The first step is to make a list of every activity that you spend more than half an hour on in a typical day.

Now for each task, score them using the following four questions*:

1. How essential is this activity to my organization? Would the failure to mention this in an update to a senior executive or your boss seem odd? Is this something that you feel great responsibility to have completed?

4 – It makes a significant contribution to the overall work of the organization

3 – It contributes, but in a small manner

2 – It neither contributes nor detracts from the overall goals

1 – It makes a negative impact

2. Can you let this task go? If you just lost half of the time in your day to a non-negotiable change in your professional or personal life, how would you triage this specific task?

4 – Essential: do this before anything else

3 – Important: needs to be done by end of the day

2 – Discretionary: Next on list after essential and important are done

1 – Optional: Nice to do, but can go without much thought

3. How much satisfaction do you derive from doing this task?

5 – This is what makes my work worthwhile

4 – I enjoy doing this part of my work

3 – Good and bad

2 – This task is a bit boring

1 – I dislike doing this work

4. Can someone else do this?

5 – Only a seasoned person with specific skills can do this work

4 – I do this better than others

3 – Others could do this with the right hand-off

2 – Easy task to pass to someone junior

1 – We really do not need to be doing this task at all

Now add the score for each task. If it scores > 15, probably keep it. If it scores < 14, add it to the triage list.

* Adapted from Harvard Business Review, 9/2013, page 115.

Now Drill Down

• List 3-5 projects or tasks that you could delegate now.

• Identify who could get this delegation.

• What would the downsides be? Things like – slower, less well done, they are busy.

• What is the upside for them and you?

• What is going to be needed for this to be successful, such as time, skills, communications, and psychological comfort?

• What, if anything, is keeping you from delegating these projects?

How to Delegate

Now let’s drill down even more. Select one of the possible delegable tasks from you list. Use the questions below to guide you through the process.

1. Identify the task to be delegated:

• Is the task suitable to be delegated?

• Does it meet the criteria for delegating (see above)?

2. Select the individual or team to delegate to:

• What are your reasons for delegating to this person or team?

• What are they going to get out of it?

• What are you going to get out of it?

3. Assess additional skills and understanding needed:

• What will be needed for the team or individual to be successful?

• Are they clear about the goal and understand the context?

• What can I do to enhance understanding?

• How independent will they be?

4. Desired outcome:

• What is the desired outcome of this project?

• What must be achieved? - Clarify understanding by getting feedback from the other person.

• How will the task be measured? - Make sure they know how you intend to decide that the job is being successfully done.

5. Resources needed:

• What is your assessment of the people, equipment, money, materials, space, and other related activities and services needed to be successful?

• What do those that will implement it think?

6. Timeline:

• What is your estimate of the length of the project?

• At what points do you want to see progress and how is this to be communicated?

7. Communications and feedback:

• What are the agreed upon plans for ongoing communication about the project that has been delegated?

• How will the need for any mid-course correction be determined and communicated?

• Which other stakeholders need to know about the delegation?

Additional References

Ariely D. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions. New York, NY: HarperCollins; 2009. This is a very good introduction to the important field of behavioral economics.

Harvard Business Review. Delegating Work. Boston: HBR Press; 2014. One of Harvard Business School’s 20 Minute Manager publications; this is a very good summary of detailed practices to improve your delegation skills.

Herzberg F. One more time: how do you motivate employees? Harv Bus Rev. 2003;81(1):87-96. This is the classic review of motivation that few leaders understand.

Luthans F, Youssef C. Investing in people for competitive advantage. Organ Dyn. 2004;33(2):143-160. This article is a good reminder of all of the benefits of working through others.

Patterson K, Grenny J, McMillan R, Switzler A. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2002. A good discussion of how to move the conversation to a strategic level.

Pink DH. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. New York, NY: Penguin; 2009.

Stone D, Patton B, Heen S. Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. New York, NY: Penguin; 1999. The classic work in the area of hard talk with others.