Servant-leaders are great at delegating.
Indeed, purposeful delegation is one of the three key practices of servant-leaders in the workplace.*
Here are 5 questions servant-leaders ask before delegating a project to a person or team.
- How does this project connect to our mission? Servant-leaders continuously connect their followers to organizational mission. When delegating, they can connect the dots between a project in the present and a vision of the future. And they can articulate that connection if needed.
- Is this project reasonable? Is it a priority? Is it sensible? Can we articulate an objective that is S.M.A.R.T – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound? Is it a good use of resources? Servant-leaders make decisions – including decisions involving delegation – with good stewardship.**
- Am I being fair? Bad delegating often involves acting partially – playing favorites or being punitive. Servant-leaders strive to be self-aware; that way, they can better know their own biases and put them aside when interacting with others at work.
- Am I being consistent? Servant-leaders avoid hypocrisy, double standards and duplicity. In my experience, servant-leaders never delegate a project they would be unwilling to do themselves.*** They make sure they “walk the talk” at all times.
- Can they do it? Does the team have the knowledge, skills, experience and resources it needs? In the workplace, there is little worse than being set up for failure. Servant-leaders at work make sure that never happens – they want results and they play to win!****
What do you think? Do you agree that a servant-leader would ask these 5 questions before delegating a project? What would you add?
Let us know.
As always, we appreciate your views.
Thanks!
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* Check out: “Servant Leadership – 3 Workplace Practices” Plus more on purposeful delegation: “4 Distinctive Reasons Servant-Leaders Delegate”
** And here’s more on stewardship: “Servant-Leaders Steward 7 Things”
*** Two on consistency: “Servant-Leaders Don’t Eat Sugar” and “Servant-Leaders Lift Trees”
**** And finally, a word or two on achievement of results as a servant leadership priority: “Servant Leadership – 3 Workplace Priorities”