We know that’s not the lyrics, but nonetheless delegation (and a modicum of dedication) is a very important part of successfully working together ‘if you want to be the best’.
The foundations of success in working together is more than structuring your organisation for effective decision making and developing strategic leadership capabilities, topics we have explored through previous blogs in this series. There is also the important concept of delegation and how we, as strategic leaders, delegate successfully and manage our time, and that of others, to work on the things we know we all want, and know we should.
How do you spend your time? balancing operational and strategic aims
The starting point for our entrepreneurs was facing up to what we really do as leaders in a typical working day. We first challenged participants to note down a chronological record of a day of their choosing. Once complete, participants then interrogated how they were apportioning their time using the categories of ‘strategic’, ‘operational’, ‘managerial’, ‘distractions’ and ‘other’. This proved a bit of a challenge for some, as the boundaries between much of what they do seemed blurry. For one particular participant it was relatively easy to apportion their time as they had a system used to cross-charge their time to clients.
As a result of this exercise, one revelation that all participants agreed upon was that they were not spending as much time as they would like and need to on strategic issues. How to create the space for strategic thinking became a key discussion point for the group. Two business partners described how they had made some headway by one of them freeing up time for strategic thinking. Whilst proving positive for one partner, this approach left the other partner feeling left out of key decision making issues.
The key question emerged: how do we delegate effectively to release time for strategic thinking?
Participants revealed that, all too often, taking time out for strategic thinking happened in an ad hoc an inconsistent manner, and being able to make it a consistent and visible part of the normal working day was an aspiration. So what can be done stop this derailing process from (re-)occurring?
All participants of this particular network session had previously been on the BIG Journey: a strategic programme for those wanting to gain the capability to grow their businesses efficiently and strategically. They talked about the need for a similar developmental process to happen throughout their organisations to allow them to delegate roles and responsibility to others in their organisations. This would allow themselves to take a more strategic role – one which requires the creation of time and space for strategic thinking.
Creating the space to think and be strategic: art or science?
Here are some the key elements that the group identified as being central to creating strategic space through successful delegation:
Change the environment to create the space to think
Participants spoke of the challenge of finding time and space to think strategically. ‘Thinking’ is a much used term but essentially it is about being reflective, quiet and focused. Many found themselves doing so whilst exercising or travelling in their cars, on trains and on bikes. Is this the right space? Should it be at work, home or somewhere completely neutral? How can you avoid the everyday distractions, like the phone, emails and questions from staff and those outside of the business?
Change work patterns and roles to release time to think
Participants spoke of a requirement for a deeper level of consciousness i.e. “If we keep doing the same thing we will get the same results?” When looking at their work patterns and roles they commented on a need to really examine proactively “what do we place value on” and “what are we, and should be, paying attention to?” Only by doing this are they able to make decisions about which work patterns and roles are most relevant for them.
If finances are not going well strategy falls by the wayside
If the finances aren’t going well, strategic space typically suffered. People tend to act in more reactive ways as they deal with the “need to generate more business” (i.e. sales) rather than “concentrate on the business”. Changing work patterns and new roles also requires a level of additional funding, as well as commitment.
Delegate effectively to maintain the space to think
Good delegation requires upfront investments of time and ongoing energy to be successful. The owner-manager’s and entrepreneur’s need for control can severely limit their ability to delegate. The worry is “will they (staff) do it as well as I do?” The answer is…it depends on how you manage the process! It can be an emotional strain for both leaders and staff to recognise and work with delegation at a strategic level.
In reading the literature on delegation, a process for delegation emerged [1], and we shared this with the group:
- Clearly define the goal to be delegated
- Select the right people/person for the task
- Explain the goal clearly
- Ask the people/person how they will complete the goal
- If you think their solution might not work ask for an alternative approach
- Agree on which approach to use
- Make sure you schedule progress checkpoints, and
- Make sure you follow through and stick to what is agreed
It’s hard, and important to make a change, and sustain it!
That was the final point. Don’t wait about reacting and fire fighting. Delegation really is the key to releasing more of your time for strategic thinking and growth.
Make a Difference (MAD) challenge from this section
In reading this section, we would ask that you reflect on the following questions:
- how much time do you spend on strategic decision making? Is it enough?
- what type of environment allows you to step back, think and reflect on your strategy?
- in what ways could you delegate additional roles and responsibilities to others to free up your time to work on the business, not just in it?
- what types of processes do you have/need to manage delegation effectively?
To read the blogs that form part of this series on The Foundations of Success in Working Together click on the following links:
- The Critical Role of Organisational Structure in Effective Decision Making
- On Becoming a Resonant Leader: Developing Capabilities for Superior Performance
For further information on the BIG Network or any of the Business, Improvement and Growth (BIG) programmes for ambitious owner-managers, and their teams, please get in touch with Simon on 01227 824740 or S.O.Raby@kent.ac.uk
Selected references:
[1] Matthews, G.H. 1984. Run your business or build an organization? Growing Concerns: Topics of particular interest to owners and managers of smaller businesses. Harvard Business Review, March-April, p34-44.