“Okay everyone”, he says in that snide nasal tone you know SO well. “just a reminder, your revised proposals are due by Monday morning.”  You look on bemused that you have to do this.  You’re not nervous, just annoyed.  You would have been done by now if you didn’t have to make a proposal first.  “James, your idea needs some refinement, you need to include more widgets and less dongles like this,” the nasal tone interrupts your reverie.  Its a good thing you didn’t start yet, your idea just got mangled beyond recognition… its now 100% more safe, and 1000% less interesting.

We’ve all known the manager that refuses to delegate.  They want to be involved in EVERY decision.  They want to be “presented to” and (if your lucky) given a recommendation.  It’s usually either a VERY capable person (who is super-duper smart and works super hard), or a VERY nervous/worried person who is constantly thinking about CYA (Cover Your Ass).  In the first case, they are doing it because they probably DO have great ideas and maybe could do it better/make it better.  In the latter, they are doing it because they are worried that if it gets screwed up, they will lose their job.  In either case, they are doing it wrong.  Refusal to delegate means you ARE the bottleneck in your system.

There are two principles that are being ignored here.  First, the principle of trust.  In both cases, they are not trusting their co-workers (or subordinates) to do the work right (well).  The second is efficiency.  In both cases, the manager has sacrificed “efficiency” by putting themselves in the work-flow.

I can’t change your manager over night…but here is how you can change him (and/or yourself)!

1. introduce the concept of “guidelines”.. pre-approved guides within which one can operate without approval.  Budgets, schedules, milestones, and boundaries.  (e.g. $500 per month spending maximum for needed stuff)

2. introduce the concept of “good enough”.. a standard that is admittedly below your BEST’s best, but that is good enough to get the job done without taking your Best’s time away.  (note: works well when the BEST is the manager in question, or he thinks he is).  [not that I know from personal experience] 🙂

3. introduce the concept of “front man”.. a front man not only has ownership of the project, but gets exposure as the leader to higher-ups.  This concept is a win-win-win… the CYA guys, get to CYA.  The subordinates get higher-up exposure, and the higher-ups, get to see new faces!

Now, start delegating, and work on the stuff that really matters.