Erica smiled again. "I always think I will get around to the follow-up. That's why I don't think about scheduling it on my calendar."

"That's exactly why to do lists don't work for me. I stay so fully scheduled that I do not get around to things that are not on my calendar. To do lists work for some people, but not for me," I explained.

"So, you are suggesting that when I delegate, I should put the follow-up steps on my calendar?"

I nodded, "Yes. Because if you don't put them on your calendar, when are you going to do the follow-up?"

Erica almost laughed, "Never. In fact, I wonder if I should stop keeping a to do list. Maybe I should put everything on a calendar."

"Let me know how that works out for you." -TF

"You are right about the visibility part," Erica explained. "When I delegate a project, I always write down things to follow-up on. I just never seem to get around to do the follow-up. I think I have too many things to do."

"Visibility is the key. I am great at writing things down, making lists, but it's so easy to let things slide when you are not the person actually doing the work on the project. So, how can we keep the follow-up steps in sight so we don't forget them?" I asked.

Erica did not respond, just shook her head.

"How did you remember our meeting today?" I continued.

"Well, that was easy. I know this meeting is important and I had it on my calendar," Erica smiled.

"You mean this meeting was not part of a to do list?"

"No, remember, we set a time to get together. You put it on your Palm and I put it in Outlook."

"So, what was different about our setting this meeting and remembering to follow-up on your delegation?" I pressed.

"I don't put delegations on my calendar. I put them on my to do list. That's why I never get around to the follow-up."

"What could you do differently?" -TF

"Once it gets off my plate, though, it's really hard to get back to it. When I delegate something, I would like to forget about it," Erica complained.

"That's because you are only thinking about yourself, and even at that, you are still missing something," I replied.

"But, if I'm not the one responsible for the task, anymore, I just lose focus on it."

I nodded in agreement. "Just because you lose focus, doesn't make it right. And you can change your focus."

"I don't know. It's easy to say, hard to do."

"So, even though the task is gone, how are you going to maintain visibility, so you don't lose focus?" -TF

I don't care how much you, as a manager, know. I don't care how you, as a manager, feel.

I only care about what you, as a manager, can do.

The best (and only) judgment of performance is performance.

Education is all about teaching you things to know. Motivation is all about making you feel. But all I care about is, what you can do.

That's why we started Working Leadership Online. This is a hands on program that helps you to implement managerial leadership practices in your own daily work life. Next week, our Working Leadership group turns their attention to Delegation. I don't care how much you know about delegation. I don't care how you feel about delegation. I only care that you can do.

You can read this blog and know something. You can read this blog and it may make you feel differently about something. But the blog is not designed to help you do.

And that's why we started Working Leadership. I just put the finishing touches on the curriculum that starts Monday. It's good stuff. You can sign up for the upcoming Delegation subject area or you can register for the next three (Delegation, Control Systems, and Managing Time) at a discount. Each subject area lasts three weeks. We currently have 16 managers actively participating in this program and we'd like to see you join in, too. Check it out. -TF

"I don't understand. Delegation saves time," Julio puzzled.

"Yes, but let's change the leverage point," I replied. "Instead of thinking about the benefits to you, as a manager, what are the benefits to the person you delegate to?"

Julio was thinking. He nodded. "Well, they will be able to take on more responsibility?"

"Okay, but how does that benefit the team member?"

"They may learn something new. Gain a new skill. Try something they have never tried before. It might lay the groundwork for a promotion."

"And if they are successful at this new skill, how much time will that save you?" I asked.

Julio sat back. Chuckling. "If they really learn it, could save me a hundred hours."

"And that's the leverage I am talking about. You work for one hour, get a hundred hours of productivity."
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Working Leadership Online
April 6 - Delegation Skills - Ultimate Leverage
Register today.

Apr 27 - Control Systems and Feedback Loops
May 18 - Managing Time - Managing Yourself
Jun 8 - Team Problem Solving - Power of Team