I was a perfectionist as it were... always challenging myself to a next-level show-up as a team leader. Even though I had a good relationship with my team members and we worked pretty well together, I always felt hesitant to delegate tasks beyond their direct core duties. Somewhere inside of me, I just felt they would not be able to manage some tasks as thoroughly as I would want them to, or that perhaps they would feel that I was throwing too much at them, so I decided to do as much as I could by myself to the point that I started feeling so overwhelmed that my anxiety for work started overtaking me and gradually, it felt like I was shutting down.
Everything about work irritated me, my mood became dampened and I was constantly flooding my system with worries of how I was going to get through the next day. Ultimately, I had to resign because I could no longer manage the stress and the pressure and I couldn’t speak up.
You may be wondering if this was the best thing I could have done, and I’ll tell you ‘NO’ but at the time, I didn’t know any better and I paid dearly for it and I wouldn’t want that for anyone else.
If you are an emerging leader or a senior leader who is feeling overwhelmed, burned out and under pressure to do more, I’ve got some tips for you to help lessen your burden and reduce your workload efficiently.
Delegation is the key to managing a heavy workload and avoiding burnout. It can help you better organise your tasks and ensure that they are completed quickly and efficiently. By mastering the art of delegation, you can create an effective team that can help reduce stress levels and maximise productivity levels. Burnout can be a major issue for anyone, especially when you’re managing a team. As with anything, the key to success is finding a balance, but the truth is you can often be so focused on work that you don’t realize that burnout is creeping in.
If done correctly, delegating tasks can help increase productivity, improve communication, and foster personal growth in others, but it can be difficult to know where to start - especially if you’re new to delegation.
Successful delegation starts by giving employees meaningful tasks that they can handle but also challenges them to grow. Remember - delegating doesn't just make sure that your projects are completed on time, but it helps to prevent burnout and free up valuable time for other activities that help boost morale and motivation in the workplace.
Here’s how you can become a master at delegating tasks to your team members without any hassles:
Have a plan: Before delegating anything, make sure you have a comprehensive plan of what needs to be done and by who and when. Once your plan is in place, you will be able to delegate tasks that are outside your skill set or time constraints so that you can focus on higher priority activities.
Set clear expectations - Define the task in detail, identify the resources needed, set timelines and keep track of progress. Make sure you communicate the goals, deliverables and deadlines clearly, so everyone is on the same page.
Provide adequate support - Break tasks down into manageable chunks and provide support as needed. Ensure to provide all the resources necessary for the person you are delegating tasks to, so that they can complete the tasks efficiently.
Empower others - Don’t micromanage – give team members autonomy to make their own decisions and provide an accommodating environment for them to thrive and show them that you trust them to take on responsibility for tasks that need to be done.
Give feedback - Make sure team members feel valued and provide helpful feedback for improvement.
For more tips to enhance your leadership skills and career, subscribe to the Ignite Your Leadership Prowess Newsletter.
Comments