization, will fight to work for you because they
know you have a motivated, creative working environment.
5. You create opportunities for yourself and others – By
delegating tasks to others, you can then take on more
advanced tasks that will prepare you for future
opportunities when they become available. This is the
main reason why the excuse "if I delegate my tasks to my
employees, then they can take my job" doesn’t fly in my
book. Another reason why you delegate tasks is so that
you can develop yourself for future promotions, monetary,
and career opportunities. For example, if you want to
become vice president for your organization and you know
that skills B, M, Z are required by all vice presidents, then
delegate any management tasks that you have already
mastered to your team members so that you can then ask
for more "vice presidential" tasks. When that position is
available within or outside of the organization, who do you
think will have the inside track? You will! Because you
can say you already have the skills of a vice president,
while developing the people behind you to fill the void
when you are promoted. Also, as a leader, you never want
your team members to be with you in the same position
forever. Thus, delegating tasks continuously prepares
them for opportunities that may come their way.
So how do we successfully delegate tasks? Here are my seven steps to delegating tasks to achieve success. These tips can not only be used in your organization for more success, but in every aspect of your life to accomplish more.
1. Understand the Task
Make sure you understand the task so that you can clearly communicate the task to the person undertaking the task. You must also understand what barriers and resources are required to succeed.
Also, you must understand what tools you have to make the task successful. Along with resources needed, if the person isn’t progressing on the task, what options do you have as a leader and manager to make it successful? Questions you can ask is, "Can I provide additional training?" or "Can I acquire additional tools?" Or if they are not suited for the task, ask these questions, "Can I reassign them?" or if they turn out to be detrimental to the project or team, "What actions can I take to alleviate this situation?" Make sure you click on the "Delegation Checklist" link at the end of this article to receive your f*r*e*e copy of this important tool that will give you the tools to make the best decisions when delegating tasks.
2. Find the Right Person
Find the person who is motivated to take on the task. You may have someone who has the skills to do the task but is not motivated to do it. This situation will not work. However, if you have someone that doesn’t have the skills, but is highly motivated to learn and is excited about the opportunity, then this is a good candidate for delegation. The person must also be motivated to take on this task for the good of the group as well as his/her own motivations. You might ask, "How does this assignment help you achieve your career goals?" It also helps the person has good communications skills to express any concerns.
3. Communicate the Task
Take the time to clearly communicate the task. Communicate the expectations of the task. And most importantly, communicate the ownership of the task. What I mean is that the person assigned to the task will be ultimately responsible for the success of the task. When communicating responsibility for the task, let the person know the consequences of not completing the task and the rewards of completing the task. For example, you might say something like this:
"Mike, this report to justify the new computer system is important because if it is not done on time our division will not have the tools to meet our customer’s needs. By putting together the report by the June 15th deadline we will qualify for the new computer system which will allow our division to exceed customer service expectations, increase our organization’s bottom line and earn you a bigger bonus and positive exposure for future opportunities. I know you will do what it takes to make this happen."
Note: If possible, show the employee how to do the task. Telling and showing the person delegated the task enhances the probability of his/her understanding and being confident with the task.
4. Provide Resources, Remove Barriers
Now is our opportunity to make sure that the person we are delegating the task to has the resources. Whether it is the time, people, or technology, it is our responsibility to find out after understanding the task, picking the right person, and communicating the task to provide the resources for success. I have seen time and time again in a variety of organizations where the person delegated the task has the ownership for its success but doesn’t have the resources to be successful. Take the time to ask the following question, "What resources will you need to be successful?"
Also find out what barriers might be in the way to successful completion of the task and eliminate them. This could be people, organizational restrictions, or lack of knowledge. For example, with people, the task you assign might require the person assigned the task to work with someone who has a "challenging personality." Knowing this, you could make sure that this person with the "challenging personality" understands the importance of this task so that he/she does not hinder the success of the task.
Note: Let the person delegated know that you have an open door should he/she have any questions concerning the task. Open communication is important for this arrangement to work.
When you provide resources and remove barriers for the person delegated the task, you are ensuring complete ownership for the success of the task.
5. Guarantee Understanding
Make sure when the person leaves the meeting, that he/she understands exactly what is expected. The typical interaction between a manager or supervisor and the employee is the manager asks, "Do you understand everything we discussed?" and the employee of course says, "Yes." Then a week later the manager is disappointed with the results of the task and asks, "What happened?" and the employee says, "I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do." We set that employee up for failure by not taking the time to make sure he/she understood what was expected to make this task successful.
By asking the question, "Mike, do you understand the task at hand?" you receive a closed-ended, or yes or no, answer. It doesn’t give you one ounce of information on whether the person understands the project.
By asking an open-ended question, "Mike, please share with me your understanding of what is required to make this task successful?" the person giving the answer is required to give a comprehensive answer detailing his/her thoughts on the task at hand. The answer will give you an indication as to whether the task is understood or not. Also, at this point, the employee may give you in the answer a totally different and better way to accomplish the task.
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your Machine Quilting: Hit The Accelerator
Machine quilting is becoming more and more popular by the day. Long gone are the days when you would sit down with a quilting frame and manually hand sew it until you are satisfied that it is well designed and will stand the test of time. If you still do use that method then you should really try machine quilting for size. If you do not like it then it is your choice, but you owe it to yourself to try out the technology that may just save you a lot of time and make it more enjoyable as a pastime. Some quilters love machine quilting, especially those that are new to the hobby, but some prefer to stick to the traditional methods of quilting instead. The choice is yours!Hand-Sewing Vs. Machine SewingYou have to be creative if you want to create works of art via quilting. There are various patterns that you can follow but it is much more satisfying to come up with your own designs and create a style for yourself. Hand sewn quilts are symbolic of the effort that individuals are prepared to put into their handiwork and if you make your quilts that way then you should be proud of yourself. However, you may well have to wait for weeks and weeks before you can finally add the finishing touches to one quilt. With machine quilting, however, you can easily create beautiful quilts in just a few days. Machine quilting is the in thing at the moment as a direct result of that. A machine can power a needle quite easily through several layers of fabric and gives you the freedom to choose the type of stitching that you want without having to manually learn how to do it!Machine quiltingcan offer some distinct advantages over hand ccess, but in every aspect of your life to accomplish more.
1. Understand the Task
Make sure you understand the task so that you can clearly communicate the task to the person undertaking the task. You must also understand what barriers and resources are required to succeed.
Also, you must understand what tools you have to make the task successful. Along with resources needed, if the person isn’t progressing on the task, what options do you have as a leader and manager to make it successful? Questions you can ask is, "Can I provide additional training?" or "Can I acquire additional tools?" Or if they are not suited for the task, ask these questions, "Can I reassign them?" or if they turn out to be detrimental to the project or team, "What actions can I take to alleviate this situation?" Make sure you click on the "Delegation Checklist" link at the end of this article to receive your f*r*e*e copy of this important tool that will give you the tools to make the best decisions when delegating tasks.
2. Find the Right Person
Find the person who is motivated to take on the task. You may have someone who has the skills to do the task but is not motivated to do it. This situation will not work. However, if you have someone that doesn’t have the skills, but is highly motivated to learn and is excited about the opportunity, then this is a good candidate for delegation. The person must also be motivated to take on this task for the good of the group as well as his/her own motivations. You might ask, "How does this assignment help you achieve your career goals?" It also helps the person has good communications skills to express any concerns.
3. Communicate the Task
Take the time to clearly communicate the task. Communicate the expectations of the task. And most importantly, communicate the ownership of the task. What I mean is that the person assigned to the task will be ultimately responsible for the success of the task. When communicating responsibility for the task, let the person know the consequences of not completing the task and the rewards of completing the task. For example, you might say something like this:
"Mike, this report to justify the new computer system is important because if it is not done on time our division will not have the tools to meet our customer’s needs. By putting together the report by the June 15th deadline we will qualify for the new computer system which will allow our division to exceed customer service expectations, increase our organization’s bottom line and earn you a bigger bonus and positive exposure for future opportunities. I know you will do what it takes to make this happen."
Note: If possible, show the employee how to do the task. Telling and showing the person delegated the task enhances the probability of his/her understanding and being confident with the task.
4. Provide Resources, Remove Barriers
Now is our opportunity to make sure that the person we are delegating the task to has the resources. Whether it is the time, people, or technology, it is our responsibility to find out after understanding the task, picking the right person, and communicating the task to provide the resources for success. I have seen time and time again in a variety of organizations where the person delegated the task has the ownership for its success but doesn’t have the resources to be successful. Take the time to ask the following question, "What resources will you need to be successful?"
Also find out what barriers might be in the way to successful completion of the task and eliminate them. This could be people, organizational restrictions, or lack of knowledge. For example, with people, the task you assign might require the person assigned the task to work with someone who has a "challenging personality." Knowing this, you could make sure that this person with the "challenging personality" understands the importance of this task so that he/she does not hinder the success of the task.
Note: Let the person delegated know that you have an open door should he/she have any questions concerning the task. Open communication is important for this arrangement to work.
When you provide resources and remove barriers for the person delegated the task, you are ensuring complete ownership for the success of the task.
5. Guarantee Understanding
Make sure when the person leaves the meeting, that he/she understands exactly what is expected. The typical interaction between a manager or supervisor and the employee is the manager asks, "Do you understand everything we discussed?" and the employee of course says, "Yes." Then a week later the manager is disappointed with the results of the task and asks, "What happened?" and the employee says, "I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do." We set that employee up for failure by not taking the time to make sure he/she understood what was expected to make this task successful.
By asking the question, "Mike, do you understand the task at hand?" you receive a closed-ended, or yes or no, answer. It doesn’t give you one ounce of information on whether the person understands the project.
By asking an open-ended question, "Mike, please share with me your understanding of what is required to make this task successful?" the person giving the answer is required to give a comprehensive answer detailing his/her thoughts on the task at hand. The answer will give you an indication as to whether the task is understood or not. Also, at this point, the employee may give you in the answer a totally different and better way to accomplish the task.
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your Career Advice: What's Happened To Your New Year's Resolutions?
Over one-fourth of 2006 is history. What did you accomplished in this quarter of the
year toward fulfilling your New Year's Resolution?If you are like most people you will have fallen behind in accomplishing your
resolutions for 2006 or abandoned them entirely. That is a harsh reality, not easy to
face. But it's not too late to make the effort to turn your good resolutions into
accomplishments.A New Year Begins TodayThere are 10 actions you can take to help turn your resolutions into achievements
by the end of the year.1. Make certain the goals you have set for 2006 are in fact realistic and attainable.
They should be a real stretch, but reachable with your best efforts. It’s fine, for
example, to resolve to win a big promotion, but it's not realistic to expect to make it
all the way to the top in one leap.If upon sober reflection any one or all of your resolutions seem unrealistic or if your
career goals have changed, do not hesitate to make a new set of resolutions for the
remainder of 2006. Begin a new year today.2. Take a hard look of what happened to your resolutions in 2005. Learn from your
accomplishments and failures.3. Make a plan and work it. Quantify each goal. Be sure to include actions to be
taken with deadlines, as well as practical ways to measure progress at least once
each month.4. Put unrelenting pressure on yourself to make progress toward your goals every
day. Accept no excuses for failing to meet deadlines.5. Treat your resolutions as a binding contract with yourself. Put the contract in
writing. Post the document in a prominent place so it will be seen every day. (The
bathroom mirror is a good place.) S to make this happen."
Note: If possible, show the employee how to do the task. Telling and showing the person delegated the task enhances the probability of his/her understanding and being confident with the task.
4. Provide Resources, Remove Barriers
Now is our opportunity to make sure that the person we are delegating the task to has the resources. Whether it is the time, people, or technology, it is our responsibility to find out after understanding the task, picking the right person, and communicating the task to provide the resources for success. I have seen time and time again in a variety of organizations where the person delegated the task has the ownership for its success but doesn’t have the resources to be successful. Take the time to ask the following question, "What resources will you need to be successful?"
Also find out what barriers might be in the way to successful completion of the task and eliminate them. This could be people, organizational restrictions, or lack of knowledge. For example, with people, the task you assign might require the person assigned the task to work with someone who has a "challenging personality." Knowing this, you could make sure that this person with the "challenging personality" understands the importance of this task so that he/she does not hinder the success of the task.
Note: Let the person delegated know that you have an open door should he/she have any questions concerning the task. Open communication is important for this arrangement to work.
When you provide resources and remove barriers for the person delegated the task, you are ensuring complete ownership for the success of the task.
5. Guarantee Understanding
Make sure when the person leaves the meeting, that he/she understands exactly what is expected. The typical interaction between a manager or supervisor and the employee is the manager asks, "Do you understand everything we discussed?" and the employee of course says, "Yes." Then a week later the manager is disappointed with the results of the task and asks, "What happened?" and the employee says, "I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do." We set that employee up for failure by not taking the time to make sure he/she understood what was expected to make this task successful.
By asking the question, "Mike, do you understand the task at hand?" you receive a closed-ended, or yes or no, answer. It doesn’t give you one ounce of information on whether the person understands the project.
By asking an open-ended question, "Mike, please share with me your understanding of what is required to make this task successful?" the person giving the answer is required to give a comprehensive answer detailing his/her thoughts on the task at hand. The answer will give you an indication as to whether the task is understood or not. Also, at this point, the employee may give you in the answer a totally different and better way to accomplish the task.
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your Showing Appreciation to Workplace Un-Sung Heroes
Millions of Un-Sung Heroes are born every minute! They are found everywhere—on street corners, in our homes, offices, and communities—wherever there are people in need of rescue. These special people, whose positive actions and initiatives are performed to benefit others, are not famous or in the news for what they are doing; but their efforts affect, enrich and touch countless lives.Every business has these Un-Sung Heroes. They are the receptionists, secretaries, and administrative professionals we rely on daily to keep the wheels of corporate America turning.The role of the office professional has changed significantly as reliance on technology and office automation has increased. Downsizing or organizational restructuring has led secretaries and administrative assistants to assume a wider range of new responsibilities that were once the property of management and senior professional staff.How to Identify the Un-Sung Heroes in Your OfficeUn-Sung Heroes are easy to recognize, but just in case you can’t find them in your office, here is a simple way to help you spot their contributions.
You frequently go to them for coordination of office administrative and support activities.They are walking libraries of information you need to service your clients.You often rely on them for training and orientation of new staff members.You would be lost without their expertise in researching on the Internet and operating and troubleshooting new office technologies.When they are absent the office just doesn’t seem to run smoothly and efficiently.You haven’t a clue how to make your o the person giving the answer is required to
give a comprehensive answer detailing his/her thoughts on
the task at hand. The answer will give you an indication as
to whether the task is understood or not. Also, at this point,
the employee may give you in the answer a totally different
and better way to accomplish the task.
6. Encourage Success
Let the person delegated the task know that you have confidence in him/her. Remember, in most cases, this task is new to him/her and by communicating that you have confidence that he/she will be successful gives the confidence to succeed. You might say something like:
"Mike, I’m glad we had the time to go over this task today and you understand what is required to be successful. I am excited and confident that you will make this task your own and put your unique spin on it. I look forward to hearing about your progress on this task and the successes along the way to its completion. Thank you for undertaking this very important task."
7. Followup, Reward, Followup, Reward
This is where I go back to The Apprentice. Kwame’s follow- up, or lack of appropriate follow-up with Omarosa, could have led to his team’s failing and morale going down. It did lead to Kwame not getting his dream job.
Here are some tips for good follow-up:
* Make sure you know the level of follow-up required. One
factor is the person you are delegating the task to and
his/her level of knowledge and confidence concerning the
task. Ask! Some people may want much follow-up, while
other may require little follow-up. It also depends on how
difficult the task is to complete.
* Make sure you have scheduled follow-ups. Before you
leave the first meeting, make sure you schedule your first
follow-up; whether it is one day or week, schedule that first
follow-up.
* Reward progress at each follow-up meeting and in public
if possible. Show appreciation (Read my article,
"Appreciate to Motivate") in the meeting and, if possible,
in public so that everyone is motivated to do more.
* Correct to get back on track. In most cases it may be as
simple as showing the correct way of doing the task or
brainstorming so that the person responsible for the task
will come up with the solution. This will keep the person
and your team motivated toward the end result. Or, in
Omarosa’s case, what steps do you need to take to get the
project back on track? Possibly retrain, reassign, minimize,
provide corrective action or the ultimate action…terminate
the person if he/she are knowingly disregarding your
organization’s policies and procedures. Believe me,
"Omarosas" are rare if you have taken the necessary steps
along the way to pick the right person.
If you follow the steps mentioned, you will be well on the way to enjoying a successful career, business, and life and accomplishing far more in less time.
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