Delegation is one of those skills that, once mastered, will become an exceptionally useful tool for you, which will help you progress, develop and get more out of your tax career, as well as helpful to improve a work-life balance (if this is something you desire!).
But what comes to mind when you think of delegation?
Giving tasks to others? Or maybe even assigning responsibility?
Those definitions make delegation sound fairly simple and straightforward, but if you’ve had to opportunity to delegate, you’ve probably encountered a situation where delegation hasn’t gone to plan, leaving you feeling frustrated, annoyed, and like it’s a waste of time.
You’re definitely not alone with that experience. Delegation is a skill, and like any other skill, it must be learnt, developed, and improved over time.
So why is it that many people find delegation difficult?
I could sit here listing a whole but of reasons, but the way Mike Clayton, this episode’s guest, described delegation, I think reveals a significant reason as to why.
Mike says, “delegation is entrusting your work to somebody else.”
Trust is not immediate and has to be trust has to be built over time (unless you’re a rare exception!). Given this, it is no surprise that delegation is found difficult.
Mike is a business trainer, author, and speaker, who has been helping professionals, managers and leaders to excel in their roles with management, leadership, and personal effectiveness training. In particular, he has an online course on delegation, called “How to Delegate Without Stress – What Manages Need to Know”.
To find what Mike has to say about delegation, including some great advice on how to improve your delegation skills, take a listen to this episode!
Guest – Mike Clayton
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeclayton
General Management
- Website: https://mikeclayton.co.uk
- Courses: http://mikeclayton.usefedora.com/
Use coupon code TAXPRO225 at checkout for 40% discount
Books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2BoYIuQ
Please note – this Amazon link is an affiliate link which means I will get a small commission to support the podcast if you purchase from Amazon, at no increased cost to you.
You’ll Learn:
- About the benefits of delegation
- Reasons why you may resist delegation, and why these reasons are bogus
- Misconceptions associated with delegation
- The difference between allocating and delegating
- How to develop the trust necessary for good delegation
- What tasks should not be delegated
- The idea of delegating a particular section of a piece of work
- How to use the acronym BOATAR (background, outcomes, authority, timescales, admin, and resources) to better delegate
- What reverse delegation is and how to prevent it
- Why feedback is important when it comes to delegation, and how to go about giving it
Resources
- Mike’s delegation course:
https://mikeclayton.usefedora.com/p/how-to-delegate-without-stress-what-managers-need-to-know (Use coupon code TAXPRO225 at checkout for 40% discount)
- Mike’s general management YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/managementcourses
- Mike’s project management Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/onlinepmcourses
- TTPP 3: How to Obtain Good Quality Feedback (and Why You Should Ask for More!):
https://thetaxprofessionalspodcast.com/ttpp3