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Let go of making all or most of the decisions

Not doing everything yourself, but instead rely on your board knowing that you are ultimately responsible.

If you continue to hang on to tasks or issues, then you are not developing leaders and they are not learning from you.

Sometimes, leaders become so occupied with the day to day decisions and putting out fires, they lose sight of the long term decisions, opportunities, and challenges that face the chapter.

If you have a strong board working with you, then your chances of being successful are greater.

A good leader doesn’t concern themselves with power.

The reward in seeing people develops far out weigh the power of telling people what to do.

        
        “When the blind man carries the lame man, both go forward.”

          Swedish Proverb

As you let go you will experience the rewards of seeing your board develop.

By helping and teaching people they will develop before your eyes!

As a leader you need to know when to delegate, when to step in, when to voice an opinion, and what to let go of. You are still accountable for the performance of the board you are working with, yet you no longer control every aspect of the chapter.

Sharing information will allow you to delegate assignments that only you had control of in the past.

This information will allow your board to make decisions and will also educate them to help identify areas where they can implement change that will improve performance.

By involving the board in all levels in the chapter’s directions and goals, and by sharing the information, you are allowing your board to have a better understanding of the whole process rather than keeping them narrowly focused on their job.

You will find by having the board understand the bigger picture; they will have individual suggestions to improve areas that they didn’t understand they could impact.

Explain how each board members role fits with the entire organization an the importance of their role.

If they have no sense of ownership and don’t understand the impact they have, they will not undertake to find ways they could improve the chapter.

        
        “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers”
        Ralph Nader

When to Delegate

Is there someone else who is qualified to complete the task?

Can someone else do this a task, or is it critical that you do it yourself?

Does the task provide an opportunity to grow and develop another person’s skills?

Is this a task that will recur, in a similar form, in the future?

Do you have enough time to delegate the job effectively? Time for adequate training, for questions and answers, for opportunities to check progress, and for rework if that is necessary.

        
If you can answer “yes” to at least some of the previous questions, then it could well be worth delegating the job.

        
Other Factors

How much time is there available to do the job, and is there time to redo the job if it’s not done properly the first time?

How important is it that the results are of the highest possible quality?

Is an "adequate" result good enough?

Would a failure be crucial and how much would failure impact other things?

That being said, having all these conditions present is no guarantee that the delegated task will be completed successfully. As a good leader you need to know when to step in and be prepared to complete the task yourself if it crucial to the success of the chapter.

Delegate Successfully

Clearly articulate the desired outcome. Begin with the end in mind and specify the desired results.

Clearly identify constraints and boundaries. Where are the lines of authority, responsibility and accountability?

Should the person:

Wait to be told what to do or ask what to do?       

Recommend what should be done, and then act?

Act and then report results immediately or periodically?

Where possible, include the board in the delegation process. Empower them to decide what tasks are to be delegated to them and when.

Provide adequate support, and be available to answer questions. Ensure the project’s success through ongoing communication and monitoring.

Choose the Right Tasks

To delegate effectively, choose the right tasks to delegate, identify the right people to delegate to, and delegate in the right way, and follow through. There’s a lot to this, but you’ll achieve so much more once you’re delegating effectively!

Focus on Results

Concern yourself with what is accomplished, rather than detailing how the work should be done: Your way is not necessarily the only or even the best way! Allow the person to control his or her own methods and processes. This facilitates success and trust.

Establish & Maintain Control

Discuss timelines and deadlines.

Take time to review all submitted work.

In thoroughly considering these key points prior to and during the delegation process you will find that you delegate more successfully.

Guidance

Lastly, make sure that the team member aware that you want to know if any problems occur, and that you are available for any questions or guidance needed as the work progresses.

Then Follow Through!

We all know that as leaders, we shouldn’t micro-manage. However, this doesn’t mean we must give up control altogether: In delegating effectively, we have to find the sometimes-difficult balance between giving enough space for people to use their abilities to best effect, while still monitoring and supporting closely enough to ensure that the job is done correctly and effectively.

Follow-through is the cornerstone of execution, and every leader who's good at executing follows through religiously. Following through ensures that people are doing the things they committed to do, according to the agreed timetable.

If you do not follow through, either with what you said you would do, or to assist your people in complying, then you are teaching your people to ignore you.

Words are cheap, but action speaks volumes!

If someone does not follow your direction, don't waste time and energy repeating yourself, instead it may be time for you to become part of the process. By helping them get things done they will realize the importance of what’s been delegated to them, they take things seriously and recognize the since of urgency.

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
Theodore Roosevelt