By now you know that in order to empower your team, and free up your precious time, you need to delegate tasks to your team. But maybe you’ve been burned in the past when you’ve delegated, or maybe you’re not sure how to do it right.
You’re in the right place. Here is…
The Delegation Ladder
This delegation ladder is everything you need to set up yourself and your direct report for success when you delegate tasks to them. I pulled this information from Michael Hyatt’s blog which you can read here.
Level 1: Do exactly what I’ve asked you to do
In this level, the person you are delegating to should not deviate whatsoever from what you tell them to do. You lay out the steps, and they follow them. In some cultures, they use a term for this called, “micromanaging.”
Level 2: Research the topic and report back
In this level, you give them a task, they research possible solutions an report back to you, and then you are the one who makes the ultimate decision.
Level 3: Research the topic, outline the options, and make a recommendation
In this level, they have a little bit more autonomy. They do the research, they come up with solutions, and they propose a solution. If you like the solution, they move forward. If not, you come up with a new solution together.
Level 4: Make a decision and then tell me what you did
Now we’re cookin’ with fire! At this point, your direct report has proven that they understand you, and how you operate. You’ve now given them leeway to make the decision on their own, and then just fill you in later so that you can speak about it confidently.
Level 5: Make whatever decision you think is best
They are fully autonomous now. They’ve reached the top rung of the delegation ladder.
I LOVE this delegation ladder, now how do I use it?
You may choose to use it stealthily. In your mind, you know what level of the ladder you want them to operate in, so you just tell them, “go do the research, come back and together we’ll make a decision.”
Alternatively, my preference is to show them this ladder. As we learned in the Motivation newsletter, all humans have a need for autonomy. However, your direct report won’t thrive if you jump them right up to level 5 of the ladder. They need the support and security to know that you’ve got their back, and you will help them shine.
I like to sit down with my direct report, show them the steps in the ladder, and say, “Right now you and I are going to operate at a level 2. My goal for you is to be operating at a level 4 in the very near future, but I want to make sure you’re set up for success first. So I’ll be here to back you up each step of the way until you get there.”
Stating your intent, and showing your direct report that you have their best interest at heart goes a LONG way.