Of roles and responsibilities
LIFE AS a manager is not all about power and prestige. With authority comes responsibility, and as any manager should know leadership involves decision-making, accountability and responsibility. This is one of the taxing duties of being a manager. No wonder then, that many a time managers buckle under the pressure of having to take too many important decisions.
When managers take their authority far too seriously, they either become paranoid about wanting to make all the decisions themselves or they want to retain their power. This may often result in poor decision-making as the managers may have little knowledge of the issues involved and they do not trust their less experienced team members. Rather than sitting in their ivory towers, managers should clarify job responsibilities, trust their team members to take important decisions and also make them accountable.
The practice of letting the manager take all the blame has become outdated because it takes accountability away from the person who is directly responsible. It also results in leaders who are either too controlling or have to unjustly take the blame for the bad decisions of others. Managers should learn to delegate responsibility to those under them and also give them the authority to fulfil those tasks. Even the best managers cannot succeed by themselves; they need the skills of those under them and the support of the organisation they work for.
Delegate and how!
Managers should allow those under them to undertake responsibilities and take decisions; this will not only motivate the latter to perform better but also take some load off the manager's back. Delegation will save them time and also a great deal of stress.
But before doing that they should get rid of a few mental blocks. They should not be under the impression that only they are best equipped to handle the work and that nobody else can do it any better.
Once the decision to delegate has been made, the manager should keep the following guidelines in mind for better working:
The first move is to pick the right person for the right job. He/she must have the right skills and knowledge to do the job. Proper briefing about the responsibilities, objectives of the job and more importantly clarification of deadlines are important.
The employee must also be told why he was chosen for that particular work and a mention of his particular skills and abilities must be made to highlight the suitability of choice. This will encourage the employee to perform better.
A manager should encourage his employees to think independently and take individual decisions. They should stress on the end result instead of the process of work.
Try to avoid micromanaging the work unless it is not going in the right direction. Encourage independent thinking and a different way of doing things, flexibility will help build trust and trust develops confidence.
If the employee faces problems, the manager should desist from getting involved. Instead he should offer advice or suggestions so that a solution can be found.
A manager should appreciate and publicly acknowledge a job well done. This will motivate employees to take responsibilities in the future as well. If the results are not that perfect, they should at least appreciate the effort that went into it.
Do not expect perfection the first time you delegate authority. It is better if a standard of quality is established and a time frame is drawn up for the subordinates so that they can learn the ropes. With delegation, managers should remember that some mistakes are bound to happen.
Remember that delegation of responsibility requires a lot of patience and practice. Delegation should be considered a way of teaching skills and lessen the burden on one individual. It will also help the organisation to build an asset of skilled personnel, which will foster growth.
HEMA GOPALKRISHNAN
faqs@cnkonline.com
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