How to delegate in a post-apocalyptic world for dummies

The title could make you misunderstand that I wrote this article for teaching about how to delegate. It’s far from reality because I am not. I wrote this because I realized something that happened to me, and my experience may help others.

So, being fair, I have always thought that I was kinda good at delegating, but lately, I realized somewhat wrong was happening;

The COVID season hit me hard in the way I handle different projects. I have realized that my absence of personal iterations (I’m an extrovert, and I enjoy a lot with personal relationships) showed up with an irrational need to be seen in each meeting or project around me. That turned my days into a meetings Tetris.

I was jumping from one meeting to another like that part at Takeshi Castle.

This personal and irrational demand made me, little by little, get more responsibilities, and then I started to deal with overcontrol and frustration.

Also, on top of this particular recipe of circumstances. I am a little of a perfectionist, not in the way of someone obsessed with perfection, but I am super stubborn for doing the things in my way till to hear solid reasons why it can not be those possible.

So, yep. I came to the point that I realized I was doing the process slow instead of helping to speed forward, so now what? Well, I will tell you a little bit about what I am personally doing, in case that helps you somehow.

I thought I need to pass through a process to adapt myself to a new level of thinking, but what does that mean?

At that time, I saw an excellent tweet of Asier with some words of wisdom.

Transparent. Yep, I am! 🙋‍♂️. Honestly, it’s the only way I know to do things. And, on top of that, I have developed complete confidence in my team. They are outstanding professionals, and I can feel they can tackle everything we put on the table.

So, what it’s the next step? Making yourself invisible? Wait, what does that mean? Disappearing? 😱. It’s far from what I’d like to do.

But also recently read this wonderful article that talks about one of my fears about this Invisible status — the word Abdicate.

You either delegate and then forget about it as you completely trust your teammate to do the right thing (abdication). Or you delegate yet incessantly check on the progress of the delegated task (micromanagement).

And I got the point. The key is we are not talking about not do things; we are talking about that each thing you have to do has to count. And suddenly, a clear image has shaped in my mind. Wait, are we talking about strategy?

Yes, we are. So, I dropped myself off from those meetings where I have been adding more noise than solutions. [Spoiler] It was easier as I expected.

Apart from the standups, a meeting with more than three attendees, it’s a clear signal of noise, and also, if you have between them more people of your department, that signal is even louder.

And I focused on shaping the results and sharing those expected outcomes with my team. Firstly on a general perspective, and afterward, on the action items to go further, and the KPI’s for measuring the success/failure of those results.

I also recommend a wonderful book about this topic. Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. It’s helping me tackle this particular way of thinking, avoiding short-term solutions as the first option.

It will be an interesting process because I have always considered myself the typical resolutive guy, solving problems down the road.