Delegating Results

Do you delegate?

Do you delegate results?

Some people on a team seem to naturally take full responsibility for outcomes, whereas others look for tasks to mark ‘done’.

The former moves things forward. The latter leaves gaps for someone else to have to go in and keep things moving forward.

When we delegate results, we remove the latter. We’re able to trust folks will get ‘the whole thing done’, rather than waiting for someone else to move things along for/around/in spite of them.

Our teams use “Result Statements” for this:

Don’t just make a task. Define a result. Give it a name. Give it to someone. Give it a start and end date.

Give it a clear articulation of the problem being faced, and one of the solution you seek.

Give it the steps involved in achieving it to the best of your knowledge, to give them a rolling start.

If needed, have them choose a team to help them achieve it, and have them lead that team to the desired result.

That’s how we delegate results.

If you delegate, consider gifting people with the opportunity to do more than check boxes. Gift them with the opportunity to succeed at something.