How To Get Promoted – Part 2
Why don’t we delegate?
Myth: You can’t trust that someone else will show up, be responsible, do her fair share?
* Truth: Unless you work with a completely dysfunctional team, chances are that your team members are dependable.
Myth: If we delegate to folks, we will seem like we are bossy or being the dreaded ‘B’ word.
* Truth: Someone has to take charge. When someone else on your team delegates part of a project or enlists your help on an assignment – do you feel like she's being bossy – or do you enjoy being respected as someone with something to contribute, with a skill that was sought out? Give other people on your team a chance to experience the same thing at your request.
Myth: If I do it all myself, I’ll get all the recognition.
* Truth: You may get the credit, but not the promotion. While you were toiling away, another employee was building relationships, doing the tasks that focused on her strengths, and working efficiently by pooling the strengths of others instead of taking it all on herself.
What we lose?
By choosing to do everything yourself, here’s what you miss out on:
The opportunity to assume a leadership role: You can’t demonstrate your ability to lead a team if all you are responsible for is you.
The chance to change your professional image with colleagues: if you are thought of as the go to person, the crisis handler for your team- you are creating a role that will be hard to move away from. Who wants to lose the person who handles every crisis through a promotion.
The chance to show your other strengths to your manager: Unless you want the official title PowerPoint guru, you need the opportunity to showcase other strengths to your manager. Especially if official opportunities for leading projects or teams are few and far between.
The opportunity to build better relationships with your team members.
Unless it is your intention to stay in your current role, you will need to master the art of effective delegation. Here’s what Brilliant women know: sometimes words speak louder than actions.
Writer: Tai Goodwin
