Kevin Rudd is gone and the Labor task now is to convince voters that Julia Gillard, his closest partner in so many policy and political escapades, would make a different Prime Minister.The party will have to somehow draw a line between Rudd and Gillard, and not just a distinction based on style. Fat chance. To repeat: If Kevin Rudd has made clunky decisions over the past six months, so has Julia Gillard. 
Even the appeal of supporting Australia’s first female Prime Minister will not be enough to save the Labor government at the election, just as the first woman Premier in NSW won’t save Labor there.
In fact, voters will find it hard to distinguish between the NSW Labor mess and the federal one.
Some of the same characters created both.
It is Tony Abbott’s most private dream come to fruition, and the Opposition Leader can thank NSW right manager Mark Arbib, old-school Australian Workers’ Union chief Bill Ludwig, and new chum Labor MPs Bill Shorten (a former AWU national secretary) and union mate David Feeney.
One signature element of this coup is that almost all senior ministers were too busy doing their jobs to be involved in the plotting. It was a revolt from below decks.
Another is that we now have the bizarre spectacle of the ALP right and trade union right joining to elevate the Boadicea of the Labor left, Julia Gillard.
A strength of the Rudd government has been its stability.
Just one minister has moved to the back bench in two and a half years. There have been three delicate controversies involving MPs, including Belinda Neal, which have ben quietly resolved.
By comparison, the Liberals are into their third leader since the November, 2007 election. Then there was the fourth leader, Peter Costello, who decided he didn’t want to lead the party.
That asset of stability and unity of purpose was surrended last night, and with it Kevin Rudd’s job.

KEVIN Rudd this morning looks certain to lose his prime ministership in a caucus ballot after he and Julia Gillard last night spent a desperate 2 1/2 hours in failed talks. Key Labor powerbrokers last night moved on Mr Rudd, telling the Deputy Prime Minister she had the numbers to win.But Mr Rudd made it clear he would not step aside and that his enemies would have to force him out.
The final straw for Ms Gillard came early yesterday. Angered by a morning newspaper report leaked from the Prime Minister’s office, questioning her loyalty to Mr Rudd, she called senior powerbroker and fellow Victorian MP Bill Shorten. 

She wanted to know what to do.

“It p***ed everyone in the caucus off,” a New South Wales senior factional leader said.

KEVIN Rudd this morning looks certain to lose his prime ministership in a caucus ballot after he and Julia Gillard last night spent a desperate 2 1/2 hours in failed talks.

Key Labor powerbrokers last night moved on Mr Rudd, telling the Deputy Prime Minister she had the numbers to win.

But Mr Rudd made it clear he would not step aside and that his enemies would have to force him out.

The final straw for Ms Gillard came early yesterday. Angered by a morning newspaper report leaked from the Prime Minister’s office, questioning her loyalty to Mr Rudd, she called senior powerbroker and fellow Victorian MP Bill Shorten.

She wanted to know what to do.

“It p***ed everyone in the caucus off,” a New South Wales senior factional leader said.

“And it p***ed her off, too. She has been nothing but loyal. And to have that happen was not only stupid but unwarranted.”

Just before Question Time at 2.30pm, Ms Gillard sounded out a select group of Cabinet colleagues.

What should she do? They had been giving her that answer for weeks. Challenge him.

By late afternoon, Mr Shorten, fellow Victorian Senator David Feeney, NSW MP Tony Burke and South Australian right wing factional leader Don Farrell went to see Ms Gillard in her office.

They had been conspiring for the past week and they wanted her to challenge.

“I’ll consider it,” she said.

The dice was rolled.

A grim-faced Ms Gillard later confirmed she would stand in the leadership contest as she left Parliament House after telling the Prime Minister she had the numbers to oust him.

“I will be a candidate in tomorrow’s ballot,” Ms Gillard told reporters.

If she loses today she would be expected to quit as a minister and go to the backbench.

Treasurer Wayne Swan is expected to become Deputy Prime Minister under Ms Gillard.

After the meeting with Ms Gillard, Mr Rudd called a press conference in which he slammed faction leaders, saying voters and not factions had made him Prime Minister, and vowed to fight for his job.

Barely disguising his bitterness, he said he had “lost the support of certain factional leaders” several weeks before but wanted to work for the national interest.

“I was elected by the people of Australia to do a job,” he said.

“I was not elected by the factional leaders of the Australian Labor Party to do a job, although they may be seeking to do a job on me.

“We’ve made mistakes on the way through. I’ve been very upfront about that.”

Full transcript of Kevin Rudd’s speech

Mr Rudd was also brought undone by junior minister and NSW faction chief Mark Arbib, and ALP national secretary Karl Bitar. They pressured the Prime Minister over the decision to defer action on climate change through creation of an emission trading scheme.

The pressure on Mr Rudd was heightened when Victorian right-wingers added their weight to demands he step aside. During the evening the AWU, one of Australia’s most powerful unions, joined the anti-Rudd mobilisation.

“We’ve gone into some heavy weather of late and a few people have become, shall I say, a little squeamish,” Mr Rudd said last night.

“I’m not for getting squeamish about those things. I am about continuing the business of reform.”

With The Daily Telegraph and AAP

THE final straw for Julia Gillard came early yesterday. Angered by a morning newspaper report leaked from the Prime Minister’s office, questioning her loyalty, she called senior powerbroker and fellow Victorian MP Bill Shorten. She wanted to know what to do.”It p***ed everyone in the caucus off,” said a NSW senior factional leader.

“And it p***ed her off, too. She has been nothing but loyal. And to have that happen was not only stupid but unwarranted.”

Just before Question Time at 2.30pm, the Deputy Prime Minister sounded out a select group of Cabinet colleagues. What should she do?

They had been giving her that answer for weeks.

Challenge him.

By late afternoon, Shorten, fellow Victorian Senator David Feeney, NSW MP Tony Burke and South Australian right wing factional leader Don Farrell went to see Ms Gillard in her office.

They had been conspiring for the past week and they wanted her to challenge.

“I’ll consider it,” she said.

The dice was rolled.

Shortly after 7pm, Ms Gillard’s office called the Prime Minister’s Office and told them that Ms Gillard wanted to see the PM.

The pair had been due to have dinner later in the evening at the Lodge. Mr Rudd was called back from a function to celebrate the 20th anniversary of parliamentary service for Senator Nick Sherry, around the corner from his office in the Ministerial wing of Parliament House.

With Ms Gillard was Defence Minister and fellow left-wing factional heavyweight John Faulkner, a NSW senator.

She informed the PM that she intended to challenge him for the leadership. She wanted a ballot. The pair remained behind closed doors for almost two hours.

As the two were locked in an intense negotiation, interrupted twice by Rudd loyalists Anthony Albanese and Lindsay Tanner, the factional leader from NSW Mark Arbib hit the phones.

Shorten, dining in the Canberra suburb of Kingston with colleagues including Sports Minister Kate Ellis, was also glued to the phone.

They still had no idea what Ms Gillard had decided.

But by 9pm, they were confident they had the numbers to swing behind her should she decide to do it.

The answer was revealed at 10.20pm when the PM called a press conference and revealed he had been visited by Ms Gillard, and confirmed that the challenge was on.

This morning, at 9am, she goes into a special caucus meeting with the bulk of the members of the NSW Labor Right, the Victorian Right, the South Australian Right and the Victorian Left behind her.

Queensland right-wing powerbroker, Senator Joe Ludwig, was also on board. The deal was that Treasurer Wayne Swan – the man who voted against Rudd in the spill against Kim Beazley – would be Ms Gillard’s deputy.

The Victorian Right had been courting Gillard for the past two weeks, urging her to challenge. “We can’t win with this bloke,” they told her.

Arbib, the NSW numbers man who put Rudd into the leadership in 2006, had been sounding out support among select MPs for a change.

The internal polling provided by the party’s national secretary Karl Bitar was worse than the public polling, which had already put the Government in a losing position. But Gillard’s loyalty prevented her from doing the unthinkable.

She was refusing to act.

And they were unwilling to tap the Prime Minister on the shoulder themselves.

Factional leaders said the nail in the coffin for Rudd was a dinner on Tuesday night in Parliament House for the country’s business leaders.

“His speech was pure anger and venom,” said a minister who witnessed the event.”It was bizarre. The cream of the country’s business community were there. And they were stunned. So were we.”

• By Simon Benson
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• June 24, 2010 12:00AM

Managers get things done through other people. They delegate primarily because it makes their job easier. If they try to do everything themselves, they become unnecessarily burdened; their performance and health deteriorate; they fail to develop their staff adequately; and, in time, the organization will suffer. Indeed, many writers believe that the ability to delegate is the main distinguishing feature between good and bad managers. Knowing how to delegate is, therefore, a crucial management and leadership skill.

1. From your prioritized jobs, select one to delegate.
List in priority order those tasks you might consider delegating. To qualify for this list, a task should be taking too much of your time, be not strictly related to your key role, be rather routine, be appropriate and challenging for another staff member, or be better undertaken by someone with more appropriate skills or know how than yours. The purpose of delegating is not just to dodge work or to unload unrewarding, tedious, or difficult tasks-nor should you retain only the jobs you enjoy. Select a task that could and should be delegated.

2. Define clearly for yourself the task to be delegated.
Clarify in your own mind the task to be delegated. Think through the task so that you can outline it clearly. For example, be able to provide details of:
o the expected results or product
o how the task might be approached
o subtasks within the overall task
o the limits of authority
o the necessary time lines
o how you will know the task is done
o what resources will be required
o what training might be necessary.

Understand the task fully yourself so that you will later be able to brief a staff member thoroughly.

3. Select the right person for the job.
As a good manager, you should be aware of the strengths and limitations of your staff and delegate accordingly. Ideally, the person you choose should have the ability, knowledge, skills, enthusiasm, talent, and time needed to get the job done. Unfortunately, such qualities are not always found in the one person. So, before selecting someone, ask yourself:
o Who has the necessary skills?
o Who would be most challenged?
o Who would learn most? Who would benefit least?
o Does the task require previous experience? Will training be needed?
o What particular personal qualities are needed? Who has them?
o Who can be trusted to do the job?
o What other workloads does that person have?
o Is more than one person needed? If so, can they work together successfully?
o Who would enjoy a job like this? How will others react?

Delegation to the right person should improve skills, morale, and esteem.

4. Conduct a thorough briefing.
In handing over the assignment, be prepared to set aside adequate time in private to communicate clearly:
o the scope of the task
o the specific results required
o the time schedule and deadlines
o the available resources
o the authority needed to carry out the job
o how performance can be measured
o sensitive or risky aspects of the task
o reporting procedures
o your confidence in the person you select.

Ask for feedback and encourage questions to eliminate any confusion.

5. Delegate appropriate authority.
When you give people a job, make sure you tell them how much authority you are handing over. For example:
o ‘Look into the problem; suggest three solutions; and I’ll choose the best.’; or
o ‘Look into the problem; tell me how you plan to solve it; and do so unless I tell you otherwise.’; or
o ‘Solve the problem and tell me when you’re finished.’

Set parameters and establish controls to ensure this authority and the accompanying power will be properly used. If necessary, inform other relevant staff.

6. Keep lines of communication open.
When you delegate, you do not abdicate responsibility: you must maintain some control over the project. At least, agree to have your delegate inform you only when things are not going according to plan. Be accessible but not meddlesome. The delegate should make the first contact.

7. Monitor progress unobtrusively.
Keep an eye on your delegate’s progress without intruding. If necessary, confirm in advance how often progress is to be reported. As the delegate gains confidence, tactfully withdraw-but remain alert for problems. Help if asked to do so.

8. Reward performance.
Appreciate a job well done by recognizing good work privately and publicly. Sincere recognition will increase your effectiveness in working with others.

9. Delegate as part of a master plan.
Review the project on its completion to make sure your delegate has also gained from the task. See delegation as part of the planned growth of your staff. Through delegation, they grow in confidence; and they-and your organization- will benefit in the long run.

Dr Neil Flanagan has separated the practical management know-how from the entangling theory and jargon and made it available to you @ http://www.management2go.com And while you’re there, download a FREE gift, a FREE e-Topic, and sign-up for a regular newsletter that will link you to a worldwide network of people just like you. If you’d like more information about issues raised in this article, go to http://www.management2go.com/products/Delegation.html

Author: Dr Neil Flanagan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The task of delegation is critical to enhanced work-life balance and is consistently one of the biggest challenges people have in the workplace and at home. Most people are aware of the importance of effective delegation, but nonetheless they do not use delegation when it would serve them.Delegation is an integral part of managing your day efficiently. The problem people often have with delegation is related to false messages that they often tell themselves about the delegation process. Some of these messages include the following:

“How can I ask someone else to do something if it’s my job? I don’t want to impose.”

“If I ask someone else to do something, then it will show that I’m not capable.”

“If someone else can do what I’m supposed to do, it means I might be replaceable.”

“I should be able to do it all.”

If delegation is a challenge for you, you most likely have misconceptions about the intention, process, and/or benefits of this important process. Take a few minutes now to determine what might be getting in the way of more effective delegation for you.

When you are ready, consider a new approach to delegation. Delegation is…

required if you want to be at your most effective and efficient

required if you want to develop other leaders within your organization

desired by your direct reports so they can have opportunities for growth and skill enhancement

expected of you so you are focusing on your highest value-producing contributions.

So, how do you go about actually delegating responsibilities to others? Once you get comfortable that delegation is a win-win situation for everyone involved, the act becomes much easier. It can be as simple as these few words.

“Olivia, I have a project that I need assistance on. Can you please do x, y, and z and get it back to me by tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.?”

“Adam, since you’re an expert on _______, can you please write me three paragraphs about that process and send me a draft on Friday?

“Melissa, can you do a, b, and c for me before the end of the week and let me know when it’s completed. This will give you a chance to contribute significantly to the Horton Project. Thank you.”

Thus, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind when using delegation:

find the best person for the job

ask directly and concisely for what you need

be specific about time requirements and deadlines

be respectful and appreciative.

To get more comfortable with the process of delegation, create a Delegation Action Plan. Before you actually attempt to use delegation, complete the following steps: (a) define the task you want to delegate and (b) identify the person to whom you want to delegate the task. You will also want to consider: What does successful completion of this task look like? Be as specific as possible when answering that question. Also, when do you need the project completed and returned to you?

Once you have defined specific needs and requirements for this delegation, spend a few minutes imagining yourself speaking with the person to whom you plan to delegate this work. Write down a possible script for you to use when asking for delegation assistance. Be sure to be direct, concise, respectful, and appreciative.

Here are a few final things to consider regarding delegation.

• What can get in the way of you actually delegating the given task?
• How can you overcome this possible roadblock to delegation?
• What will be the benefit of actually using delegation? (Consider the benefits to you, to the person with whom you are delegating, and to the organization.)

Lastly, make a commitment to using delegation by completing the following statement:

I will ask _________________ to do _________________ for me and complete and return it to me by ___________________.

You have now defined one act of delegation. It is likely that there are many more opportunities for you to benefit from this process.

As you delegate more frequently, the process will become easier and more natural. You will also see your productivity increase and your hesitation with delegation diminish.

Author: Julie Cohen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Managing a successful event means balancing your event production with the demanding process of delegate management. Here are five top tips to making your delegate management efforts work smoothly and effectively.

What is delegate management anyway?

Delegate management is the term given to the communications and data processes in the run up to an event such as a conference or meeting, and to some extent on site at the event.

Why is delegate management important?

To be successful your event must have an objective, and this objective will normally be related to revenue generated or whether a message that the stakeholder wanted to communicate to delegates was communicated. However, many event managers will lost track of the objective as soon as invitations have been sent.

Why? Well, when you invite people to an event you are undertaking a complex management task that is often underestimated. Rather than concentrating on your objective, you’ll most likely find that you’re dealing with questions from delegates, changes to their registration data, and communicating these details to the venue and third party suppliers.

To be effective in managing the event you must be able to make sure that the amount of time you dedicate to these tasks doesn’t impede on your ability to meet the original objective. To do that you should invest time on implementing a robust and scalable delegate management strategy before you even think about publicising your event.

So how do I set up a delegate management strategy?

Here are the five top tips to successful delegate management;

• Delegate your delegates!If your budget withstands it, think about hiring an outside delegate management specialist to handle your pre-event communications and registrations for you. Although it may appear that you can save money by doing everything in house, hiring a specialist will mean you don’t have to invest in new technology, and it will give you the flexibility to add more people on to the job if needed.
• Make sure your database software is up to the jobSpreadsheet software is great for managing data that only one person works on, and where you don’t need to keep a record of changes.

  Unfortunately not many events fit that profile. You may well need to have two people working on a delegate list (possibly in different locations), and you can’t afford to run the risk of one user saving their changes over another’s file.

  If you’re running your own delegate management, give a lot of consideration to using a database software package rather than a spreadsheet. Databases are normally designed for multi-user environments, and if they’ve been built for events they should also automatically keep a log of each delegate’s registration history. This is invaluable when queries come up as it quickly highlights if mistakes have been made and need to be put straight.

• Make good use of the webThe web is a real blessing for event managers, so you really should use it to the max.

  Firstly, it’s the ideal place for your event information to be displayed. Your event web site soon becomes the first point of reference for questions from delegates about the event content and location. And unlike traditional media, you can change the content after the invitations are sent, e.g. you can post answers to questions that you’re asked that you hadn’t originally expected delegates to ask.

  Secondly, it’s a great way to allow delegates to register. As well as the obvious advantage of 24/7 availability, using your event web site for registration saves you the job of inputting all the data, and means that the delegates are responsible for the accuracy of their own data.

  These days there are some excellent web based event registration solutions available that are ideal for managing your event data. Being online they will be a huge help if you need to give access to data to third party suppliers (keeping caterers up to speed with dietary requirements, for example).

• Log everything!It’s important to keep a record of every change that occurs with a delegate’s registration, including when it was actioned, what changed, and who made the change. This information will be invaluable if there are any question marks over whether a change should have been made or not. For instance, if a delegate disputes whether they should be liable for the cost of a hotel room she didn’t use, your logs should be able to highlight when and why the room was booked.
• Stream your correspondenceHaving a helpline that delegates can use to reach you by phone is great for them. It’s not so great for you if you’ve got a large workload.

So look to delegate or outsource your helpline, or if that’s not possible then make sure you ’stream’ your correspondence down the routes that will work best for you. For instance, in your event correspondence list your web site first and largest, so delegates see that before they see the helpline number. This will usually mean the delegate may find the answer they were looking for on the web site, and they’re more likely to make the enquiry by email or web form, which you can deal with at a time that suits you.

Nick Thompson is Head of Events at London based delegate management specialists Dataflow Events. The company provides event registration services such as bulk emailing, conference call centres and email handling, and feedback collection and reporting.

Author: Nick Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Most of us are aware of the positives from delegating-we’ve heard them before. In theory, it’s a great concept: “Get other people to do your work for you…Awesome!” We also know that, theoretically, we can get more done in less time if we delegate properly. The results of not delegating include burnout, stress, and getting overwhelmed with mundane tasks that distract us from our most important responsibilities. Yet, why is delegation one of the most underutilized skills in organizations today? Why don’t we delegate more? Delegation is actually a learned and applied skill. It takes an understanding of how to do it correctly, and conscious focus to create a habit.

Whenever I present a program on delegation or time management, I always ask the audience if they have ever said this to themselves: “If its’ going to get done right, and if its’ going to get done on time-I might as well do it myself!” What’s amazing is that approximately 99% of all attendees raise their hand. Everyone has said this to themselves before. Why? Because that’s the way we’re wired! We all have a default mechanism which causes us to fall back on doing everything ourselves, often subconsciously.

So, let me present this question to you: How many times in your life have you said that phrase to yourself?: “If its’ going to get done right, and if its’ going to get done on time-I might as well do it myself!”

TEST RESULTS:

0-49 That’s about normal.
50-99 You’ve got a problem.
Over 100+ Please attend the next Control Freaks Anonymous meeting in your area!

Now, this article isn’t about why we SHOULD. It’s about why we DON’T.

Here are the Top 4 reasons we rationalize not delegating:

1. “I don’t have anyone to delegate to.”

We often believe we don’t have anyone to delegate to. Certainly, if you don’t have employees or a personal assistant, you may have stopped reading already. However-don’t fret. Delegation, at its’ most basic level, is simply having someone help you. Help can also come from peers, other departments, friends, interns, or even your children (please consult the child labor laws in your state first). There are even examples of those who have mastered the art of delegation enough that they can delegate…to their boss. Yes, the concept of “managing your boss” has picked up steam in the last decade or so. Now this doesn’t necessarily mean storming into their office, dropping a stack of reports on their desk and threatening “Get these done by Friday or you’re fired!” (Don’t you wish) More subtly, it could be asking for personal help with something they have more experience with, requesting additional resources, or at least managing expectations in relation to other projects you also have on your plate.

2. “I’ve tried to delegate and it doesn’t work. I’ve been burned before.”

You’re right. Something didn’t get done right or on time because you gave it to someone else. You trusted someone, and they didn’t come through. Someone let you down. Someone made you look bad. Got it. It’s happened to all of us.

But, here’s the key: Don’t make that an excuse to STOP DELEGATING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Here is a reality check: Will delegation ALWAYS work?….No, it won’t! The key here is that, as a leader, you are still on top of what is happening with those tasks, and follow-up on their progress. Don’t get burned. What, perhaps, could you have done more effectively? Were you clear in exactly what was to be performed, and by when? Did the person have the time, training, and resources to perform the task? Did they agree to the commitment? Did you follow-up before the deadline to double-check in case they got off track? Delegation is a process, and the organized “delegator” doesn’t get burned.

3. “By the time I explained it to someone, I could have done it myself.”

Quite possibly, there are things that could take just a bit more time to explain to someone else-the first time. However, if we think that way all the time, we WILL be the only person that knows how to do everything-and we will stay in the trap of having to do everything ourselves. But if we invest the time to delegate the first time, and that same or related item arises again…wallah! It’s now a time saver from that point on.

The key to this method is the word “habit.” Using the above excuse rationalizes and enhances the habit of doing everything yourself. Avoiding this excuse creates the habit of delegating. Establish the pattern of delegating, especially on smaller or quicker tasks, to create a habit. (Also see the “Disservice Theory” below.)

4. “I don’t want to ‘bother’ someone else…they already have enough on their plate.”

I liken this “bothering someone” mentality to asking someone to buy something if you are in sales, or even asking someone out on a date. Psychologically, there is a certain uncomfortable side to delegating. We don’t want to seem as if we are pawning work off on others. We don’t like giving people more work, especially if they, too, seem busy. However, if we are truly overwhelmed, who do we really have to blame if we never even ask for help in the first place? Who do we have to blame that we don’t have time for the important projects that we should be focusing our time on? Delegation often has to do with pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone, rather than “not feeling like asking” for help and continuing the pattern of taking it all on ourselves.

The “Disservice” Theory

The next time you start a project where you think to yourself “This is a pretty big project,” or “this is really important-I need to do this one myself,” consider this: You are actually doing someone a disservice by not including them, by not allowing them to share in the responsibility, and not allowing them to grow and develop so that they are a step closer to taking on more responsibility in the future.

Perhaps it is a new or younger member in your organization, or an employee wanting to learn for future advancement, or even an intern. If you at least “take them along for the ride” with you-next time, they can do more. We all had mentors who took us along for the ride. That is how people learn. That is how people grow. Don’t deny someone the opportunity to learn and grow because the responsibility seemed “too important.” Take the time to include someone and share.

Like anything else, these tips may not work every time, but give them a shot:

1.) “Can you help me? I really need your help.” The number one reason people don’t get enough help is because they don’t ASK. Period. If you sincerely need help, and ask someone using these magic words-nine times out of 10 they will respond.

2.) “When do you think you can get this done by?” Instead of setting deadlines or imposing an order-ask someone when they can commit to getting the task done. First of all, they will appreciate the gesture. They know their schedule and other commitments better than you. But, if they are the ones who set their own deadline, there is an extra level of accountability-and they are much more likely to adhere to the deadline.

3.) The FIRST thing you should do each morning is identify the 3, 5, or 7 items on your “To-Do List” where at least some progress can be made by someone else. Ship those items off to sea either in person or via email by asking for help right away. Then get on with your day. A couple will get done, a couple more will at least make some progress, and a couple others may not get any progress. Fine. That is much more progress than if you never delegated any of those tasks at all. The key is that you are now making progress during the day/week on 4 of those items while you spent NO time on them at all, allowing you to make progress on the most important items on your list simultaneously.

Keep the Big Picture In Mind

I had an important life lesson I learned early in my career. I was definitely a control freak. I ran around doing everything myself-maybe trying to impress, maybe not trusting others, or maybe not realizing the damage that it caused, until it was almost too late. I nearly reached a point of total burnout and exhaustion. I also wasn’t performing well to the big picture of my responsibilities-which is what I was hired for. I then had the revelation that being a leader isn’t the person running around doing everything. A leader is someone who inspires others to achieve the goals of the organization as a team-first and foremost.

So, please take this to heart. Like anything else, delegation takes focus, and a concerted conscious effort everyday-or we revert to our old habits. You have to WORK on being an excellent “delegator.” Place a one-word post-it note on your PC to help create this habit everyday. Bring someone along on that next big project. Look at your “To-Do List” and delegate 3, 4, or 5 items before you do anything else. Then devote your time to your big picture goals–and achieve MORE, in less time, with higher quality, and less stress. You will be amazed at what you and your organization can accomplish.

Andy Masters is a nationally recognized Author/Speaker who has written 4 books and earned 4 degrees, including an M.A.-Human Resources Development and an M.A.-Marketing from Webster University. Andy presents entertaining and inspirational programs in the areas of Sales/Service, Time Management/Work-Life Balance, and Educational success across North America, and is a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA).

Author: Andy Masters
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Delegating tasks to your employees accomplishes a variety of things. One of which is less work for the supervisor. So why don’t we delegate? Is it that supervisors don’t know how to delegate work or could it be that there are different reasons why supervisors don’t delegate work to their employees. The answer is simple, supervisors tend to think they can do it better or the employee may make a mistake or even worse the employee may do a good job and the supervisor may feel threatened. Well being a good supervisor is largely about knowing how to delegate work. Yes, they may make a mistake, which is part of the learning process. That being the case carefully choose the work you delegate. Don’t give them the critical tasks that could have harsh consequences if not properly done. By knowing how to delegate work you are able to build trust among your employees. They feel they are able to assist you in important day to day issues. Delegating is a way to grow and mature employees. How are you ever going to know their potential if you don’t test the waters every now and then.

At first you may run into some resistance when trying to delegate tasks. Reasons for this include fear, lack of time, and lack of supervisor feedback. Get around many of these issues by delegating to the other’s strengths; don’t set them up to fail. If they don’t have time to do the task, make the time. Provide them feedback when needed. Eventually they will feel more comfortable with the tasks and may require less feedback from you.

When you delegate be sure to pick the right person for the job. Describe to them the desired results and give them a detailed description of the task and answer any questions they may have. If you feel they are not certain they completely comprehend the task, inquire from them how they plan on getting the job done? If their answer is way off base step back and give them more information and supervision. If their answer is moderate then let them run with it for a while and they may find that they need more guidance. Let them come to you and ask questions. If progress is not being made you may need to step in and provide some guidance. If they answer correctly, there is no need for more definition, let them run with it.

Along with knowing how to delegate work you need to know what type of work can be delegated. When deciding whether or not to delegate a task consider the following. Can they do it better than you can? If so delegate. If not still consider delegating. This is a good opportunity to start building independence. Can they do the task instead of you? If so delegate. As a supervisor you already have a full plate. Delegate when you can. Can they do the task at less of a cost than you? What I mean here is how much do you make an hour? Now consider how much one of your employees makes an hour. Should you spend your time doing work that they could be doing at a lower cost per hour? Probably not. If your employee can do the task more efficiently than you, delegate. Lastly, delegate when you see an opportunity for growing and adding perspective for your employees.

In conclusion I should mention when not to delegate work. There are certain tasks that should not be delegated to your team members. Don’t delegate when the task is confidential, personal, routine, and there is no opportunity for the employee to learn.

As a supervisor you want to grow your employees. You want to build confidence and independence in them. Knowing how to delegate work can help accomplish this. Involve your team members as much as you can. Watch out for over-whelming them and don’t give them too much work. Remember, most people see an accident waiting to happen. This means that they will most likely complain about being over worked when they see the potential of being over worked. So when they complain they have to much work they probably have time for just a bit more. Still be mindful of how much work you are delegating and don’t forget to encourage and compliment your employees for their efforts.

Jason Deines writes for an informational website, MyInfoSource.biz. Visit MyInfoSource for additional information on How to Supervise People

Author: Jason Deines
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker

In the past article I looked at some of the key approaches to delegating work effectively. In this article I will look at some of the main barriers that stop us from delegating work effectively or at all. We all have our reasons for not delegating. I myself have taken some time to understand the reasons why I didn’t do it more often.In a recent Delegation Skills Course that I ran, I tasked the group with brainstorming some of the reasons why they didn’t delegate work. Once they done this we looked at some of the ways in which they could overcome those barriers. Here are the barriers and ideas they came up with.

Time Pressures – The time you have available means it’s quicker for you to do the job yourself. This appears to be quite a common theme when I talk to people about delegation. The time pressures in today’s modern working environments means we don’t have the time to delegate – but, isn’t this one of the reasons why we should be delegating?

I introduced the delegates to Stephen Covey’s view of Delegation by using the information from page 172 of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People which aims to describe how investing one unit of effort into managing people only results in one effort of output, where investing one unit of effort in delegating work effectively produces 2-3 times more output. So, by spending the time you would take doing the job actually showing someone else how to do it, means you will reap the rewards. Ask the question, is this the real reason why I don’t delegate?

Lack of Confidence in Team Member – This is where the delegator doesn’t have confidence in the person to carry out the job. My first question to the group was why would you lack confidence? They couldn’t really answer this. After more questioning it appears that an experience where delegation has gone wrong in the past leading to the belief that no one was trustworthy enough to delegate work to.

I asked what they learnt from the experience and most of them said they didn’t really think about it. So my challenge to them was to think about their experiences of the past, really think about why things went wrong i.e. was it actually them not delegating effectively that led to ultimate failure? Without learning from this experience, it will be a belief that sticks with them.

Over Supervision – This is where the delegates believed they couldn’t leave the person to it and had to keep checking back with the person the delegated the work to. My question first of all was to ask them how they would feel if the boot was on the other foot. How would they feel if someone who had given them a job to do was to keep checking back on them?

The resulting conversation led to them agreeing that this was a state of mind. The same group of people who lacked confidence in the team member seemed to come up with this barrier to. The group agreed that they needed to take a step back and put trust in the people they are delegating to. They should ensure they use the delegation process as highlighted in the first article and ensure they set clear objectives and agreed clear milestones with the person they delegated the work to.

Barriers to delegation exist in all of us. Check back soon for the third part of this article where I take a look at the next lot of barriers to delegation.

David Lumley is Managing Director of Revolution Learning and Development. He is an experienced Management Development Trainer and Coach.

Author: David Lumley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Pressure cooker