Standards of output and performance are vital in any organisation, business or team, yet these need to be communicated very openly to all of the people with whom managers work.

Yet a step beyond it being a communication exercise is to have their people involved in deciding what standards operate in their team.

When passing work on, managers need to be clear in how they express and will measure the final result. Without this, those delegated to will not have a clear measure to work towards. These expectations need to be clear on both sides and this checked closely.

Sometimes though, what seems to be clear is only clear on one side, that of the person passing on the job in hand. So it is very important that what they understand to be expected is also what the job 'doer' understands as well.

Sometimes, just simply, and in a friendly way, asking for the recipient to repeat back what the expected out come measures will be is enough.

When managers manage, except in the minority of cases, they intimidate their people. It may be they are great managers, but the role is the bit that intimidates, so their people may be reluctant to ask for help in a task they are given.

Managers need to be aware of this and ensure that they help their people succeed by showing them the way. It may be literally showing how a taks needs to be done and the expected outcome. It may be sharing some tactics or skills.

Not only is this likely to result in success, but it develops the culture of the team in such a way that sharing and supporting become the way things are done.

When individuals take on new and often challenging tasks, they need some nurturing. By building in regular progress meetings, especially at the start of a project or delegated task, the feeling of exposure can be lessened.

Sure people need their hands held a little, but this is not forever. As they succeed more they will learn that they 'can' and this will become less of a requirement.

When new tasks are taken on, it is important for a manager to show that real and vital progress is being achieved, however small or slow this is. The achievement, step-by-step is energising and those developing new skills and expertise will benefit hugely from the recognition that they are getting somewhere, wherever it is!

Getting together with your people when they are in a learning phase is important formally, yet there is also a real benefit in a manager's easy access in an ad hoc way as well.

In fact the cultural value in their recognising when someone in the team, whilst in the learning phase especially, needs urgent support is very valuable. Clearly this needs some control, but, especially when in the early stages, it will be worth the effort.

Sometimes things go wrong. Mistakes happen. A manager who is prepared to appreciate this is likely to get the best support from their people. Especially when asking them to take some of the load on for delivery of the high standards they expect.

Be generous when people make mistakes in their learning and enable them to appreciate it as just that ? part of the learning experience ? and gain additional value from it.

When managers delegate the work they would usually do themselves, it is a calculated risk. The people they choose to develop in this way, are moving forward with their skills and experience and becoming far more valuable in the workplace ? as well as themselves getting much more from their work.

Yet there is nothing an individual loves more than praise and 'thank you' for a job well done. It gives them a warm feeling of success and recognition and they are then ready for more!

Finally, with the experience that they have been able to successfully take on a bigger role in the task they have delivered well, they can pass on this skill of being 'upgraded' to others they work with - so not only does the boss get a life, then their people start to as well.

This is not just about delegation. It is about developing a capable bunch of people who are enhancing their skills and releasing their own potential. It works in many ways, so that everyone, as well as the boss, is a winner.

Copyright 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, executives and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)

...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...

In The News:

---

Google News Updated : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:51:32 GMT Worth the trouble - Boston Herald Worth the trouble Boston Herald - 39 minutes ago By Dan Duggan As Red Sox [team stats] fans shook out the cobwebs yesterday morning after yet another marathon postseason game, it would have been easy to forget some of the positive developments from the Sox’ 9-8, 11-inning loss to Tampa Bay in Game 2 ... Video: Tampa Bay Wins Slugfest on Sacrifice Fly AssociatedPress Rays win respect, too Washington Times USA Today - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - SouthCoastToday.com all 3,671 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:12:18 GMT Television Review | 'My Own Worst Enemy' - New York Times New York Times Television Review | 'My Own Worst Enemy' New York Times - 56 minutes ago By ALESSANDRA STANLEY Most people sometimes wake up on the wrong side of bed. The hero of “My Own Worst Enemy” on NBC wakes up on the wrong side of his brain. 'Worst Enemy' Just Isn't Bourne-Again Bond Washington Post Spy-vs.-normal-guy premise of 'Worst Enemy' doesn't work USA Today San Francisco Chronicle - Los Angeles Times - Boston Herald - Fort Worth Star Telegram all 101 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:54:37 GMT Alaska ethics probe says Palin abused her power - Reuters BBC News Alaska ethics probe says Palin abused her power Reuters - 40 minutes ago By Caren Bohan CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (Reuters) - An Alaska ethics inquiry found on Friday that Gov. Sarah Palin, the US Republican vice presidential candidate, abused her authority by pressuring subordinates to fire a state trooper involved in a feud with ... Palin: Bad Guys vs. Good Guys FOXNews Palin talks economic worries in Appalachian Ohio The Associated Press International Herald Tribune - CNN Political Ticker - Columbus Dispatch all 1,431 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:10:53 GMT Manatee dies before reaching Florida - South Coast Today WHDH-TV Manatee dies before reaching Florida South Coast Today - 36 minutes ago By AARON GOUVEIA and KC MYERS EAST DENNIS - After a dramatic rescue Saturday morning, a wayward manatee known affectionately as Dennis died Sunday with just one hour before he reached SeaWorld in Florida. Manatee almost gave them the slip Boston Globe Cape Cod Manatee Dies on Way Back to Florida WLNE-TV (ABC6) My Fox Boston - The Associated Press - Cape Cod Times - SouthCoastToday.com all 542 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:14:57 GMT Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged - New York Times The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged New York Times - 3 hours ago By AP CHICAGO (AP) - The country’s leading group of pediatricians is recommending that children receive double the usually suggested amount of vitamin D because of evidence that it might help prevent serious diseases. Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations The Associated Press Pediatricians double vitamin D recommendations WLOS The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com - Examiner.com all 90 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:45:16 GMT Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony renew vows along with Carlos Beltran ... - New York Daily News New York Daily News Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony renew vows along with Carlos Beltran ... New York Daily News - 1 hour ago BY DAVE GOLDINER Just four years after saying "I do," Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony reportedly secretly renewed their vows in Las Vegas Sunday - and they had company at the altar. Inside Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony's Renewal Ceremony People Magazine J.Lo’s vows not staying in Vegas Boston Herald Singersroom News - AceShowbiz - United Press International - Actress Archives all 37 news articles Publ.Date : Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:39:55 GMT UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic - Reuters Javno.hr UPDATE 1-Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic Reuters - 8 hours ago MIAMI, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Nana, the 14th of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Caribbean islands, the US National Hurricane Center said. Tropical Storm Nana forms in Atlantic eTaiwan News Tropical Storm Nana Forms Over Eastern Atlantic RTT News CNN - The Associated Press - eFluxMedia - Central Florida News 13| all 199 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:29:57 GMT Create Blog RSS to HTML