When companies or non-profit organizations begin, they are normally composed of a relatively few people who work together closely with the owner or owners on a day-to-day basis. Over time, however, as the enterprise begins to grow in scale, there will come a point when the founder/owner cannot continue to handle everything personally and must therefore add personnel to help carry the workload. Accordingly, knowing how and when to delegate effectively is a critical skill in the tool belt of effective leaders.
Over the next few weeks we will examine a number of the dynamics regarding delegating responsibility to others, which will naturally need to take place in any growing organization. Our goal is not to provide a complete treatise on the subject. Rather, we will simply offer a few notes for leaders, with the intention of stimulating thought and encouraging discussion for those who desire to continue to posture their organization for continual growth and expanding market influence.
Next week we will begin by exploring the difference between control-style leadership and empowerment-style leadership. In the weeks following, we will examine additional aspects of delegating responsibility, including to whom we can delegate, the need to combine authority with responsibility, the importance of staying connected, and the value of maintaining regular feedback loops.
Stay tuned!