Delegating – It doesn’t need to be a nightmare!

For many of us, delegating is a skillful art that we think only a handful of people will ever master. One of the biggest challenges for many young lawyers is learning how to best make use of time and resources by delegating tasks or projects. Though the “I’ll do it myself” mentality is “the norm” in many law firms, it’s simply not practical.

A reluctance to delegate can be based on fear of losing clients, lack of trust, and the potential for endless hours having to be written off. With deadlines looming and the endless list of tasks, rather than pulling yet another week of ‘all nighters’, STOP and consider what measures you can take to get the job done.

Delegating doesn’t need to be complicated, it’s a matter of clear communication, setting expectations, and most importantly, trust. Here are our 7 essential tips that should save you time, stress and reduce the chances of BURN OUT!

 7  essential tips for delegation success

1. Understand the task (“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough” – Albert Einstein)
2. Identify the strengths of those around you and assess their capacity (Can they actually do the job in the given time frame?)
3. Prepare a list with relevant due dates and assign responsibility for each task
4. Schedule a short meeting (DON’T delegate on the run!)
5. Ensure there is mutual understanding on the priorities and tasks at hand
6. Accessibility – be available, supportive and seek feedback on how you can help them succeed
7. And most importantly, provide a comfortable level of autonomy

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.