Tips for Delegating Tasks to Avoid Burnout

Become an Aligned Leader in 2024 - Strategy 4 of 21: Effective delegation is a skill you cannot ignore.  One of the quickest roads to burnout, as a leader, is to neglect the art of delegation. I know, because I have experienced both ends of the spectrum.  Holding on to tasks too tight, and overworking the stars on my teams. Let’s face it: Many leaders became leaders because they started as accomplished doers – driven, results-focused, and known for delivering. The challenge comes when we must trust others to meet the high standards we've set for ourselves. Ever uttered phrases like, "Explaining would take longer than doing it myself," or "This task is crucial, so I'll handle it"? I have. But this mindset often results in the majority of our tasks being deemed "critical", and only the random, insignificant outliers being given away. That approach: (1) Leads to burnout and overwhelm for the leaders; (2) Stunts the development of their team members. And we all know that undeveloped talent tends to seek opportunity elsewhere. Another pitfall of misused delegation?  Giving ALL of the important tasks to the stars on your team. I once had a direct report named Luis.  (pre-Disney)  Luis was a rock star employee. When something critical needed to be done well, I gave it to Luis. It wasn't long before ALL of the important tasks were on his plate, while his equally compensated, but not as driven peers were coasting along.  Before I recognized the imbalance Luis resigned.  He had had enough. I learned a critical leadership lesson the day he left.  My job was to develop ALL of the people on my team, not just those hungry for more. Want to improve your delegation muscle?  Consider these approaches: (A) 80/20 Rule (based on the Pareto Principle): Focus on the vital 20% of efforts that generate 80% of the outcomes.  Delegate everything else.  (B) 70% Rule: If you believe someone can complete an assignment at least 70% as well as you can, delegate it. Embracing delegation as a common practice not only strengthens your leadership but also allows the stars in your team to shine brighter than ever.  (And they may just hang around for a while!) See you tomorrow for strategy #5 of “Become an Aligned Leader in 2024”! #leadershipdevelopment #delegation #effectiveleadership #careergrowth #professionaldevelopment #leadershipcoaching #emergingleaders *** Follow me for more content on becoming an Aligned Leader and join our growing newsletter community “Align & Thrive” for tips and strategies on becoming the very best leader you can be.  

Project Managers, unlock 3X efficiency: Delegation is key for Project Managers (and all leaders). It's more than just assigning tasks. It's about empowering team members and focusing on priorities. Done correctly, it enhances efficiency, leadership & project success. 🔥Michael Hyatt's 5 Levels of Delegation A blueprint for effective assignment. 1. Do Exactly What I Say Team member tests a feature exactly as you instructed. 2. Research and Report Back Member investigates potential software solutions. You decide the best fit. 3. Give Options, I Decide Team suggests project timelines, you finalize one. 4. Make Decision, Inform Me Lead developer picks a tool and then notifies you. 5. Make Decision, No Need to Report Experienced team member resolves minor project issues. No need to brief you. 🔥 Value/Alignment Matrix A guide for what to delegate. ➨ Take Back Tasks crucial to the project and align with your expertise. Ex: Outlining the project roadmap—only you can set it. ➨ Delegate Key tasks but they don't need your unique touch. Ex: Scheduling meetings—you don't have to arrange them. ➨ Keep Doing (for now) Tasks in your wheelhouse but not critical to the project. Mentor someone for future assignment. Ex: Checking project metrics—could a data analyst manage? ➨ Stop Doing Tasks that neither play to your strengths nor benefit the project much. Ex: Old-fashioned documentation—it's not adding value. Master the skill of delegation. Elevate your project leadership. Increase your efficiency. P.S. What's your go-to delegation method?

Do you know when to delegate? How much to delegate? Who to delegate to? 🤷 These are important questions... As you trust and empower your team, consider: • experience • knowledge • skills It seems like an easy combination! It seems like commonsense! But I have seen again and again leaders make the mistake of looking at overall experience, knowledge, and skills. They don't consider how these apply to a specific request. 👉 They don't consider task relevant maturity. Let's say a Customer Success Manager has years of experience working directly with enterprise clients. However, they don't excel at analyzing data and creating scalable solutions. ❓ Would you ask the CSM to sift through user data and come up with proposals that can be applied to all clients? Or how about a top-level Sales Rep who doesn't have the skills or experience to also develop younger, less-experienced team members. ❓ Would you ask the Rep to mentor the team? You might. But you would need to provide more precise and detailed instructions. You would need to be more hands on. You would need to adjust the cadence of checkins and 1:1s, talking more frequently. By understanding each team member's experience, knowledge, and skills for a specific task, you can avoid delegation mistakes, loss of confidence, frustration, and results which don't meet expectations and needs. Effective leadership requires a balance between being hands on when needed, but also allowing autonomy in areas of competence and expertise. By taking task relevant maturity into consideration, you ensure: • better outcomes • minimized errors • improved teamwork and support • an environment of continuous learning In turn, all of these points then lead to improved success for the team. So don't make the mistake of assuming experience equates ability in any area. PS. How do you trust but verify the person can handle a task? 🔔 Follow Chris Cotter for more on #leadership.

The most dangerous trap in business: Always being “busy.” Here’s why The Cult of Busy is dangerous for business leaders (and what we can do about it). — It’s a busy world. Everyone’s trying to keep up with the Joneses. But why are we so busy, and do we even need to be? I’ve been thinking about this a lot. The Cult of Busy is real. It has a sense of identity attached to it. Consider it a status symbol of sorts. In fact, the Journal of Consumer Research argues that busyness has surpassed leisure as something to aspire to. Busyness is ingrained in society. We've been conditioned to believe that a packed schedule equals importance and value. So much so, in fact, that being “too busy for a vacation” has become the ultimate humble brag. But this obsession with busyness comes at a cost. Business leaders attached to this mindset struggle with: • Burnout: Worked to exhaustion • Strained Relationships: Not making time for personal life • Poor decision-making: Hurried problem-solving • Unhappy Teams: Constant micromanaging Here are 5 things you can do about it: 1. Implement time blocking Schedule blocks of time for problem solving and critical thinking. This will help you step back, slow down, and create meaningful solutions to problems. Time-tracking tools can help you strategize time more effectively. 2. Set boundaries (and stick to them!) Create clear boundaries between work and personal life. Turn off notifications, set the laptop aside, and communicate your boundaries to colleagues. Creating time to turn off work mode is crucial for your personal relationships. 3. Just say NO You don’t have to say yes to everything! Recognize your limits and avoid overcommitting. Doing fewer tasks well is often more valuable than spreading yourself too thin. Prioritize quality over quantity of work. 4. Trust your team You have good help – use them. Trust your team and delegate responsibilities. Surrendering complete control over every task empowers teams and builds positive, healthy environments. 5. Value vacation Finally, don’t forget to take a vacation, and encourage your team to do the same. A survey by FlexJobs found that 73% of respondents look for work-life balance when considering a job. It’s a mental health must, and a workplace culture that starts at the top. — TL;DR: The Cult of Busy has a stronghold on our society. But it’s counterproductive and can leave you struggling with a true sense of purpose, healthy work environments, and personal relationships. • Implement time blocking • Create boundaries • Avoid overcommitting • Trust your team to get the job done • Take a vacation! Value your time; it’s the stuff life is made of.

“I’m not micromanaging, I’m being intentional.” I had a boss who used to say this all the time when the team confronted their micromanaging behavior. I remember looking up the definition of “intentional” to see how it was actually defined by Merriam-Webster because so many of us felt stifled, controlled, and resentful. Intentional leaders can help us maintain a positive mindset, reach goals, experience more clarity, and be more present. They can also increase our focus and commitment and bring more purpose and meaning to our lives. The transition from micromanaging to being intentional involves trust-building, delegation, and encouraging autonomy while maintaining accountability. Here are ways leaders can stop micromanaging: 1. Foster Trust and Autonomy ➡ Encourage employees to take ownership of their tasks and decisions. This empowerment builds their confidence and demonstrates trust in their abilities. ➡ Clearly communicate the outcomes you expect but allow employees to determine how they achieve these results. This approach gives them the freedom to use their skills and creativity. 2. Improve Communication ➡ Offer feedback that focuses on improvement and learning, rather than criticism. This helps in building a supportive environment that values growth. ➡ Create channels for two-way communication, where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. This openness can lead to more collaborative problem-solving and innovation. 3. Delegate Effectively ➡ Delegate tasks based on employees’ strengths and areas for growth. This not only ensures task suitability but also aids in their professional development. ➡ Implement a system of regular check-ins rather than constant oversight. This approach balances accountability with autonomy, allowing leaders to monitor progress without overbearing supervision. 5. Cultivate a Positive Company Culture ➡ Encourage teamwork and peer support, fostering a culture where employees can rely on one another, reducing the dependency on constant supervision. ➡ Acknowledge individual and team achievements openly. Recognition reinforces positive behaviors and outcomes, motivating employees and reinforcing trust. 6. Self-Reflection and Seeking Feedback ➡ Regularly assess your management approach and be open to change. Self-awareness is key to understanding the impact of your actions on your team. ➡ Invite feedback from your team about your leadership style and their work environment. This can provide valuable insights into how you can support them better without micromanaging. By implementing these strategies, leaders can create an environment that values independence, fosters professional growth, and builds a strong foundation of trust and respect. Transitioning away from micromanagement to intentional leadership not only enhances employee satisfaction and engagement but also drives innovation and success for the organization. #leadership #micromanaging Happy Friday, friends! ❤️

Struggling to delegate to your team? Here are 3 ways to get more comfortable with delegation. But first, understand that 👇 💡 Delegation is a learned skill for high achievers. If you’re leading a team, you probably got here through years of giving 150% as an individual contributor. 👉 You likely thrive on individual achievement. 👉 You’re probably used to getting things done yourself. 👉 You might be afraid that someone else won’t do things as well as you do. But also understand that… ☀ As a people manager, it is your job to delegate well. ☀ To meet your company goals, you need to delegate clearly and consistently.   ☀ And for your employees to grow, they need the opportunity to take on bigger projects. 3 ways to get more comfortable delegating: 1️⃣ Address the elephant in the room. Acknowledge that you as a leader are working on delegating better, and what you think will improve as a result. When people know what you are working on, they can help support your growth in that direction. 2️⃣ Delegate full projects, not one-off tasks. No one likes to be handed partway done work, where the interesting part has already been done. When delegating projects, give full ownership to the new owner. You can provide guidelines and share your experience, but allow the new owner to approach the project in their own way, and to be responsible for the results. 3️⃣ Schedule regular reviews of what’s on your plate. To delegate, you must make room to identify what needs to be delegated. Put this time on your calendar, and it doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor. You can do this with your teammates and figure out together what ownership looks like. Ultimately, delegation can be a pathway not just for more efficient workflows, but also deeper trust. ❓ What can you delegate that you’ve been holding on to? ❓ What other tips do you have for healthy delegation? Please ♻ reshare if you found this helpful! *** 👋 I’m Jessica, a leadership and executive coach with 18 years of experience leading marketing teams in tech, startups, and the arts. 🎶 For the past two decades, I’ve also had an active singing career as a classically trained singer. 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile to get notified about my tips on leadership, marketing strategy, and how to design an integrated life.

Do you realize that holding onto control is sabotaging your success, even if it feels good/eases your angst? Letting go could be the power move your team's performance needs! ■ Why do leaders do this? 1) Fear of losing authority--you worry that delegating will undermine your power 2) Lack of trust--you doubt your team's able to perform to your standards 3) Insecurity--you're scared some talented staff might outshine you 4) The perfectionism curse--only you can pull off the required outcome ■ How to shift gears 1) Boost competence and confidence by investing in training your people. You'll more readily hand off work that enriches theirs, and that helps them grow 2) Delegate meaningfully. Let team members strengths guide you in assigning tasks/projects. Be building them up to avoid favoritism concerns 3) Build trust through open communication and timely, regular feedback 4) Acknowledge and celebrate team achievements 🚀 GAINS ▪︎ You'll foster growth by developing team capabilities, and will boost morale ▪︎ Efficiency will improve as you free up bandwidth to focus more on strategic priorities. And you will let loose innovation constrained by your focus on doing too much yourself! ✨️✨️ What are some benefits you've experienced from delegating responsibilities to your team?

Busyness doesn't equal productivity. Master the Eisenhower Matrix to achieve more and stress less. 🎯 By categorizing tasks into 4 quadrants: ➟ Important-Urgent (Do), ➟ Important-Not Urgent (Schedule), ➟ Not Important-Urgent (Delegate), ➟ and Not Important-Not Urgent (Delete) —it empowers you to focus on what truly matters. Let me break it down. — 1. Do: Urgent and Important Tasks with deadlines or consequences. Examples: • Responding to a client crisis. • Meeting a crucial project deadline. • Fixing a critical system error. Tips: • Do these first thing (eat the frog). • Prevent distractions (put your phone on Airplane Mode or Do Not Disturb). — 2. Schedule: Important but Not Urgent Tasks with unclear deadlines that contribute to long-term success. Examples: • Planning your business strategy. • Investing in personal development. • Building key relationships. Tips: • Time-block these in your calendar. • Only schedule it if it's truly important to you. Otherwise, say no. — 3. Delegate: Urgent but Not Important Tasks that must get done but don't require your specific skill set. Examples: • Answering most emails. • Handling routine administrative tasks. • Plowing the snow from your driveway. Tips: • Identify tasks others can do 80% as well as you. • Give clear instructions when delegating. • Follow up, but don't micromanage. — 4. Delete: Neither Urgent Nor Important Distractions and unnecessary tasks. Examples: • Attending meetings with no clear agenda. • Watching TV indiscriminately. • Engaging in office gossip. Tips: • Identify time-wasters in your day. Set limits. • Ask yourself if it adds value to your life. If not, cut it out. — The Eisenhower Matrix is a powerful tool for getting valuable stuff done. You'll separate the trivial many from the vital few. 📌 Want to receive a high-res PDF of this one-pager?    1. Follow Ben Meer  2. ♻️ Repost to help your network  3. Subscribe to my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ewnjDzas   Follow the steps above, and I'll send you this and 10+ of my best infographics for free.

Stop doing everything. Most leaders fail to delegate enough. Here’s why you need to delegate (and how to do it right): Many leaders struggle with delegation. It’s more than just dividing up tasks. It's about empowering your team to take ownership and spread decision-making. Here's why you need to delegate and how to do it effectively: 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 You can only accomplish so much on your own. Delegating transfers focus from individual work to collective output. It allows you to harness the full capabilities of your team to drive faster results. 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Delegation gives team members visibility and helps build critical skills. It shows you recognize their potential for growth. Nurturing future leaders strengthens your team over time. 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 People closest to certain tasks often have valuable insights. Delegation taps this knowledge and brings fresh perspective. It also builds trust when you act on input. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀 Taking on too much yourself creates congestion. Tasks pile up waiting for you, impeding overall progress. Spreading work across the team prevents blockages. 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: • Give context, not just tasks. Explain how it fits into the bigger picture • Match assignments to interests and abilities. Play to people's strengths • Outline requirements, but don't micromanage. Allow flexibility in execution • Check-in periodically. Offer support without taking over • Recognize effort and celebrate wins. Highlight accomplishments publicly Delegating well demonstrates trust in your team. It empowers them to step up and excel. Practice letting go of control while remaining available to coach. You'll be amazed at how your team rises to the challenge. If you enjoyed this, download the Syllabus for Lead In 30 - the leadership development training program that transforms leaders in just 30 days: https://www.leadin30.com

Do you have a boss like this? One who talks from both sides of their mouth? On the one hand, they talk about the importance of disconnecting from work at night, on the weekend, and while on vacation. On the other hand, every action demonstrates that it’s the farthest thing from their mind. Brace yourself for some eye-opening statistics that might challenge what you thought you knew about work-life balance. In a 2019 Adobe survey of approximately 1,000 employees, the majority of respondents—76%—confessed to sneaking a peek at their work emails after hours. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. When over 20,000 employees were questioned in a recent Glassdoor survey about their ability to fully disconnect during paid time off, a staggering 54% admitted they just couldn't switch off. It’s largely due to guilt. With a bit of reframing and action, you can beat this. Here are four steps to take: ➜ 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺. Cross-train if you can so you and your colleagues can rely on each other during an absence. There’s no glory in being indispensable, and it isn’t good for the company. ➜ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Make it clear you won’t be monitoring emails at all hours. If something incredibly urgent comes up that someone else can’t handle, ask that you be texted or phoned. ➜ 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲. Delegate tasks when possible and prioritize your workload to avoid feeling overwhelmed and compelled to work outside designated hours. If you take on a greater-than-normal workload, no wonder work will creep into your personal time. ➜ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. If you consistently struggle to disconnect due to a toxic work culture, consider exploring other job opportunities that allow a better work-life balance. Remember, your well-being should always come first. Of course, not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to do so, but if you are, don't hesitate to take action to create a healthier balance in your professional life. ________ Hey there, it's Neil. 👋 I specialize in helping finance and tech pros land their dream jobs and navigate their careers. Follow (Neil Danzger, CFA) Then hit the 🔔 to see every post. It wouldn't hurt to ♻️ re-post and shed more light on this critical topic. #resumewriting #LinkedInOptimization #interviewprep #DanzgerGroup