When you’re on the brink of burnout, you finally decide to hire help. Unfortunately, you’re in a reactive state at this point of desperation. Following advice and common practice, you dump everything on your new saviour, allowing yourself time to regain your composure. It is only then that you realise that person is not as great as first anticipated. But is that down to them misrepresenting themselves, or is your overwhelming need for rescue that made you skip over the planning stage and free-style the complex art of lazy delegation?
What is lazy delegation
Lazy delegation is IT terminology that compliments having policies and procedures in any business. Hearing a business owner use the term to have a lean team, work with the support of IT systems to see the numbers and, most importantly, be a hands-on owner.
Of course, this school of HouseRules believes that a business leader can adopt lazy delegation successfully. In the case of policies and procedures, you bring individuals into the team to concentrate on specific areas, be sales, operations, marketing, etc. As your venture grows, you are expected to roll up your sleeves to ensure the organisation stays on track regarding its values and mission.
Lazy delegation is when those in charge get caught up in the daily tasks that others can do just as well, if not better. Think of it as the host of a dinner party; rather than seeing the service running on time while mingling with the guests, you’re in the kitchen making the gravy because you believe no one can make it like you.
Which lazy delegation method do you subscribe to in your recruitment policy?
Recruitment is a time-consuming undertaking for any organisation. Outsourcing to a recruiter without discussing the process in detail or establishing what questions to ask is risky.
How many vacancies have you come across where the formal qualifications deemed essential at the application stage are never utilised on the job? The confessions of a recruiter are shockingly entertaining. But, on the other hand, some scan for keywords and skim-read for something to jump out at them.
You want ambitious individuals within your business because you can help each other’s advancement. But, usually, in the company’s attempts to recruit the best candidate for the position, lazy delegation takes over.
Failing to do due diligence on the recruitment process,s whether internal or outsourced. Instead, the drive usually gets someone in as soon as possible to help lighten the load.
The candidate has an impressive track record, so they can easily manage what you offer—allowing you, as the head of the organisation, to explore other ventures. However, if you listen keenly, you should hear the alarm bells.
If you have someone as qualified or more so than the owner and no clear policies that speak to the values and mission of the organisation, it is equivalent to signing a blank cheque.
Do you have a follow-up policy?
Common practice is to look at recruitment once the team is over capacity. All the warning lights are flashing. An individual is selected based upon their skills and experience of being capable of working within a “high pressured, fast-moving environment”. They give a good pitch, and you’re sure they can “hit the ground running”. No nannying or demanding time; it’s the unrealistic notion that you have cheated the dip in productivity.
The first months are an opportunity to nurture and monitor how the recruit (whether an employee or contractor) is adjusting to your internal community. At this point, your policies and procedures come into play because you have already taken the time to strategise how the rules of your business will guide your internal community to achieve the best.
Be in charge the way you desire with your HouseRules.
The strategy for lazy delegation
Failing to have policies is a plan to fail. You are doing a disservice to yourself, your team and your one-time customers. However, if you put in the thought at the start, there is no reason to be caught off guard when something goes wrong. More importantly, you won’t be afraid of letting go of the reins and welcoming like-minded individuals who want to contribute to the business’s success.
It’s a fallacy. It’s a lack of understanding of how to successfully run a business without micromanaging—a failure to develop your knowledge of your organisation. A failure to pinpoint your company’s core values and, therefore, you remain hesitant to enforce them. As a result, your business dominance is limited, and you opt for automation and “yes men”, fooling yourself into believing you have complete authority.
When you have an internal community of individuals who have equal drive and passion as you do for the mission, it doesn’t translate to you having the time to sleep or explore alternative ventures. To do so would be to question your buy-in in the first place. As humans, we grow and evolve much like our businesses, so even with the most incredible team in place, the role of premier worker changes to the overseer. It makes it easier for you to identify issues and areas of improvement; to deep-dive into research and development with the reassurance that other business units are in hand.
Leaders who put their policies and procedures at the forefront of operating their business may appear less engaged. However, shift your focus from the individual to the company. After all, that is the legacy in the making, and it will take more than you to continue.
As always, I know your time is precious, especially if you are trying to determine my value and whether working with me will be worth your time. So look out for the following Ethical Insight, but if you cannot wait any longer, go ahead and book a Sip & Chat.
