Keeping Members and Execs Engaged:
How to delegate work effectively
delegating_work_effectively_for_greater_club_exec_and_member_engagement.pdf |
Delegating Work Effectively
Once they are a member or executive, how you assign work can help you avoid, identify, and manage engagement issues.
Once they are a member or executive, how you assign work can help you avoid, identify, and manage engagement issues.
- Actually assigning work. The quickest way for executives and members to lose interest is to not have anything to do.
- Don’t waste their time. Tell your members and executives in advance what will happen at the upcoming meeting and who needs to be there
- If you ask for their input (e.g. a brainstorm) make sure you have a real plan to use it
- If you ask for their input (e.g. a brainstorm) make sure you have a real plan to use it
- Assign specific tasks to specific people Giving a vague task to multiple people is a recipe for the task slipping through the cracks
- This doesn’t mean you should tell them what to do. Rather, state the specific task that needs doing and ask who would like to do it.
- This doesn’t mean you should tell them what to do. Rather, state the specific task that needs doing and ask who would like to do it.
- Set a check-in date and a drop dead date Make sure there’s a set time for you to check on progress before it needs to have been done yesterday
- This prevents that awkward “I don’t want to micromanage them” self-doubt
- This gives you an early opportunity to flag problems
- This prevents that awkward “I don’t want to micromanage them” self-doubt
- Have a back-up plan Assign from the beginning who will take over if the person falls ill or can’t complete the task for some other reason
- This makes the transfer of responsibility much smoother and less insulting
- Realize that if someone can’t or won’t do something you can’t make them
- This makes the transfer of responsibility much smoother and less insulting
- Give them a way to save face Don’t criticize but offer support, make sure that any transfer of responsibility is done with understanding instead of blame.
- Write it all down It may seem obvious, but having a record of all this helps to keep people accountable and notice patterns
- Here is a template of a rolling action list which is one way to keep track
- Here is a template of a rolling action list which is one way to keep track
- Spread the Work Fairly There is a natural tendency to assign the most work to the best members and executives. Unfortunately this leads to burnout, so even your most engaged people become disengaged.
- Check in with how people are doing
- Ask people what kind of support they need and if you need to recruit assistants
- PRO TIP: This is a great opportunity to train future leaders (see succession module)
- PRO TIP: This is a great opportunity to train future leaders (see succession module)
- Check in with how people are doing