It's surprisingly difficult to let go of the daily grind.
As successful employees transition into managerial and leadership roles, they often have trouble relinquishing the small tasks and busy work that used to pile up on their desks, writes executive coach Judith Sherven in a recent LinkedIn post. For some people, busy work becomes an ingrained habit. Others may hesitate to rely on another person to complete the task. But making the shift is important for both you and your employees.
"Understand that if you can't surrender the work that should no longer be on your plate, you'll be seen as a control-freak and micro-manager by those who work for you, whether or not you ever hear a word about it," Sherven explains.
How can new executives, managers, and leaders learn to be better delegators? Sherven says it's important that they train and trust the people they'll be delegating to. If someone doesn't make the cut, then the new manager might need to replace or fire that employee. The manager also needs to rethink his or her identity to include the role of delegator, Sherven says.
"When you're clear about the power of appropriate delegation, then you can grow that new identity as you build and develop an effective team behind you that you can trust to take over when circumstances demand," she concludes.
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