
Guest Post byĀ Malcolm PeartĀ (first posted on CERMĀ Ā® RISK INSIGHTS ā reposted here with permission)
We have probably all uttered (or muttered) that immortal line of āif you want something done, do it yourselfā when confronted with a less than satisfactory performance from somebody else.Ā The quote is attributable to Napoleon Bonaparte who, as an emperor, certainly found that this dream of doing everything yourself wasnāt really possible and, perhaps, his downfall may have been attributable to trying to live this dream rather than delegate effectively?
On a smaller scale itās very difficult to run a complete project by yourself.Ā So, as part of good project management, we have roles and responsibilities so that the work can be shared amongst the members of the team.Ā An individualās āscopeā may well be included within their job descriptions along with āother duties as requiredā as a catch-all just in case anything is missing.
Itās the āmissingā that is the problem on projects ā particularly when the work is not going according to plan (does it ever), a potential crisis is looming (as usual), thereās an impending deadline (as always), there are insufficient staff and itās holiday season (inevitably), the client is changing things (as is their want), there are budget issues and looming delays (in somebodyās opinion), and the anticipated, but unplanned for, workload is peaking (unfortunately).Ā Apart from being real life a project manager may not know how to do deal with a matter themselves, or itās work in which theyāre not interested in, or is ābelowā them.
All of the above may be addressed through delegation, but is such delegation being done for the right reasons, and by ārightā I mean ethical, and has the delegation been thought through.
Trouble & Doubt
A well-known political figure in the United States, Mr James H. Borenās advised, humorously, āWhen in charge, ponder; when in doubt, mumble; and when in troubledelegateā.
Although written in jest, delegation can be the proverbial kiss of deathā¦itās often construed as merely passing the buck with impunity and knee-jerk rapidity.Ā Oftentimes ādelegationā is authorised so as to give somebody an āopportunityā, or to experience a ābloodingā, or letting them āfind their feetā by āthrowing them in at the deep endā.Ā But how often are these euphemisms merely excuses to throw a sacrificial lamb to slaughter and leaving them to sink or swim.
If the lamb, who is probably grateful for recognition, is successful then the decision to delegate is heralded as āan excellent choiceā coupled with gifted āinsightful visionā and āgood judgementā.Ā But, in the event of failure the lambās āpotentialā has been exposed and their inadequacies have been recognised before any real damage can be doneā¦at least thatās one excuse when blame is cast.
Teflon & Politics
Some Project Managers burn the midnight oil, worry, and try to stay positive when things become difficult but they may also fear delegating any task in case itās not done properly or their authority is undermined. However, such fear can mean āburn-outā and an ingredient in that all-to-elusive recipe for a successful project fails.Ā An inability to delegate attracts criticism and can make the difference between success and failure of a projects and their managers alike.
Then there are others who seem to sail through crises effortlessly without, seemingly, attracting any perceivable criticism or blame.Ā Some of these project managers are practised politicians who have developed a Teflon veneer to which nothing sticks.Ā Veneers are only skin deep and for some thick-skinned managers their Teflon overcoat is impregnable and can last a lifetime while for others their veneer quickly evaporates under the heat and glare of a political spotlight.
And then there those who create an environment of trust in which confidence can germinate and tasks may be delegated without attaching the risk of later and unfounded blameā¦now thatās leadership.
Delegation is not a matter of āpassing the buckā to a fall-guy designate and hoping that politically created Teflon will provide protection from anything and everything that hits the fan.Ā Proper delegation involves giving the responsibility of carrying out the task to another while retaining accountability and not fearing blame; delegation is leadership thing.
Trust & Communication
Delegating is not merely instructing somebody else as to how to carry out a task ā it is giving them the responsibility of carrying out that task on your behalf.Ā Delegation demands that certain protocols are respected and for effective delegation there is a need for two-way trust and effective communication.
Effectiveness means conveying what is required and who has responsibility as well as where and when the task must be done and what reporting is required.Ā Itās also important to explain why a task is being delegated so that there is a sense of purpose rather than just slavishly complying with an instruction.Ā The sixth element of delegation is the how; and whilst the delegator may want to control things it may be better to agree on the āhowā with the delegate so ownership is reinforced.
George Bernhard Shaw once said: āThe problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken placeā.Ā A fundamental reason for failed delegation is due to āthinkingā or āassumingā that communication has occurred through a casual conversation, an implied request, or a general cry for help through a non-specific emailā¦nobody is telepathic and somebody needs to be told directly as everybody will assume that anybody will take responsibility.
Delegation also requires the identification of constraints and limits of responsibility.Ā There may also be a need for coaching so the delegate, as well as the delegator understand their mutual roles and responsibilities.Ā Then thereās the difficult part of delegation; the āletting goā, allowing the work to be done, and āgivingā trust.Ā Demanding reports every few hours will almost certainly undermine any trust and you may as well do the work yourselfā¦doesnāt that sound familiar.
Conclusions
Delegation is not just offloading unwanted work onto others or pushing those high-risk and possible reputation-damaging jobs onto somebody else in an effort to avoid blame for non-performance.Ā Those who delegate must realise that they should bear the consequences for good or bad outcomes as well as the performance of the individuals who have been empowered.
Delegation of accountability in the hope of avoiding blame is not a leadership trait.Ā If PMs resort to such an approach they will soon be found out and they, as well as any people who condone such action, will be found out by those who have been hung out to dry.
If project managers in charge decide to ponder and bask in their own importance then their pontification may well result in procrastination and delayed or doubtful decisions which places a project in trouble.Ā Delegation may create the illusion that something positive is being done while in reality itās just that somebody else has been delegated the task of āmumblingā!
Bio:
UKĀ Chartered Engineer & CharteredĀ Geologist with over thirty-five yearsā internationalĀ experience in multicultural environmentsĀ on large multidisciplinary infrastructure projects including rail, metro, hydro, airports, tunnels,Ā roads and bridges. Skills include project management, contract administration & procurement, andĀ design &Ā construction management skills as Client, Consultant, and Contractor.
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