Women@Work
Just Ask
Most of us fail to get the help we need because we don’t ask—or don’t know how to ask—for it. Whether we need help at home or in the workplace, the same holds true. A secretary won’t know what you need unless you tell her. A coworker won’t know what you need unless you tell her. A coworker won’t know you can’t lift a heavy box unless you say so.
So let’s look at some principles for successful delegating in the business world:
- Decide what you want done, by setting goals that are measurable and specific. Linda was a manager of a small staff. She was struggling with her personnel, often wondering, Why don’t they know what I want? Why can’t they get inside my head? Such thinking is counterproductive and leads to a great deal of frustration and lack of communication with the staff. There is no way another person can get inside your head. Goals must be set forth and clearly defined (preferably in writing). It is not enough to say, “This year we need to increase productivity.” Increase productivity in what ways? By how much? Who’s going to do it, and how?
If you are not in management, then it is your responsibility to see that your leader defines goals specifically. Keep asking for definition until you are sure what is being asked of you. Take responsibility for yourself.
- Be aware that if our needs change, we have to inform our staff. There is no way staff members can know that what was top priority a week ago is no longer a priority. Staff is often not privy to information coming to a manager in decision-making meetings.
If you are not in management, you need to be aware of changing needs. Sometimes busy management fails to inform you, and all of a sudden you realize there’s been a shift of priorities. Ask. Find out why.
- Pick the right person for the job. Nothing is more frustrating or devastating to an employee than to be in the wrong job. But when you find the right person for the right job, then you can back off and let her do the job with little or no supervision. The individual’s self-esteem goes sky-high, and you are freed to give your attention and energies to something else.
If you are not in a leadership position but see a project in which you have a great interest—and that you also feel qualified to carry out—let your boss know. You may solve a big problem for your boss, simply because you’ve volunteered and he/she doesn’t have to look for someone else. If you have a great interest in the project but feel underqualified, ask if you can have the project, but also ask for the training necessary to accomplish the task.
- Train the person for the job. One of the greatest deficiencies in business today is the lack of training for a particular job. It is unfair to expect anyone to do a job he is unprepared to do. That is a setup for failure—it is frustrating to management and devastating to the inexperienced worker.
Training may seem time-consuming and expensive, but in the long run it is not. It is the only way to get the best out of staff members, to preserve their self-esteem, and to obtain the kind of results we want. As a manager, I am forever looking for opportunities for staff training. One of my biggest frustrations in the past has been working for companies that ignore or devalue training.
If you are a non-management worker in such a situation, request training. If formal training is not forthcoming, ask for subscriptions to newsletters and magazines that relate to your work. If all else fails, take matters into your own hands and sign up to take extension courses.
Excerpted from Thriving As A Working Woman by Gwen Ellis. Reprinted with permission. Gwen may be reached at www.seasidecreativeservices.com
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