Delegation: A Powerful Time Management Tool
Debra Bruce, JD, PCC
The Coach’s Corner
“I’ve tried delegating more. It doesn’t work.” That’s a
common lament I hear when I work with overwhelmed lawyers. Yet, the quickest way to
reduce your workload is to pass some of it off to someone else. It’s true that
ineffective delegation doesn’t work. So how can you delegate more effectively?
Levels of Delegation
First, recognize that there are different levels of delegation that are
appropriate for different people. Many of us delegate at one of the extremes. Some
delegate the entire task to a subordinate and never check back in, only learning
that the task has not been accomplished at the crisis point. Others delegate, and
then micromanage how the work gets done, frequently taking back parts of the
project. No wonder “delegation doesn’t work.”
To delegate more effectively, identify the level of
responsibility appropriate for the delegate and the task. Here are some levels to
consider:
- Follow these written instructions step-by-step, then provide the finished product
to me to review;
- Develop a suggested plan for proceeding, then checkwith me for plan approval before
proceeding to the next step;
- Develop a plan of action and proceed; report to me atspecified intervals;
- Develop a plan and proceed, then report to me if thereare snags;
- Develop a plan, proceed, and report to me when theproject is completed;
- Just do it; no reporting necessary.
Clear Communication
Second, make certain that you make your objectives andexpectations clear to
your delegate. Can you provide a form orexample that illustrates what you
expect to receive? Does thedelegate understand why this task needs to be done
and whatlevel of care needs to be used? Disposing of the trash doesnotrequire
the same level of care as disposing of confidentialdocuments or medical waste.
One way to check the delegate’sunderstanding is to ask him to summarize the
important points ofthe assignment, as he understands them. You can then
clarify anyfuzzy points.
Third, make yourself open and available for questions
andclarifications that come up. You will spend less time answeringquestions
than you would spend cleaning up a project that wentoff in the wrong direction.
Have an attitude that rewardsquestions. If you make them feel stupid or
bothersome for asking,they won’t ask when they need to.
Written Instructions
Fourth, create documented step-by-step systems for redundant tasks. As
a young associate in a big firm I carefully trained my new paralegal all
about how to set up project specific corporations for our very active client.
A partner then “stole” that now skilled employee. After the same thing happened
with the next paralegal, I got smart and created a step-by-step “how to” notebook.
From then on I could delegate that work to any paralegal with minimal instruction
time on my part.
Follow-up
Fifth, if you delegate multiple tasks or to multiple
persons, have a way to keep a record of who’s supposed to do what by when.
High-tech lawyers can use project management software, Outlook’s task management
feature, or flagged emails in project folders. Low-tech lawyers can use a carbon
less memo notebook that copies the note jotted to the delegate. Whichever way,
follow-up periodically and request completion reporting. If you truly follow
all of these delegation guidelines, and “delegation still doesn’t work,” you
may need to consider whether there has been a hiring error.
Debra Bruce (www.DebraBruce.com)
practiced law for 18 years, before becoming a professionally
trained Executive Coach for lawyers. She is a member of the Law Office Management
Committee of the State Bar and Co-Leader of the Houston chapter of the
International Coach Federation.