During my rather long commute home (2 hrs), as is typical of my mind, I was storming up thoughts and ideas. Then it hit me — why is it that we are usually so keen on delegating work off to people that we don’t want to do or we supposedly don’t have time to do?
The answer: Simple, we want to focus on what is important to us, our goals, our role, and our responsibilities. This answer includes something along the lines of doing what’s best for the company and the job that we do, etc.
The problem with this solution is that it frequently results in the creation of what I call The Dumping Ground. This is the area of the office that usually seats the newbie, the assistant, and often mistakenly considered the least important person in the organization or department. For some odd reason we carry on a tradition and belief that the least important person in the organization or department deserves the most amount of delegated work. These are the people who are supposedly picking up the slack.
The ironic thing about this is that despite how most people have gone through the turmoil and stress of being dumped upon with the plentiful amount of what is referred to as effectively delegated work, we have no problem doing this to the next person in line — we have essentially accepted the fact that this is the way things are. Therefore that’s okay right?
Wrong. We have our opportunity to make a difference — here is that chance.
Here is an example of the typical chain of events:
1. The HiPPO (Highest Paid Person in the Organization / most important … thank you Google) wants something done. He or she tells senior management.
2. Senior management looks at what needs to be done within the context of the bigger picture.
- Option A: Go to The Dumping Ground
- Option B: Go to Middle Management
3. Middle Management identifies the steps involved with what needs to get done.
- Option A: Go to The Dumping Ground
- Option B: Go to Junior or General Staff
4. Junior or General Staff either takes care of the problem or looks at how something is going to get done.
- Option A: Go to The Dumping Ground
- Option B: DIY – Do It Yourself
The problem with passing on work to The Dumping Ground is that there is not enough consideration and thought put into whether or not the work should be taken to The Dumping Ground or if there’s even a simpler way to deal with the work.
Quite often The Dumping Ground is where the ground-level action is taking place — things are getting done that everyone takes for granted. Of course in the meantime, decisions taking place in management and even amongst general staff that create more projects which in turn, create more so-called effectively delegated work for the folks at The Dumping Ground.
Solution: The Trinity Approach
1. Listening. Yes, actually listening, not just the token nod. Listen for what the folks in The Dumping Ground actually strive for and observe how they thrive. Living is different than thriving.
2. Consideration. This just brings me back to my point when I had posted about the Employee Bill of Rights. My #1 rule:
Never forget where you worked and never forget how you felt, and what you did when you started working.
And please don’t say that just because you sucked it up and put up with it means that everyone after you must too. That’s pretty much saying that you’ll follow lemmings over a cliff. At least try to change the environment for others.
3. Simplify. Like fractions, we reduce and simplify. Don’t make things complicated — accountability does not require bureaucratic-like red tape. There are almost always a way to do things simpler and sometimes it may even be better to share 10 minutes of workload between five people than have one person deal with that one task alone.
The Result
It’s obvious. You’ve made a difference that is greater and bigger than you. Sometimes it isn’t just about getting the project done but how you do it.
Throughout my experience in different workplaces, I’ve been on both the receiving end and the person delegating work so I am just as guilty — I think it’s worthwhile to try and rid ourselves of bad habits.
